Report on the TCI webinar: UN/CEFACT standards for Agriculture, Fisheries and Agri-food.
Author: Trade and Compliance Institute
Date: 2 April 2025
*This is a translation of the original version published in Spanish by Aduana News News.
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the largest net exporter of food, is recognised by the World Bank as ‘the breadbasket and lungs of the world’ (1). In this context, the Trade and Compliance Institute (TCI) started its activities in the region with the objective of boosting international trade through the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
As part of this initiative, a webinar on UN/CEFACT standards as applied to the agriculture, fisheries and agri-food sector was held on 19 March 2025. The event brought together international experts to discuss the digitisation of trade, interoperability of systems and the implementation of electronic sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certificates.
Key Discussions and Challenges
Participants emphasized the importance of standardization and harmonization of procedures to enhance efficiency in global trade, particularly in agriculture. The webinar addressed both advancements and challenges in implementing electronic standards, highlighting the need for coordinated efforts among stakeholders. Experts from various domains, including agriculture, fisheries, and single window coordination, provided insights into the latest developments and best practices.
Role of UN/CEFACT in Trade Facilitation
UN/CEFACT (United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business) is an intergovernmental body responsible for developing international information exchange standards and policy recommendations to simplify and harmonize trade procedures. Its work plays a crucial role in facilitating global commerce by promoting digital transformation and interoperability. The discussions during the webinar underscored the significance of these standards in fostering seamless and more efficient trade operations worldwide.
The meeting featured the participation of:
Date: 2 April 2025
*This is a translation of the original version published in Spanish by Aduana News News.
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the largest net exporter of food, is recognised by the World Bank as ‘the breadbasket and lungs of the world’ (1). In this context, the Trade and Compliance Institute (TCI) started its activities in the region with the objective of boosting international trade through the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
As part of this initiative, a webinar on UN/CEFACT standards as applied to the agriculture, fisheries and agri-food sector was held on 19 March 2025. The event brought together international experts to discuss the digitisation of trade, interoperability of systems and the implementation of electronic sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certificates.
Key Discussions and Challenges
Participants emphasized the importance of standardization and harmonization of procedures to enhance efficiency in global trade, particularly in agriculture. The webinar addressed both advancements and challenges in implementing electronic standards, highlighting the need for coordinated efforts among stakeholders. Experts from various domains, including agriculture, fisheries, and single window coordination, provided insights into the latest developments and best practices.
Role of UN/CEFACT in Trade Facilitation
UN/CEFACT (United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business) is an intergovernmental body responsible for developing international information exchange standards and policy recommendations to simplify and harmonize trade procedures. Its work plays a crucial role in facilitating global commerce by promoting digital transformation and interoperability. The discussions during the webinar underscored the significance of these standards in fostering seamless and more efficient trade operations worldwide.
The meeting featured the participation of:
- Kamola Khusnutdinova , economic affairs officer and secretary of UN/CEFACT.
- Erik Bosker , UN/CEFACT co-coordinator for the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agri-Food domain.
- Joaquín E. González Galvan, UN/CEFACT co-coordinator for the Single Window domain.
- Rodrigo Robles , coordinator of the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agri-Food Working Group at the TCI.
- Simon Padilla , Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF).
- Eduardo Leite UN/CEFACT Regional Rapporteur for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Representatives from the following countries were registered: Argentina, Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, The Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Senegal, Switzerland and Uruguay.
Introduction and Initial Clarifications.
Eduardo Leite opened the meeting by explaining the role of the Trade and Compliance Institute (TCI) and his role as UN/CEFACT Regional Rapporteur for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Rapporteur shall:
(a) Promote UN/CEFACT’s interests and activities among governments, intergovernmental organizations, relevant trade associations and business and trade facilitation organizations, with the assistance of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UNECE secretariat, which is responsible for official communications;
(b) Encourage the participation of experts in UN/CEFACT’s work programme and stimulate the implementation of UN/CEFACT’s standards, recommendations and other deliverables; and
(c) Coordinate UN/CEFACT’s activities in the region.
(b) Encourage the participation of experts in UN/CEFACT’s work programme and stimulate the implementation of UN/CEFACT’s standards, recommendations and other deliverables; and
(c) Coordinate UN/CEFACT’s activities in the region.
Regional Engagement: He highlighted the importance of aligning UN/CEFACT discussions to the region's reality, promoting regional integration through international standards.
General Information on UN/CEFACT.
Kamola Khusnutdinova presented an overview of UN/CEFACT’s structure and operations, covering:
- The role and the appointment process for the heads of delegation.
- Internal processes and governance structure.
- How stakeholders can contribute to working groups.
- Mission and objectives of UN/CEFACT: an overview of UN/CEFACT's mission and objectives, highlighting the importance of digital connectivity and sustainable value chains.
- Regional engagement: she emphasized the need for greater participation from Latin American and Caribbean countries in the development of standards.
- The plenary consists of member states, with formal participation through heads of delegation.
- A dedicated advisory group exists for UN/LOCODE.
- Another sub-group is a Team of Specialists on ESG traceability along sustainable value chains for circular economy
- The UN/CEFACT programme of work is renewed every two years, the current one focuses on enhancing digital connectivity and fostering sustainable value chains.
- UN/CEFACT has nearly 1700 experts globally from public and private sectors.
- Outputs include policy recommendations (48 to date), e-business standards (over 900), and guiding material/capacity building.
- Work is carried out by experts in collaboration with partners like World Trade Organization, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), International Trade Centre, International Maritime Organization, International Civil Aviation Organization , and International Air Transport Association (IATA), among others
Open Development Process (ODP)
Kamola Khusnutdinova also explained the Open Development Process (ODP), addressing:
- The seven steps for developing standards and recommendations.
- The importance of multi-sector participation in the development of standards.
- How new initiatives can be submitted for UN/CEFACT evaluation.
Past and Future Activities in the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agri-Food Domain.
Erik Bosker highlighted work on UN/CEFACT outputs:
1. Guidance Material like:
a. White papers:
- Digital Product Conformity (2023)
- Gaps in Aligning Digitization with Transit Procedures (2024)
b. Electronic SPS Certificate (e-CERT) (2023)
2. Recommendations:
2. Recommendations:
- Trade Facilitation Recommendations
- Code List Recommendations
3. Standards
- Electronic SPS Certificate (eCERT)
- BSP eQuality
- for a number of agricultural processes: 1. Animal Traceability, 2. Crop Data Sheet Process eDAPLOS, 3. Electronic Animal Passport (Cattle Registration Info. Exchange), 4. Electronic Crop Report (eCROP), 5. Electronic Data Exchange Proxy, 6. Electronic Laboratory Observation Reporting (eLabs), 7. Fisheries Language for Universal eXchange (UN/FLUX), 8. Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), 9. Traceability of Primary Natural Products and 10. Traceability and Transparency in the Textile and Leather.
Erik went into more detail about Electronic SPS Certificate (e-CERT), talking about:
- SPS-eCERT Process G2G electronic exchange of SPS certificates.
- Certificate (SPSCERT).
- Certificate Acknowledgement (SPSACK).
- Implementation Guide.
- Code Lists Recommendations.
- Core Component Library (CCL) for standardized data elements.
- Impact on other standard setting organisations (Codex Alimentarius and WOAH model veterinary certificates).
- Message structure and consideration to use Single Window.
Partnership with Single Window Domain was highlighted regarding the White Paper: Establishing a Regional Single Window and the Revision of Recommendation 36 on Single Window interoperability (Create interest in contributing to a policy recommendation for SPS e-certification in a Single window environment in the framework of Recomendation 36 serving e-SPS interoperability and interconnectivity)
Future plans and ongoing work in the Single Window Domain
Joaquín González G. addressed:
- Integration of Single Window Systems: he discussed the importance of integrating Single Window systems with agricultural standards, highlighting interoperability as a central challenge.
