0.    INTRODUCTION

       This specification provides the definition of the Generic
       statistical message (GESMES) to be used in Electronic Data
       Interchange (EDI) between trading partners involved in
       administration, commerce and transport.

1.    SCOPE

1.1   Functional Definition

       The compilation of statistics is a continuous chain starting
       with raw data collection, followed by a number of harmonization
       and aggregation processes leading to aggregated statistical
       data.
       Raw data collection is realized by means of surveys, sampling,
       direct reporting from individuals, economic operators.
       Harmonization and aggregation processes are very often handled
       by statistical bodies or authorized economic operators in case
       of direct reporting.
       A Generic Statistical Message (GESMES) is used by an
       organisation involved in this elaboration process to transmit a
       statistical data set.
       It permits the transmission of the following, either in the
       same and/or different messages:
       -the statistical concepts comprising the data set and their
       structure
       -if required, all related information ( code sets, labels,
       methodological notes, footnotes, etc.),
       -the statistical figures of the data set.
       This message could be used by producers and users of
       statistical information such as: National Statistical Offices,
       ministries, private and public administrations, private
       companies etc.

1.2   Field of Application

       The Generic statistical message may be used for both national
       and international applications. It is based on universal
       practice related to administration, commerce and transport, and
       is not dependent on the type of business or industry.

1.3   Principles

       The structure of statistical information to be exchanged is
       quite simple and could be defined as multidimensional array or
       chronological series. The difficulty of using or exchanging
       statistical data comes the varieties of interpretations of
       those structures. The interpretation varies from one
       statistical domain to another depending on the content.
       Another key factor is the volume: statistical indicators have
       many dimensions (e.g. time, classifications depending on
       statistical nomenclatures), dense and sparse series of matrices
       could be present simultaneously for the same indicator.
       The GESMES message may be used to exchange statistical data for
       all statistical domains in a variety of formats together with
       their descriptions.
       
       The data in the data set (i.e. the array) is contained in a
       generic segment (ARR - Array). The interpretation of the ARR
       segment is provided in segment group 8. GESMES is designed to
       support all types of statistical exchange, including
       time-series, which can be described by means of statistical
       concepts (i.e. statistical terms or objects).
       Associated with statistical data are textual information
       defining comprehensively the series and matrices, the
       underlying statistical concept or methodology. This is often
       referred to as meta-data and corresponds to associated
       information which is required to interpret basic data, such as
       headlines, stubs, comments and footnotes.
       
       The acronym, GESMES, stands for Generic Statistical Message and
       comprises a number of parts:
       
       i) Identification of administrative information concerning the
       interchange partners (Gr. 2)
       
       ii) Footnotes associated with value lists, statistical concepts
       and data set structures (Gr. 1)
       
       iii) Value lists of coded or non coded items to be used in this
       message or in a future message (Gr. 4)
       
       iv) Definition of statistical concepts to be used in this
       message or in a future message (Gr. 7).
       
       v) Definition of the structure of array data to be used in this
       message or in a future message, and the allocation of a unique
       identity to this definition (Gr. 8).
       
       vi) Identification of one or more data sets (Gr. 11). For each
       data set: the identity of the structure definition to be used
       to interpret the array data (Gr. 12); the scope, value lists or
       fixed values which are local to the data set (Gr. 13 and 14);
       the array data (ARR); footnotes associated with the data set
       (Gr. 18, 19 and 20).

2.    REFERENCES

       See UNTDID, Part 4, Chapter 2.6 UN/ECE UNSM - General Introduction,
       Section 1.

3.    TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

3.1   Standard terms and definitions

       See UNTDID, Part 4, Chapter 2.6 UN/ECE UNSM - General Introduction,
       Section 2.

4.    MESSAGE DEFINITION

4.1   Data Segment Clarification

       This section should be read in conjunction with the Segment
       Table which indicate mandatory, conditional and repeating
       requirements.

0010   UNH, Message header
       A service segment starting and uniquely identifying a message.
       The message type code for the Generic statistical message is
       GESMES.
       
       Note: Generic statistical messages conforming to this document
       must contain the following data in segment UNH, composite S009:

       Data element  0065 GESMES
                     0052 D
                     0054 99A
                     0051 UN

0020   BGM, Beginning of message
       A segment specifying the functional use (e.g. sub-set) of the
       Generic Statistical Message and identifying the message sent.

0030   DTM, Date/time/period
       A segment identifying dates which are relevant to the whole of
       the message.


0040   Segment group 1: FNT-FTX
       A group of segments containing textual footnotes related to
       value lists or definitions of the content and structure of an
       array.

