RELEASE NOTES ESCom phrase catalogue, version 1.4 (spring
2014)
The following notes describe the main changes that have taken place in the update from
version 1.1 to version 1.4, the rationale behind those changes and the next steps in the
further development of the ESCom standard phrases catalogue.
After the previous version 1.1. of the ESCom phrase catalogue was published in March
2013, the ESCom Standard Phrases Working Group has mainly worked on improving the
existing catalogue and put less focus on the extension of the current library of phrases. The
guidance document ‘Hints on creation, submission and usage of EuPhraC and ESCom
phrases” has been instrumental in this activity, which has improved the quality of the
catalogue significantly. This document is available on the Cefic website
((http://www.cefic.org/Industry-support/Implementing-reach/Guidances-and-Tools1) and on
the EuPhraC website (http://draft.euphrac.eu). The main results of this activity in terms of
modifications now available in the catalogue version 1.4 are listed below:

In the previous version 1.1., a number of phrases were marked for deletion (mainly
duplicate phrases); these phrases have now been removed from the catalogue.

The full catalogue has been reviewed again to identify remaining duplicate phrases (or
phrases that are almost identical), phrases with typos and with grammatical errors.
Duplicate or almost identical phrases have been marked for deletion (will be deleted in
the next version); phrases with typos/errors have been corrected.

In this review many phrases have also been identified that do not meet certain rules on
phrase structure, are very specific, where the purpose is not clear, or that cannot
(in)directly be linked to the exposure assessment that generates the exposure scenario
(ES). This applies to some of the phrases that are linked to assessment tools as well as
phrases on operational conditions, risk management measures and additional good
practice advice. Where these phrases are standalones, they have been marked for
deletion (will be deleted in the next version). However, many of these phrases originate
from sector libraries. These phrases have been marked for discussion with their
originators. Depending upon the outcome of the discussions, these phrases will be
maintained, deleted or modified in the next release. These discussions with sector
organizations will be initiated during the summer period.
As a spin-off of this activity many additional rules have been developed to help prepare
consistent and harmonised phrases. These will be further tested by the ESCom
Standard Phrases Working Group before including them in the phrase guidance
documents. This will facilitate the review of newly submitted phrases and contribute to
the further quality improvement of the catalogue.

With respect to phrases that describe the input and output variables of assessment tools
such as ECETOC, ART, Stoffenmanager, ConsExpo, the following decisions have been
taken:
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o
o
o
The phrase catalogue will contain phrases for all input and output variables of
ECETOC TRA
As for consumer ESs, as specific consumer exposure determinants (SCEDs)
should become increasingly available from sector organisations, which contain
sufficient information on the consumer conditions, all ConsExpo-related phrases
will be marked for deletion (to be deleted in the next version), once SCEDs
become available.
ART and Stoffenmanager are complex tools requiring many input and output
variables; not all of these input/outputs are relevant to communicate to
downstream users via the ES; the current ART and Stoffenmanager phrases in
the catalogue will be kept for now. The tool developers will be invited to develop
a concise list of input/output standard phrases that are relevant for
communication downstream via the ES; the ESCom Working Group will review
these proposals and take a decision on the set of input/output phrases for these
tools; this set of phrases will be included in the next release of the catalogue.

The catalogue contains a high number of very specific phrases for titles, activities and
contributing scenarios. These phrases have been reviewed but no final decisions have
been taken on keeping or deleting these phrases. In 2013 and 2014 several workshops
were organized to develop and agree on an approach for the generation of so-called “ES
short titles for communication”. The deliverables of this activity are expected in the short
term and will lead in taking decisions on maintaining or deleting this type of phrase for
the next release of the catalogue.

One of the actions planned together with the ESCom IT Working Group is a mapping
exercise of standard phrases to the data fields in the ESCom XML, using the metadata in
the catalogue. As this mapping exercise will lead to changes in the assignment of
metadata in the catalogue, it was decided to wait with modifying the current metadata
assignments till the execution of the mapping exercise (expected summer 2014).

Over the last year many new phrases have been submitted for inclusion, using the
EuPhraC web proposal tool. Only a limited number of the submitted phrases have been
accepted for inclusion in the catalogue. The main reasons for rejecting phrases were:
o Similar phrase already available in the catalogue
o Purpose of the phrase is not clear
o No or no clear added value of the phrase for the ES for communication
o Phrase is very specific.
The ESCom Working Group recommends submitters of phrases to first check whether
the proposed phrase is already covered in the catalogue; secondly, the addition of
metadata and a short justification of the relevance of the phrase for the ES for
communication increase the likelihood of inclusion in the catalogue and simplify the
review by the Working Group.
Finally, it should be noted that while the ESCom Standard Phrase Working Group was
completing this release of the phrase catalogue, the ESCom IT Working Group reinitiated
the development of the next version of the XML standard. The ESCom IT Working Group
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has identified a number of issues in the current XML structure that require a discussion with
the ESCom Standard Phrase Working Group. The outcome of this discussion may lead to
changes in the XML structure and phrase catalogue. Due to time constraints this discussion
could not take place before the release of the catalogue version 1.4. As a consequence
some of the decisions taken for this release of the phrase catalogue may be effected by the
changes to the XML and they will be revisited for the next release of the phrase catalogue
which is scheduled for the autumn of 2014.
For more information, contact: Jean-Christophe Dewart, Cefic aisbl, Av. E. Van
Nieuwenhuyse, 4, B-1160 Brussels
jcd@cefic.be
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