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Code List Recommendations

About the Code List Recommendations

Codified information is an integral part of data exchange in international business whether this is on paper documents or electronic data exchange. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), through its UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) develops, maintains and publishes for free of charge a number of code lists used extensively in business transactions. The following is the list of Code List Recommendations. There are also a number of code lists maintained and published through the UN/EDIFACT standard.

Rec 3 – Code for the Representation of Names of Countries

Recommendation 3 which is known as the “ISO ALPHA 2 Country Code,” it is intended for use in representing the names of countries, dependencies, and other areas of special geopolitical interest for purposes of international trade whenever there is a need for a coded alphabetical designation. This code is maintained by ISO

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
ECE/TRADE/201
Recommendation N°. 3
1996 PDF PDF PDF
ISO Online Browsing Platform 
(periodic updates by ISO)
       
 

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Rec 5 – Abbreviations of INCOTERMS

Recommendation 5 recommends the use of agreed abbreviations for the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) trade terms, known as INCOTERMS, for acceptance and use by Governments and international organizations whenever these terms are used in abbreviated form, including in electronic data transmission and processing. INCOTERMS were originally proposed by the UNECE in the 1970’s and then were transferred to the ICC.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2011/5
Recommendation N°.5, Incoterms 2010
2011 PDF PDF PDF
Previous versions        
ECE/TRADE/259
Recommendation N°.5, Incoterms 2000
2000 PDF PDF PDF
ECE/TRADE/202
Recommendation N°.5, Incoterms 1990
1996 PDF PDF PDF
 

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Rec 7 – Numerical Representation of Dates, Time and Periods of Time

Recommendation 7 establishes a method for a standardized and unambiguous all numerical designation of a given: date, time of day and length of time. It applies to all cases when this information is presented in numerical form but not when it is part of a plain language text.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
TRADE/WP.4/INF.108
Recommendation N°. 7
1998 PDF - -
 

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Rec 9 – Alphabetic Code for the Representation of Currencies

Recommendation 9 encourages the use of the three-letter alphabetic codes of the International Standard ISO 4217, “Codes for the representation of currencies and funds,” for application in international trade and their use in commercial transactions when currencies are expressed in coded or abbreviated form. The code is designed to be equally suitable for automated or manual applications. This code is maintained by ISO.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
ECE/TRADE/203
Recommendation N°. 9
1996 PDF -  PDF
ISO 4217 currency names and code elements 
(periodic updates by ISO)
       
 

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Rec 10 – Codes for the identification of Ships

Recommendation 10 recommends that participants in international trade, including ship owners, port authorities and other parties involved in maritime transport of goods, use the International Maritime Organization’s Ship Identification Number Scheme for the unique identification of ships; and recommends to use only the final seven characters of the IMO number in automated applications.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
TRADE/WP.4/R.1274 (Revised)
Revision of ECE/FAL Recommendation N°. 10 - Note by the Secretariat
1997 PDF - -
Previous versions        
TRADE/WP.4/R.1274
Revision of ECE/FAL Recommendation N°. 10 - Note by the Secretariat
1997 PDF PDF PDF
TRADE/WP.4/R.1201 (Revised)
Revision of ECE/FAL Recommendation N°. 10 - Note by ICS
1996 PDF - -
TRADE/WP.4/INF.52
Recommendation N°. 10 Note
1978 PDF - -
 

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Rec 16 – LOCODE Code for Trade and Transport Locations

Recommendation 16 recommends a five-letter alphabetic code for abbreviating names of locations such as ports, airports, inland freight terminals, and other locations where Customs clearance of goods can take place, and whose names need to be represented unambiguously in data interchange.
The UN/LOCODE’s code list is updated twice a year and it currently contains over 40,000 location codes.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
ECE/TRADE/227 (revised)
Recommendation N°. 16 - Third Edition
1998 PDF - -
UN/LOCODE Manual   PDF - -
UN/LOCODE website        
Previous version        
ECE/TRADE/227
Recommendation N°. 16
1996 PDF PDF PDF
 

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Rec 17 – Payment Abbreviations for Terms of Payment

Recommendation 17 provides abbreviations to certain terms of payment, referred to as “PAYTERMS”, for use in international trade transactions as appropriate. The “PAYTERMS” apply to commercial transactions relating to the provision of goods and/or services.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
ECE/TRADE/142
Recommendation N°. 17
1982 PDF -  PDF
 

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Rec 19 – Code for Modes of Transport

Recommendation 19 establishes a one-digit numerical code for representing transport modes and provides for a second digit for subdivisions, which might be required. This Recommendation applies to all cases where the mode of transport is represented in coded form in international trade documents and where a simple code structure suffices.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
TRADE/CEFACT/2001/19
Recommendation N°. 19 - Presented by the CDWG 
2001 PDF PDF PDF
Previous version        
ECE/TRADE/138
Recommendation N°. 19
1981 PDF - -
 

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Rec 20 – Codes for Units of Measure Used in International Trade

Recommendation 20 Provides three character alphabetic and alphanumeric codes for representing units of measurement for length, area, volume/capacity, mass (weight), time, and other quantities used in international trade. The codes are intended for use in manual and/or automated systems for the exchange of information between participants in international trade.
Facilitates use of Recommendation 20. The code list is presented in three separate annexes:

  • Annex I – Code elements listed by quantity category;
  • Annex II – Code elements listed by unit of measure name; and
  • Annex III – Code elements listed by common code.
Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
CEFACT/ICG/2010/IC013
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 7
2010 ZIP - -
Latest revision of codes and text   ZIP - -
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 14 (Annexes II to III) 2020 XLS    
Previous versions        
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 13 (Annexes I to III) 2017 XLS - -
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 12 (Annexes I to III) 2016 XLS - -
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 11 (Annexes I to III) 2015 XLS - -
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 10 (Annexes I to III) 2014 XLS - -
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 9 (Annexes I to III) 2014 XLS - -
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 8 (Annexes I to III) 2012 XLS - -
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2009/24
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 6
2009 PDF - -
CEFACT/ICG/2009/IC011
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 6
2009 PDF
XLS
- -
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2008/6
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision 5
2008 PDF
XLS
PDF PDF
CEFACT/ICG/2006/IC001
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision
2006 PDF
XLS
- -
TRADE/CEFACT/2005/19
Recommendation N°. 20 - Revision
2005 PDF PDF PDF
TRADE/CEFACT/2005/19 - Annex I
Recommendation N°20, Annex I - Revision
2005 PDF - -
TRADE/CEFACT/2005/19 - Annex II
Recommendation N°20, Annex II - Revision
2005 PDF - -
TRADE/CEFACT/2005/19 - Annex III
Recommendation N°20, Annex III - Revision
2005 PDF - -
TRADE/CEFACT/2001/20
Recommendation N°. 20 - Presented by the CDWG
2001 PDF PDF PDF
TRADE/CEFACT/2001/20/Add.1-3
Recommendation N°20, Annex I
2000 PDF - -
 

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Rec 21 – Codes for Passengers, Types of Cargo, Packages and Packaging Materials (with Complementary Codes for Package Names)

Recommendation 21 presents coded representations for the package type names used in international trade. The codes are intended for use in manual and/or automated systems for the exchange of information between participants in international trade.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
ECE/TRADE/211
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 2, Final
1996 PDF - -
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 11 Annexes V and VI 2020 XLS - -
Previous versions        
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 10 Annexes V and VI 2019 XLS    
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 9 Annexes V and VI 2012 XLS - -
CEFACT/ICG/2010/IC010/Rev.1
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 8.1 Annexes V and VI
2010 ZIP - -
CEFACT/ICG/2010/IC010
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 8 Annexes V and VI
2010 ZIP - -
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2009/25
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 7 Annexes V and VI
2009 PDF PDF PDF
CEFACT/ICG/2009/IC008
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 7, Annex V and VI
2009 PDF
XLS
- -
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2008/7
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 6, Annex V and VI
2008 PDF
XLS
PDF PDF
CEFACT/ICG/2006/IC003
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 5, Annex V and VI
2006 PDF
XLS
- -
ECE/TRADE/309
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 4, Annex V and VI
2002 PDF - -
TRADE/CEFACT/2001/21
Recommendation N°21 - Revision 3, Annex V and VI
2001 PDF PDF PDF
 