0050      FNT, Footnote
          A segment containing the unique identifier of the footnote.

0060      FTX, Free text
          A segment containing the text relevant to the footnote.


0070   Segment group 2: NAD-IDE-SG3
       A group of segments identifying the sender and other relevant
       parties, their reference and the communication contact inside
       the corresponding organisations.

0080      NAD, Name and address
          A segment identifying the name and address of a party.

0090      IDE, Identity
          A segment giving the identity number of the data transmitted
          as it is known by the organisation described in the NAD
          segment.


0100      Segment group 3: CTA-COM
          A group of segments giving contact information.

0110         CTA, Contact information
             A segment identifying a person or a department for the
             party specified in the NAD segment and to whom
             communication should be directed.

0120         COM, Communication contact
             A segment providing a communication number for the
             contact identified in the CTA segment.


0130   Segment group 4: VLI-DTM-FTX-IDE-SG5-SG6
       A group of segments containing either a coded or non coded list
       of items and related information.

0140      VLI, Value list identification
          A segment identifying the value list.

0150      DTM, Date/time/period
          A segment identifying the period of validity of the value
          list and, if the value list is a date list, then a date
          value in that list.

0160      FTX, Free text
          A segment containing text associated with the value list.

0170      IDE, Identity
          A segment containing the identity of a footnote relevant to
          the value list.


0180      Segment group 5: GIR-DTM
          A group of segments containing the related identification
          number and the period of validity.

0190         GIR, Related identification numbers
             A segment containing additional identifiers associated
             with the value list (e.g. for a statistical nomenclature
             this could be a revision number or level number).

0200         DTM, Date/time/period
             A segment identifying the period of validity relating to
             the object identified in the GIR of this group.


0210      Segment group 6: CDV-FTX-IDE
          A group of segments containing the codes or names in a value
          list.

0220         CDV, Code value definition
             A segment identifying a particular value of a code.

0230         FTX, Free text
             A segment containing the textual description of the code.
             Multi-lingual definitions may be present in different
             occurrences of this segment.

0240         IDE, Identity
             A segment containing the identity of a footnote relevant
             to the code.


0250   Segment group 7: STC-FTX-IDE
       A group of segments specifying a statistical concept.

0260      STC, Statistical concept
          A segment identifying a statistical concept.

0270      FTX, Free text
          A segment containing the name, definition or description of
          the statistical concept.

0280      IDE, Identity
          A segment containing the identity of a footnote relevant to
          the statistical concept.


0290   Segment group 8: ASI-GIS-FTX-IDE-SG9
       A group of segments which identifies and defines the structure
       of an array.

0300      ASI, Array structure identification
          A segment containing the unique identifier of the array
          structure.

0310      GIS, General indicator
          A segment containing a processing indicator associated with
          the array structure.

0320      FTX, Free text
          A segment containing a name/title or description of the
          structure of an array.

0330      IDE, Identity
          A segment containing the identity of a footnote relevant to
          the structure.


0340      Segment group 9: SCD-ATT-SG10
          A group of segments which defines the structure of an array.

0350         SCD, Structure component definition
             A segment that defines a statistical concept or other
             object (such as a value list) used by an array and its
             position in the array.

0360         ATT, Attribute
             A segment containing an attribute that further defines
             the structure component (e.g. type of value, type of
             measurement, etc.).


0370         Segment group 10:IDE-ATT-DTM
             A group of segments identifying a value list or a value
             in a value list which is used by the statistical concept.

0380            IDE, Identity
                A segment identifying the value list or value.

0390            ATT, Attribute
                A segment containing an attribute that further defines
                the value (e.g. type of value, type of measurement
                etc.).

0400            DTM, Date/time/period
                A segment identifying period of validity of the value
                list or other dates relevant to the value list.


0410   Segment group 11:DSI-STS-DTM-FTX-GIR-ARR-SG12-SG16-SG18-SG20
       A group of segments identifying the data set, its status, the
       source of the data, the array data itself, the structure
       definition of the data set and definition of the scope of the
       data and local values, details on the originator of a data, and
       footnotes associated with the array data.

0420      DSI, Data set identification
          A segment containing the unique identifier of the data set.

0430      STS, Status
          A segment containing information on the status of the
          information in the data set, e.g. its elaboration or privacy
          status.

0440      DTM, Date/time/period
          A segment identifying a date relevant to the data set, e.g.
          date of original elaboration.

