Processing instructions

General use

In general, the use of processing instructions is forbidden. The only exceptions are those mentioned in this document. So if any provider uses processing instructions for technical or other reasons which do not comply with the specifications in this document, they have to be removed from the instances before transferring them to OPOCE.

All attributes which might be declared within processing instructions must have their values between double quotes.

The XML declaration

Although the XML declaration is not a processing instruction in the strict sense of the term, it has a similar format. Therefore we handle it in this chapter.

Each instance which is transferred to OPOCE has to start with the XML declaration. It specifies the version of the XML specification and the character encoding used for the document. These items are to be provided in form of so-called pseudo-attributes.

The declaration is case dependent. It always starts with the keyword "xml".

The current version of the XML specification is specified as an attribute named "version". The only value accepted is "1.0". If in the course of time W3C decides to adopt a new version of XML, it is up the OPOCE to decide when and how this version will be used in the context of Formex.

The character encoding is specified by means of the attribute "encoding". The only value accepted is "utf-8". Any other value may only be used with written confirmation by OPOCE.

The XML declaration looks like this (attribute values must always be quoted using the double quote character (")):

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

NB: Other attributes which are foreseen in the XML specification are not accepted.

Page breaks

The processing instruction PAGE is used to mark up the page breaks in an instance. Therefore, it may appear anywhere. The processing instruction has three attributes, "NO", "ID.VOL" and "PAGE.SIZE". The first one is mandatory for each occurrence of the processing instruction.

The first page break must be inserted at the bottom of the first page of a given document. The value given to the NO attribute is the number of the following page. The processing instruction must be repeated at the bottom of every page, with the exception of the last page.

In the case where a PAGE processing instruction has to be added at the end of a structural element, as far as possible it has to be placed outside all elements which logically belong to the same page.

If the processing instruction PAGE appears within a text block between two words, it has to be followed by a space. No spaces may be added, if it appears outside a text block. The objective of this rule is to get a valid document by simply deleting the processing instructions.

Attention: The previous rule is different from Formex v3.

When the page break falls within a divided word, the processing instruction must be placed after the word from which the caesura has been removed.

Page breaks in inclusions (INCL.ELEMENT) must also be marked up using the PAGE processing instruction. When a page break occurs at the end of the included document, the PAGE processing instruction will be inserted not in the included document, but just after the inclusion element in the calling document. The value of the NO attribute is the number of the page following the last page of the inclusion.

Specific processing is required for tables which cover a double page (format A3), for example tables relating to Taric. In these cases, the processing instruction is only used every two pages, i.e. at the bottom of right-hand pages. In addition, the attribute PAGE.SIZE has to be included with the value "A3", the value "A4" being the default.

For documents published over two or more volumes the ID.VOL attribute is used to indicate the identifier of the volume containing the page.

The processing instruction must not be used within a page which collects footnotes at the end of the document.

Column page break

The COL.PAGE processing instruction is used to mark up the page break in a column of a table when the contents of the cell cover two pages.

It is also present in other models which are similar to table or column structures.

The COL.PAGE processing instruction is used when the contents of the cell cover two pages. It is usually inserted after the tag indicating the end of the line.

The use of COL.PAGE does not under any circumstances replace the PAGE processing instruction.

CLG.MDFO

The CLG.MDFO processing instruction is used:

• to mark up the parts of the consolidated text which do not come from the basic act but from another document such as a modifying act or a corrigendum, and
• to save the source of these modifications.

This processing instruction is used to indicate the start of a modification. It is always accompanied by a CLG.MDFC processing instruction which indicates the end of the modification.

Various attributes describe the specialties of each modification:

The value of the attribute ID is the unique identifier of the occurrence of the modification in the record. The format of the value is of the type

OxxxnnnMddddeeee

where:

• O: is a fixed value (Open);
• xxx: this value corresponds to the production sequence during which the modifications were introduced for the first time;
• nnn: this value corresponds to the version of the production sequence during which the modifications were introduced for the first time;
• M: is a fixed value;
• dddd: this value corresponds to the order of the modification in the phase (the record);
• eeee: this value is used to define a serial number when there are several occurrences of the same modification; for example, in the case of a global replacement. When there is only a single occurrence, the value is '0000'. When there are several occurrences, the value of the first occurrence is '0001'.

The values 'xxx' and 'nnn' can be deduced from the value assigned to the attribute PROD.SEQ of the element INFO.CONSLEG for the production sequence during which the modifications were introduced for the first time.

The different values must always be represented by three digits. If necessary, the leading positions must be filled with zeros.

For each value assigned to the attribute ID, there must be one and only one occurrence of the processing instruction CLG.MDFC of which the attribute IDREF contains this value.

The value of the attribute IDREF refers to the occurrence of the CLG.MDFC processing instruction, which indicates the end of the modification in question.

For each value assigned to the attribute IDREF, there must be one and only one occurrence of the processing instruction CLG.MDFC of which the attribute ID contains this value.

The ACTION attribute is used to define the type of the modification. The following values are permitted:

• INSERTED: a straight forward insertion,
• DELETED: a straight forward deletion,
• REPEALED: the document is repealed,
• REPLACED: an insertion following a replacement,
• RENUMBERED: an insertion following a renumbering.

