Updated in December 2022
1. Scope
Current COVID-19 has illustrated the need for digital certificates including vaccination etc that could be used in an interoperable fashion across organizations. Digital COVID-19 Certificates are intended to provide proof that a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, tested for the virus, or recovered from COVID-19. It is recognized that digital certificates should be suitable to be used by both existing and emerging systems such as those based on decentralized identity (DID).
There is a need for coordinating activities across ITU-T SGs and related SDOs working on this important subject. The Terms of Reference of this JCA are consistent with clause 5 of Recommendation ITU-T A.1. The scope of the JCA is coordination of the ITU-T digital COVID-19 certificates (DCC) standardization work among relevant ITU-T study groups and external organizations and forums, fostering the use of compatible data architectures for sharing data, and promoting interoperability, agility and safety for users, and all relevant stakeholders involved.
The JCA-DCC should consider PP-22 Resolution 215 on the “Role of telecommunications/ICTs in mitigating global pandemics” and the UN Sustainability Goal 3: GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
The JCA-DCC will be a platform for relevant stakeholders – such as public health authorities, telecom regulators, healthcare delivery organizations, services providers, platform providers, network operators, travellers' organizations, healthcare users' organizations, international organizations, and industry forums and consortia.
2. Objectives
- The JCA-DCC will ensure that the ITU-T DCC standardization work is progressed in a well-coordinated way among relevant study groups. Planning issues can be brought to the attention of the JCA-DCC. The JCA-DCC will facilitate work assignment through the involved study groups when it is not clear under which Question work should be done and recommend an allocation of tasks.
- The JCA-DCC will analyse DCC standardization work items and coordinate an associated standardization roadmap.
- The JCA-DCC will act as a point of contact within ITU-T on DCC and with other intergovernmental organizations (in particular WHO), the European Commission as well as with SDOs/Forums (in particular ISO/IEC JTC 1/SCs 6, 17, 27, 35, and 37, W3C, ISO/PC 317, ISO/TC 215, ISO/TC 307, GSMA, EC, IEEE, ECMA, etc.) in order to avoid duplication of standardization work and assist in coordinating the DCC work of the relevant study groups.
- As per Rec. ITU-T A.1, clause 5.3, JCA-DCC is open, but (to restrict its size) should primarily be limited to official representatives from the relevant ITU study groups that are responsible for work on DCC. A portion of each JCA-DCC meeting may be allocated to raising awareness of DCC issues addressed by other ITU-T Study Groups Questions, and external organizations.
- JCA-DCC may also include invited experts and should invite representatives from other intergovernmental organizations (e.g. WHO) and relevant recognized SDOs/Forums (in particular the ISO and IEC committees as referenced above), as appropriate.
- The JCA should strive towards encouraging joint activity with the relevant SDOs (in particular ISO and IEC) and organizations.
3. Administrative support
TSB will provide support for JCA-DCC within available resource limits.
4. Meetings
JCA-DCC will work electronically using teleconferences and with face-to-face meetings as needed. Meetings will be held as determined by the JCA-DCC and will be announced to its participants and on the ITU-T website. JCA-DCC will meet during TSAG meeting if it needs to.
5. Progress reports
The JCA-DCC will report to TSAG at its meetings. Progress reports and proposals will be sent to relevant study groups as necessary, in accordance with Recommendation ITU-T A.1, clause 5.7.
6. Leadership
Co-chairs: Mr Heung Youl Youm (Rep. of Korea) and Mr. Carl Leitner (WHO)
8. Lifetime
See clause 5.10 of Recommendation ITU-T A.1.