- Interoperability projects are underway, such as the Pacific Alliance's interoperability of phyto and zoosanitary certificates.
- The importance of collaboration between the Agriculture and Single Window domains.
- How Recommendation 36 can be revised to enhance this integration.
- The benefits of harmonized trade processes for the agri-food sector.
- Regional Single Window Project: he mentioned the development of a White Paper on Regional Single Window, which includes the integration of licenses, permits, and SPS certificates.
- The single window domain has worked on single window assessment methodologies.
Importance of UN/CEFACT standards for Electronic Certification and Interoperability
Simon Padilla, from STDF, emphasized:
Simon Padilla, from STDF, emphasized:
- STDF’s work on electronic SPS certification and digitalization.
- The importance of electronic certification in facilitating international trade.
- How interoperability can reduce technical trade barriers: he emphasized the importance of interoperability between different electronic certification platforms and other digitalization of trade documentation systems, stressing the need for systems that work in an integrated manner.
- A new project funded by the STDF in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to develop a system for the production and exchange of electronic veterinary certificates, integrating them into Single Windows: explained that the project will focus in the Americas, with the goal of expanding to other regions in the future, in collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
- The complexity of veterinary certification due to the existence of a large number of certificate types
Questions and Answers
Rodrigo provided a regional perspective on the application of UN/CEFACT standards, highlighting the challenges and successes in implementing these standards in Latin America.
Rodrigo Robles moderated the final session, reading questions previously submitted by participants.
The experts responded to inquiries about:
- Strategies to accelerate the adoption of UN/CEFACT standards.
- Challenges in implementing digital solutions.
- Opportunities to strengthen international cooperation in the agri-food sector.
Conclusion
UN/CEFACT reaffirmed its commitment to serve countries through developing and maintaining international standards, recommendations and guidance materials in order to facilitate electronic trade, system interoperability, and the reduction of technical trade barriers. The meeting underscored the importance of expert participation to enable technical capacity building and multi-sector engagement in advancing standardization initiatives in agriculture, fisheries, and agri-food sectors.
Expert participation from governments, the private sector, and international organizations is essential to driving not only the development but also the adoption of the UN/CEFACT standards that enhance efficiency, security, and sustainability in the agri-food industry.
Answers to questions from the audience.
1. What new requirements are or do you think there may be in the area of international trade, regarding the issue of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in food animals, protein of animal origin?
This question is considered to be out of scope of UN/CEFACT. UN/CEFACT focuses on trade documentation, data harmonization, and procedural efficiency, not public health or agricultural policy. AMR-related requirements in food animals fall under the purview of organizations like the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), World Health Organization (WHO), and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Suggestion would be to consult for AMR WOAH’s Terrestrial Animal Health Code or FAO/WHO (Codex Alimentarius) guidelines on AMR mitigation in food systems.
2 What are the implications of non-compliance on the trader level, country level & moreso, regional level?
Also this question is considered to be out of UN/CEFACT’s scope: While UN/CEFACT develops standards, compliance implications (e.g., legal, economic) are typically addressed by national regulators or bodies like the World Trade Organization (WTO). UN/CEFACT tools may indirectly support compliance but do not enforce penalties.
Suggestion would be to analyze WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) or regional trade agreements for compliance frameworks.
3 What level of adoption do Latin American countries have of these standards?
UN/CEFACT actively monitors regional implementation of its standards. For example, Latin American countries like Mexico, Chile, and Costa Rica have adopted UN/CEFACT tools for trade documentation simplification and Single Window systems.
Key tools adopted: UN Layout Key for trade documents, UN/LOCODE for location codes, and electronic data interchange standards
Current adoption is estimated ~69% average implementation rate in Latin America (2017), with Mexico leading (92%) and Caribbean nations catching up.
4 International trade portals and regional integrations policies, should integrate this standards to interchange data and documents throw countries involved?
