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9.8 KiB
ISO 20275 Entity Legal Forms (ELF) Code Mapping
Overview
The ISO 20275 standard provides international codes for legal entity forms. These codes are used in the org:classification property to specify the legal form of an organization.
Reference: /data/ontology/2023-09-28-elf-code-list-v1.5.csv (full GLEIF code list)
Critical Distinction: Legal Form vs Legal Name
# THREE SEPARATE CONCEPTS:
1. Operational Name (OrganizationName.standardized_name)
Example: "Rijksmuseum"
Use: Daily operations (website, signage, marketing, PR)
2. Legal Registered Name (org:legalName)
Example: "Stichting Rijksmuseum"
Use: Legal documents, statutes, registry entries
3. Legal Form Code (org:classification)
Example: "V44D" (ISO 20275 code for Dutch stichting)
Use: International legal entity type classification
Why Use ISO 20275 Instead of Generic Strings?
Before (generic enum):
legal_form: STICHTING # Ambiguous - which country? What exact legal form?
After (ISO 20275):
legal_form: "V44D" # Unambiguous - Netherlands, stichting (foundation)
Benefits:
- ✅ International standard - Recognized globally (ISO standard)
- ✅ Machine-readable - Structured codes enable automated processing
- ✅ Disambiguates similar forms - "Foundation" exists in many countries with different legal meanings
- ✅ Supports cross-border operations - Same code used worldwide
- ✅ Maintained by GLEIF - Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation updates annually
Netherlands (NL) - Legal Forms for Heritage Institutions
Most Common for Heritage Custodians
| ELF Code | Dutch Name | English Translation | Common Use Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| V44D | stichting | foundation | Museums, archives, libraries (most common) |
| 33MN | vereniging met volledige rechtsbevoegdheid | association with full legal capacity | Heritage societies, collecting organizations |
| 8VFX | vereniging met beperkte rechtsbevoegdheid | association with limited legal capacity | Small volunteer heritage groups |
| A0W7 | publiekrechtelijke rechtspersoon | public law entity | National archives, state museums |
| L7HX | kerkgenootschap | religious organization | Church archives, monastery libraries |
Complete Netherlands ELF Code List
| ELF Code | Dutch Name | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 33MN | vereniging met volledige rechtsbevoegdheid | association with full legal capacity |
| 4QXM | eenmanszaak | sole proprietorship |
| 54M6 | besloten vennootschap met beperkte aansprakelijkheid | private limited liability company (BV) |
| 5WU6 | Europees Economisch Samenwerkingsverband | European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) |
| 62Y3 | vennootschap onder firma | general partnership (VOF) |
| 8VFX | vereniging met beperkte rechtsbevoegdheid | association with limited legal capacity |
| 9AAK | maatschap | professional partnership |
| A0W7 | publiekrechtelijke rechtspersoon | public law entity |
| B5PM | naamloze vennootschap | public limited company (NV) |
| BBEB | Europese naamloze vennootschap (Societas Europaea) | European public limited company (SE) |
| CODH | commanditaire vennootschap | limited partnership (CV) |
| DEO1 | onderlinge waarborgmaatschappij | mutual insurance company (OWM) |
| EZQW | rechtspersoon in oprichting | legal entity in formation |
| GNXT | vereniging van eigenaars | homeowners association (VvE) |
| JHK5 | fonds voor gemene rekening | investment fund |
| L7HX | kerkgenootschap | religious organization |
| M1IZ | Overige Privaatrechtelijke Rechtspersoon | other private law entity |
| NFFH | coöperatie | cooperative |
| UNJ2 | rederij | shipping company |
| V44D | stichting | foundation |
| Y3ZB | Societas Cooperativa Europaea | European Cooperative Society (SCE) |
Example Usage in LinkML Schema
Before (Generic Enum)
# OLD - schemas/02_organization_observation_reconstruction.yaml
enums:
LegalFormEnum:
permissible_values:
STICHTING:
description: Dutch foundation
NGO:
description: Non-governmental organization
GOVERNMENT_AGENCY:
description: Government agency
# ... ambiguous, not internationally standardized
After (ISO 20275 ELF Codes)
# NEW - schemas/02_organization_observation_reconstruction.yaml
slots:
legal_form:
description: >-
ISO 20275 Entity Legal Forms (ELF) Code specifying the legal form/type
of the organization (e.g., "V44D" for Dutch stichting, "F0A6" for
Argentine Sociedad Anonima). This is NOT the legal name - it's a
classification code.
range: string # Free text to accept any ISO 20275 code
pattern: "^[A-Z0-9]{4}$" # ISO 20275 codes are 4-character alphanumeric
slot_uri: org:classification # W3C Organization Ontology
examples:
- value: "V44D"
description: "Dutch stichting (foundation) - Rijksmuseum"
- value: "A0W7"
description: "Dutch publiekrechtelijke rechtspersoon - Nationaal Archief"
- value: "F0A6"
description: "Argentine Sociedad Anonima - Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes"
Example Instance Data
# Rijksmuseum (Dutch museum foundation)
reconstruction:
id: https://w3id.org/heritage/org/rijksmuseum
type: OrganizationReconstruction
# THREE-WAY DISTINCTION
standardized_name: "Rijksmuseum" # Operational name (emic)
legal_name: "Stichting Rijksmuseum" # Legal registered name
legal_form: "V44D" # ISO 20275 ELF code for Dutch stichting
registration_number: "NL-KvK-41208408"
registration_authority: "Dutch Chamber of Commerce"
# