I propose that L2 forward the following document, with an appropriate introduction, to the appropriate committee with the recommendation that it be a US national body position. As a consortium, we would also urge other organizations and national bodies to support this, so that the ISO 4217 currency lists can be effectively used.
We are gratified to see that the ISO currency codes are now publicly available on http://www.iso.org/iso/en/prods-services/popstds/currencycodeslist.html, as promised in http://www.iso.org/iso/en/commcentre/pressreleases/archives/2003/Ref871.html.
"ISO issues the following statement in response to recently publicized misunderstandings of its current practice and intentions regarding its widely used country, currency and language codes.
- ISO is to continue with its established practice of allowing free-of-charge use of its country, currency and language codes from, respectively, the ISO 3166, ISO 4217 and ISO 639 standards, in commercial and other applications.
... where the currency and language codes are, respectively, publicly available...."
However, at the time of this writing, we see the following problems in the ISO 4217 currency list.
1. Stability. The public ISO currency list needs to follow the same practices as ISO 3166 and ISO 639 have recently put into place to guarantee stability. Stability is fundamental to a use of codes like these, since data in existing databases referring to currencies must maintain the same semantics, even if a code goes out of modern use. This includes the following items:
2. Complete Country Names. The list of countries should be precisely the same as the ISO 3166 list. There are three ISO 3166 codes missing:
SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS (GS) PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, OCCUPIED (PS) ÅLAND ISLANDS (AX)Note: other territories are listed with no currency, such as the following:
ANTARCTICA No universal currency
3. Exact Country Names. To prevent mismatches, country names must be precisely as
in the ISO 3166 list on
http://www.iso.org/iso/en/prods-services/iso3166ma/02iso-3166-code-lists/list-en1.html. The
problem cases are:
IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE MICRONESIA (FEDERATED STATES OF) MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF SÃO TOME AND PRINCIPE SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE VIRGIN ISLANDS (BRITISH) VIRGIN ISLANDS, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS (US) VIRGIN ISLANDS, U.S.
4. Machine-Readable List. In addition, it is strongly recommended that there be a downloadable, semicolon delimited list, such as the ISO 3166 list on http://www.iso.org/iso/en/prods-services/iso3166ma/02iso-3166-code-lists/list-en1-semic.txt. In such a list, the two-letter ISO 3166 country codes should be used instead of country names, to prevent any mismatches as in the last item above.
5. Minor items.
6. Questions.
In ISO 4217:2001(E/F) Sixth edition, 2001-08-15, the English table lists ZRZ as both the Zaire and New Zaire, but the French table lists ZRN and ZRZ as those two currencies. We presume that the French is correct, but need confirmation.
The online ISO-4217 list appears to be wrong:
http://www.iso.org/iso/en/prods-services/popstds/currencycodeslist.html
The currency for Togo is XOF, and not TOP. TOP is the currency of Tonga, but the currency display
name and numeric codes are correct for Togo and Tonga. The ISO-4217:2001 list is correct, and the
online ISO-4217:2004 should change the alphabetic currency code of Togo to XOF.
7. Ambiguous Currency Names. Table 1 below list cases of ambiguous currency names
8. Obsolete Currency Codes. The following are obsolete, but that is not reflected in the ISO tables.
GWP ; Guinea-Bissau Peso ; GW ; GUINEA-BISSAUhttp://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/pr/1999/pr9943.htm
currency ; MGF ; Malagasy Franc ; MG ; MADAGASCARhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4142581.stm
While not yet obsolete, the following is being phased out; it would be useful to indicate this in the ISO tables.
currency ; TRL ; old Turkish Lira ; TR ; TURKEYhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4137469.stm
Format: <currency code> ; <currency name> ; <country code> ; <country name>
The following are cases where the same currency name is given to two different codes in two different countries. These should be qualified so that names are unique, as is the case for other currencies (eg, Algerian Dinar, Bahraini Dinar, etc.).
XOF ; CFA Franc BCEAO ; SN ; SENEGAL TOP ; CFA Franc BCEAO ; TG ; TOGO XAF ; CFP Franc ; PF ; FRENCH POLYNESIA XPF ; CFP Franc ; NC ; NEW CALEDONIA BEC ; Convertible Franc ; BE ; BELGIUM LUC ; Convertible Franc ; LU ; LUXEMBOURG BEL ; Financial Franc ; BE ; BELGIUM LUL ; Financial Franc ; LU ; LUXEMBOURG MWK ; Kwacha ; MW ; MALAWI ZMK ; Kwacha ; ZM ; ZAMBIA ARY ; Peso ; AR ; ARGENTINA BOP ; Peso ; BO ; BOLIVIA BAD ; Dinar ; BA ; BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA HRD ; Dinar ; HR ; CROATIA
In addition, the following currency names are ambiguous within the same country. These should be treated like other cases in ISO 4217, with one of them qualified, such as "Old Dong".