This is a core UN/CEFACT objective. UN/CEFACT’s standards (e.g., UN/EDIFACT, Single Window) are designed for interoperability in regional trade systems
International trade portals and regional integrations policies could consider:
UN/CEFACT reaffirmed its commitment to serve countries through developing and maintaining international standards, recommendations and guidance materials in order to facilitate electronic trade, system interoperability, and the reduction of technical trade barriers. The meeting underscored the importance of expert participation to enable technical capacity building and multi-sector engagement in advancing standardization initiatives in agriculture, fisheries, and agri-food sectors.
Expert participation from governments, the private sector, and international organizations is essential to driving not only the development but also the adoption of the UN/CEFACT standards that enhance efficiency, security, and sustainability in the agri-food industry.
Answers to questions from the audience.
1. What new requirements are or do you think there may be in the area of international trade, regarding the issue of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in food animals, protein of animal origin?
This question is considered to be out of scope of UN/CEFACT. UN/CEFACT focuses on trade documentation, data harmonization, and procedural efficiency, not public health or agricultural policy. AMR-related requirements in food animals fall under the purview of organizations like the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), World Health Organization (WHO), and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Suggestion would be to consult for AMR WOAH’s Terrestrial Animal Health Code or FAO/WHO (Codex Alimentarius) guidelines on AMR mitigation in food systems.
2 What are the implications of non-compliance on the trader level, country level & moreso, regional level?
Also this question is considered to be out of UN/CEFACT’s scope: While UN/CEFACT develops standards, compliance implications (e.g., legal, economic) are typically addressed by national regulators or bodies like the World Trade Organization (WTO). UN/CEFACT tools may indirectly support compliance but do not enforce penalties.
Suggestion would be to analyze WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) or regional trade agreements for compliance frameworks.
3 What level of adoption do Latin American countries have of these standards?
UN/CEFACT actively monitors regional implementation of its standards. For example, Latin American countries like Mexico, Chile, and Costa Rica have adopted UN/CEFACT tools for trade documentation simplification and Single Window systems.
Key tools adopted: UN Layout Key for trade documents, UN/LOCODE for location codes, and electronic data interchange standards
Current adoption is estimated ~69% average implementation rate in Latin America (2017), with Mexico leading (92%) and Caribbean nations catching up.
4 International trade portals and regional integrations policies, should integrate this standards to interchange data and documents throw countries involved?
This is a core UN/CEFACT objective. UN/CEFACT’s standards (e.g., UN/EDIFACT, Single Window) are designed for interoperability in regional trade systems
International trade portals and regional integrations policies could consider:
- The use of UN/CEFACT’s Reference Data Model (RDM) for cross-border data alignment.
- Adopting AS4 messaging standards for secure document exchange.
- Leveraging the Buy-Ship-Pay Model to streamline regulatory and commercial processes
5 Advances in the development of the zoosanitary standard.
This question could be considered out of scope of UN/CEFACT because zoosanitary standards are developed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
However last year WOAH has published: Electronic veterinary certification - WOAH - World Organisation for Animal Health. In this guidance the UN/CEFACT SPS Certificate (e-Cert) Standard has been the basis for the mapping of 7 WOAH international veterinary certificates.
Suggestion would be to consult WOAH’s Terrestrial and aquatic Animal Health Codes and the WOAH website for updates on zoosanitary regulation.
*Read the full story in Spanish: https://aduananews.com/pt/tci-llevo-a-cabo-seminario-sobre-normas-un-cefact-en-agricultura-pesca-y-agroalimentacion/
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This question could be considered out of scope of UN/CEFACT because zoosanitary standards are developed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
However last year WOAH has published: Electronic veterinary certification - WOAH - World Organisation for Animal Health. In this guidance the UN/CEFACT SPS Certificate (e-Cert) Standard has been the basis for the mapping of 7 WOAH international veterinary certificates.
Suggestion would be to consult WOAH’s Terrestrial and aquatic Animal Health Codes and the WOAH website for updates on zoosanitary regulation.
*Read the full story in Spanish: https://aduananews.com/pt/tci-llevo-a-cabo-seminario-sobre-normas-un-cefact-en-agricultura-pesca-y-agroalimentacion/