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Rec 23 – Freight Cost Code (FCC)

Recommendation 23 provides a naming system to be used to establish harmonized descriptions of freight costs and other charges related to the international movement of goods. It also specifies an unambiguous coded representation of those descriptions. It applies in all cases where descriptions of freight costs and other charges must be stated in plain language or in coded form in trade data interchange in paper documents or electronically.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 10 (Code list) 2020 XLS - -
Previous versions        
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 9 (Code list) 2012 XLS    
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2011/6
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 8
2011 PDF
XLS
PDF PDF
CEFACT/ICG/2010/IC005
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 7
2010 PDF
XLS
- -
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2008/30
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 6
2008 PDF PDF PDF
CEFACT/ICG/2008/IC003
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 6
2008 PDF
XLS
- -
CEFACT/ICG/2007/IC011
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 5
2007 PDF
XLS
- -
CEFACT/ICG/2007/IC004
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 4
2007 PDF
XLS
- -
CEFACT/ICG/2007/IC004
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 4
2007 PDF
XLS
- -
CEFACT/ICG/2007/IC001
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 3
2007 PDF
XLS
- -
CEFACT/ICG/2006/IC002
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 2
2006 PDF
XLS
- -
TRADE/CEFACT/ICG/2003/IC002
Recommendation N°23 - Revision 1
2003 PDF - -
ECE/TRADE/170
Recommendation N°23
1990 PDF PDF PDF
 

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Rec 24 – Trade and Transport Status Codes

Recommendation 24 provides Transport Status Codes to satisfy requirements for exchanging coded information about the status of consignments, goods or means of transport at a certain time or place in the transport chain. Representation of Transport Status Codes can be given in plain language or in coded form. The codes provided for in the Recommendation are for use in manual and/or automated systems of information exchange in international trade

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2009/26
Recommendation N°24 - Revision 
2009 PDF  PDF  PDF
Recommendation N°24 - Revision 6 (Code list) 2017 XLS - -
Previous versions        
CEFACT/ICG/2009/IC009
Recommendation N°24 - Fifth Revision
2009 PDF
XLS
- -
CEFACT/ICG/2007/IC002
Recommendation N°24 - Fourth Revision
2007 PDF
XLS
- -
CEFACT/ICG/2004/IC006
Recommendation N°24 - Third Revision
2004 PDF - -
TRADE/CEFACT/2001/22
Recommendation N°24 - Second Revision
2001 PDF - -
ECE/TRADE/258
Recommendation N°24 - First Revision
2000 PDF PDF PDF
TRADE/WP.4/R.1067/Rev.2
Recommendation N°24
1996 PDF PDF PDF
TRADE/WP.4/R.1067/Rev.2
Recommendation N°24 for approval
1995 PDF -  
 

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Rec 28 – Codes for Types of Means of Transport

Recommendation 28 establishes a common code list for the identification of the type of means of transport. It has particular relevance to transport organizations and providers, Customs and other authorities, statistical offices, forwarders, shippers, consignees and other parties concerned with transport.

Symbol and Title Issued date English French Russian
CEFACT/ICG/2010/IC011
Recommendation N°. 28 - Revision 3 
2010

PDF
XLS

- -
Recommendation N°. 28 - Revision 4.2 of code list 2018 XLS - -
Previous versions        
Recommendation N°. 28 - Revision 4.1 of code list 2014 XLS - -
Recommendation N°. 28 - Revision 4 of code list 2014 XLS - -
CEFACT/ICG/2007/IC003
Recommendation N°. 28 - Revision 2
2007 PDF
XLS
- -
ECE/TRADE/315
Recommendation N°. 28 - Second Edition
2002 PDF - -
TRADE/CEFACT/2001/23
Recommendation N°. 28 - First Edition
2001 PDF PDF PDF
 

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