0450      FTX, Free text
          A segment containing a textual description of the data set.

0460      GIR, Related identification numbers
          A segment containing additional identifiers associated with
          the data set (e.g. identification of the source or
          destination of the data in the data set).

0470      ARR, Array information
          A segment containing the data in the data set.


0480      Segment group 12:IDE-GIS-DTM-SG13-SG14
          A group of segments containing an identifier relevant to the
          data set, a processing indicator and a date.

0490         IDE, Identity
             A segment containing an identifier relevant to the data
             set, such as the scope or structure definition used by
             the data set.

0500         GIS, General indicator
             A segment containing a processing indicator associated
             with the array data.

0510         DTM, Date/time/period
             A segment identifying a date relevant to the identity
             e.g. date relating to the scope of the data.


0520         Segment group 13:CDV-FTX
             A group of segments containing the codes or names in a
             value list that are relevant to the object identified in
             the IDE segment of the group e.g. one or more codes that
             specify the scope of the data set.

0530            CDV, Code value definition
                A segment identifying a particular value of a code.

0540            FTX, Free text
                A segment containing the textual description of the
                code.
                Multi-lingual definitions may be present in different
                occurrences of this segment.


0550         Segment group 14:SCD-ATT-DTM-SG15
             A group of segments which identifies a structure
             component of the array and defines attributes or codes
             which are local to the data set identified in the DSI
             segment.

0560            SCD, Structure component definition
                A segment that identifies the structure component.

0570            ATT, Attribute
                A segment containing an attribute that further defines
                the structure component (e.g. type of value, type of
                measurement etc.).

0580            DTM, Date/time/period
                A segment specifying a date relevant to the structure
                component e.g. a date for time series data.


0590            Segment group 15:CDV-FTX
                A group of segments containing the codes or names in a
                value list that are relevant to the structure
                component identified in the SCD segment.

0600               CDV, Code value definition
                   A segment identifying a particular value of a code.

0610               FTX, Free text
                   A segment containing the textual description of the
                   code.
                   Multi-lingual definitions may be present in
                   different occurrences of this segment.


0620      Segment group 16:NAD-IDE-SG17
          A group of segments identifying the department and contact
          person within the sending organisation responsible for a
          particular aspect of the data set (e.g. compilation).

0630         NAD, Name and address
             A segment identifying a particular department in an
             organisation responsible for the data set.

0640         IDE, Identity
             A segment containing an identifier used by the sender or
             receiver to identify the data set.


0650         Segment group 17:CTA-COM
             A group of segments giving contact information.

0660            CTA, Contact information
                A segment identifying a person or a department for the
                party specified in the NAD segment and to whom
                communication should be directed.

0670            COM, Communication contact
                A segment providing a communication number for the
                contact identified in the CTA segment.


0680      Segment group 18:FNS-SG19
          A group of segments identifying the location in the data set
          to which a footnote is relevant.

0690         FNS, Footnote set
             A segment identifying a set of footnotes, which are
             either defined in this group or have been defined
             previously.


0700         Segment group 19:REL-ARR-IDE
             A group of segments identifying the scope of the
             footnote, the location in the data set to which a
             footnote is relevant, and the identity number of that
             footnote.

0710            REL, Relationship
                A segment defining the scope of a footnote in terms of
                the relationship between the data in the ARR segment
                in segment group 19 and the data in the ARR segment in
                segment group 11.

0720            ARR, Array information
                A segment containing data values that identify the
                location in the data set to which a footnote is
                relevant.

0730            IDE, Identity
                A segment containing the identity of a footnote
                relevant to the data in the data set.


0740      Segment group 20:FNT-FTX
          A group of segments containing textual footnotes related to
          data in the data set.

0750         FNT, Footnote
             A segment containing the unique identifier of the
             footnote.

0760         FTX, Free text
             A segment containing the text of the footnote.

0770   UNT, Message trailer
       A service segment ending a message, giving the total number of
       segments in the message and the control reference number of the
       message.

4.2   Data segment index (Alphabetical sequence by tag)

          ARR Array information
          ASI Array structure identification
          ATT Attribute
          BGM Beginning of message
          CDV Code value definition
          COM Communication contact
          CTA Contact information
          DSI Data set identification
          DTM Date/time/period
          FNS Footnote set
          FNT Footnote
          FTX Free text
          GIR Related identification numbers
          GIS General indicator
          IDE Identity
          NAD Name and address
          REL Relationship
          SCD Structure component definition
          STC Statistical concept
          STS Status
          UNH Message header
          UNT Message trailer
          VLI Value list identification

Contents of GESMES