For a straight forward deletion, the deleted text must be saved. In this case the value "DELETED" is used. The old text and (where applicable) its structure are stored in the record. The beginning of the deleted text is marked up with the markup CLG.MDFO and the end of the deleted text is marked up with the markup CLG.MDFC.

In the case of the "REPLACED" and "RENUMBERED" values, however, the old text and (where applicable) its structure cannot be stored in the record.

The attribute LEVEL is used to define the nature of the modification.

The following values are permitted:

• STRUCTURE: a modification relating to a structural element,
• TEXT: a modification relating to a portion of text.

The distinction between the two values is not rigid. In some cases the context is indispensable for determining the value. These values are assigned during preparation.

The COMMAND attribute is used to define the way in which the modification has been described.

The following values are permitted:

• EXPLICIT: the modification is described explicitly in a modifying act or in a corrigendum (default value). Modifications described globally, such as global replacements, are also considered as explicit modifications.
• IMPLICIT: the modification is not described explicitly in a modifying act or in a corrigendum. Generally, these are modifications which are implied by an explicit modification; for example, grammatical modifications.
• GENERAL: the modification is described in general documents. Unlike documents containing implicit and explicit modifications, these documents do not necessarily appear on the list of modifying acts.

The ACTIVE.DOC attribute is used to specify the Celex reference of the active document. This is the document that describes the modification to be carried out.

The ACTIVE.LOC attribute is used to identify in more detail the location of the modification command within the active document.

The description of the location may consist of the following elements:

• specific abbreviations;
• numerical values representing the occurrence;
• the colon symbol: this symbol separates the abbreviation from the numerical value;
• the semicolon symbol: if the location consists of several abbreviations indicating several levels in the location, each abbreviation is separated by a semicolon;
• the symbol '.AND.': if there are several references to different locations, the references are separated by a logical connector in the form of '.AND.'.

Spaces are not allowed, except for those placed before and after a logical connector such as '.AND.'.

For abbreviations, the following codes may be used:

• AD: address,
• AL: alinea (paragraph),
• AP: appendix,
• AR: article,
• AX: annex,
• CE: cell (of a table),
• CG: group of correction,
• CH: chapter,
• CL: column,
• CO: recital (considering in preamble),
• CR: correction,
• DA: dash (em-dash list item),
• DC: declaration,
• DI: disposition (enacting terms),
• DS: description,
• EL: list item (element of list, other than em-dash),
• FA: final act,
• FG: figure (image),
• FI: final (final part),
• FN: footnote,
• LI: list,
• LT: letter (in the context of an agreement in the form of an exchange of letters),
• NT: new text,
• OT: old text,
• PA: paragraph,
• PB: preamble,
• PC: protocol,
• PG: page,
• PP: physical paragraph,
• PR: part,
• PT: point (item),
• RO: row (of a table),
• SC: subchapter,
• SD: subdivision,
• SE: section,
• SN: sentence (phrase),
• ST: subtitle,
• SU: summary (table of contents),
• TA: table,
• TI: title,
• TO: total act,
• TT: title as subdivision,
• VI: visa (approved).

In some cases, additional information may be provided by the following abbreviations:

• (AB): at the beginning
• (AF): after
• (BE): before
• (EN): at the end
• (GL): global
• (IL): insertion in sorted list
• (NN): new numbering
• (ON): old numbering

In the context of paragraphs and articles, special abbreviations may be used:

• .A: 2nd
• .B: 3rd
• .C: 4th
• .D: 5th
• .E: 6th
• .F: 7th
• .G: 8th
• .H: 9th
• .I: 10th
• etc.

If there are more than 26 occurrences, the following abbreviations are used: .AA, .AB, .AC etc.

Some examples:

The value 'AR:1.A;PT:3;PT:c .AND. AX:1' refers to the locations 'Article 1A, item 3c' and 'Annex 1'.

If there is only one annex, the location is indicated as 'AX:0'.

The attribute MOD.LEVEL is used to identify the level of the modification. The default value is '1'. When there is a second-generation modification, which means a modification of the modifying act, the value assigned to MOD.LEVEL is '2', and so on.

Modifications of a higher level must always be imbedded in a lower-level modification. For example, a modification of level '2' must always be integrated into a modification of level '1'.

CLG.MDFC

This processing instruction CLG.MDFC is used to indicate the end of a modification. It is always accompanied by a CLG.MDFO processing instruction which indicates the start of the modification.

The value of the attribute ID is the unique identifier of the occurrence of the modification in the record.

The format of the value is of the type

CxxxnnnMdddeee

where:

• C: is a fixed value (Close);
• xxx: this value corresponds to the production sequence;
• nnn: this value corresponds to the version;
• M: is a fixed value;
• dddd: this value corresponds to the order of the modification in the phase;
• eeee: this value is used to define a serial number when the same modification is concerned.

The values 'xxx' and 'nnn' must correspond to the values assigned to the attribute PROD.SEQ of the element INFO.CONSLEG.

The different values must always be represented by three digits. If necessary, the leading positions must be filled with zeros.

For each value assigned to the attribute ID, there must be one and only one occurrence of the processing instruction CLG.MDFO of which the attribute IDREF contains this value.

The value of the attribute IDREF refers to the occurrence of the processing instruction CLG.MDFC, which indicates the end of the modification in question.

For each value assigned to the attribute IDREF, there must be one and only one occurrence of the processing instruction CLG.MDFO of which the attribute ID contains this value.