AFA ; Afghani ; AF ; AFGHANISTAN AFN ; Afghani ; AF ; AFGHANISTAN BRB ; Cruzeiro ; BR ; BRAZIL BRE ; Cruzeiro ; BR ; BRAZIL EQE ; Ekwele ; GQ ; EQUATORIAL GUINEA GQE ; Ekwele ; GQ ; EQUATORIAL GUINEA AOA ; Kwanza ; AO ; ANGOLA AOK ; Kwanza ; AO ; ANGOLA MAF ; Mali Franc ; ML ; MALI MLF ; Mali Franc ; ML ; MALI MXN ; Mexican Peso ; MX ; MEXICO MXP ; Mexican Peso ; MX ; MEXICO RUB ; Russian Ruble ; RU ; RUSSIAN FEDERATION RUR ; Russian Ruble ; RU ; RUSSIAN FEDERATION PEH ; Sol ; PE ; PERU PES ; Sol ; PE ; PERU GNE ; Syli ; GN ; GUINEA GNS ; Syli ; GN ; GUINEA UGS ; Uganda Shilling ; UG ; UGANDA UGX ; Uganda Shilling ; UG ; UGANDA YUM ; Yugoslavian Dinar ; YU ; YUGOSLAVIA YUN ; Yugoslavian Dinar ; YU ; YUGOSLAVIA PLN ; Zloty ; PL ; POLAND PLZ ; Zloty ; PL ; POLAND
The following case should also be resolved to eliminate the ambiguity.
RHD ; Rhodesian Dollar ; RH ; SOUTHERN RHODESIA ZWC ; Rhodesian Dollar ; ZW ; ZIMBABWE
The following are codes not contained in the public list. The format is the same as the above, with an additional <status> field at the end. The status is "I" for those introduced, then obsoleted, between the issuance of ISO 4217:2001(E/F) and the availability of the public list on http://www.iso.org/iso/en/prods-services/popstds/currencycodeslist.html. The status is "O" for those obsolete as of ISO 4217:2001(E/F), and "X" for those listed in table A.3, but as "Non-ISO codes". This list is sorted first by status, then by country name.
Format: <currency code> ; <currency name> ; <country code> ; <country name> ; <status>
BYB ; Belarus Ruble ; BY ; BELARUS ; I ECS ; Sucre ; EC ; ECUADOR ; I MAF ; Mali Franc ; ML ; MALI ; I TJR ; Tajik Ruble ; TJ ; TAJIKISTAN ; I AFA ; Afghani ; AF ; AFGHANISTAN ; O ADP ; Andorran Peseta ; AD ; ANDORRA ; O AOK ; Kwanza ; AO ; ANGOLA ; O AON ; New Kwanza ; AO ; ANGOLA ; O AOR ; Kwanza Reajustado ; AO ; ANGOLA ; O ARA ; Austral ; AR ; ARGENTINA ; O ARP ; Peso Argentino ; AR ; ARGENTINA ; O ATS ; Schilling ; AT ; AUSTRIA ; O BEC ; Convertible Franc ; BE ; BELGIUM ; O BEF ; Belgian Franc ; BE ; BELGIUM ; O BEL ; Financial Franc ; BE ; BELGIUM ; O BOP ; Peso ; BO ; BOLIVIA ; O BAD ; Dinar ; BA ; BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ; O BRB ; Cruzeiro ; BR ; BRAZIL ; O BRC ; Cruzado ; BR ; BRAZIL ; O BRE ; Cruzeiro ; BR ; BRAZIL ; O BRN ; New Cruzado ; BR ; BRAZIL ; O BRR ; Cruzeiro Real ; BR ; BRAZIL ; O BGL ; Lev ; BG ; BULGARIA ; O BUK ; N.A. ; BU ; BURMA ; O HRD ; Dinar ; HR ; CROATIA ; O CSK ; Koruna ; CSHH ; CZECHOSLOVAKIA ; O TPE ; Timor Escudo ; TP ; EAST TIMOR ; O ECV ; Ecuadoran Constant Value Unit ; EC ; ECUADOR ; O EQE ; Ekwele ; GQ ; EQUATORIAL GUINEA ; O GQE ; Ekwele ; GQ ; EQUATORIAL GUINEA ; O XEU ; European Currency Unit (E.C.U) ; -- ; EUROPEAN MONETARY CO-OPERATION FUND (EMCF) ; O FIM ; Markka ; FI ; FINLAND ; O FRF ; French Franc ; FR ; FRANCE ; O GEK ; Georgian Coupon ; GE ; GEORGIA ; O DDM ; Mark der DDR ; DD ; GERMAN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC ; O DEM ; Deutsche Mark ; DE ; GERMANY ; O GRD ; Drachma ; GR ; GREECE ; O GNS ; Syli ; GN ; GUINEA ; O GWE ; Guinea Escudo ; GW ; GUINEA-BISSAU ; O IEP ; Irish Pound ; IE ; IRELAND ; O ILP ; Pound ; IL ; ISRAEL ; O ITL ; Italian Lira ; IT ; ITALY ; O LVR ; Latvian Ruble ; LV ; LATVIA ; O LSM ; Maloti ; LS ; LESOTHO ; O LTT ; Talonas ; LT ; LITHUANIA ; O LUC ; Convertible Franc ; LU ; LUXEMBOURG ; O LUF ; Luxembourg Franc ; LU ; LUXEMBOURG ; O LUL ; Financial Franc ; LU ; LUXEMBOURG ; O MLF ; Mali Franc ; ML ; MALI ; O MTP ; Maltese Pound ; MT ; MALTA ; O MXP ; Mexican Peso ; MX ; MEXICO ; O MZE ; Mozambique Escudo ; MZ ; MOZAMBIQUE ; O NLG ; Netherlands Guilder ; NL ; NETHERLANDS ; O NIC ; Cordoba ; NI ; NICARAGUA ; O PEI ; Inti ; PE ; PERU ; O PES ; Sol ; PE ; PERU ; O PLZ ; Zloty ; PL ; POLAND ; O PTE ; Portuguese Escudo ; PT ; PORTUGAL ; O RUR ; Russian Ruble ; RU ; RUSSIAN FEDERATION ; O ZAL ; Financial Rand ; ZA ; SOUTH AFRICA ; O RHD ; Rhodesian Dollar ; RH ; SOUTHERN RHODESIA ; O ESA ; Spanish Peseta (“A” Account) ; ES ; SPAIN ; O ESB ; Spanish Peseta (convertible Peseta Accounts) ; ES ; SPAIN ; O ESP ; Spanish Peseta ; ES ; SPAIN ; O SDP ; Sudanese Pound ; SD ; SUDAN ; O SRG ; Suriname Guilder ; SR ; SURINAME ; O UGS ; Uganda Shilling ; UG ; UGANDA ; O UAK ; Karbovanet ; UA ; UKRAINE ; O SUR ; Rouble ; SU ; UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS ; O UYP ; Uruguayan Peso ; UY ; URUGUAY ; O YDD ; Yemeni Dinar ; YE ; YEMEN, DEMOCRATIC ; O YUD ; New Yugoslavian Dinar ; YU ; YUGOSLAVIA ; O YUM ; Yugoslavian Dinar ; YU ; YUGOSLAVIA ; O YUN ; Yugoslavian Dinar ; YU ; YUGOSLAVIA ; O ZRN ; New Zaïre ; ZR ; ZAIRE ; O ZRZ ; Zaïre ; ZR ; ZAIRE ; O ZWC ; Rhodesian Dollar ; ZW ; ZIMBABWE ; O XRE ; RINET Funds Code ; -- ; (no country) ; O ALK ; Old Lek ; AL ; ALBANIA ; X ARY ; Peso ; AR ; ARGENTINA ; X BGJ ; Lev A/52 ; BG ; BULGARIA ; X BGK ; Lev A/62 ; BG ; BULGARIA ; X CNX ; Peoples Bank Dollar ; CN ; CHINA ; X CSJ ; Krona A/53 ; CSHH ; CZECHOSLOVAKIA ; X GNE ; Syli ; GN ; GUINEA ; X ISJ ; Old Krona ; IS ; ICELAND ; X ILR ; Old Shekel ; IL ; ISRAEL ; X LAJ ; Kip Pot Pol ; LA ; LAO ; X MVQ ; Maldive Rupee ; MV ; MALDIVES ; X MAF ; Mali Franc ; ML ; MALI ; X PEH ; Sol ; PE ; PERU ; X ROK ; Leu A/52 ; RO ; ROMANIA ; X UGW ; Old Shilling ; UG ; UGANDA ; X UYN ; Old Urugay Peso ; UY ; URUGUAY ; X VNC ; Old Dong ; VN ; VIETNAM ; X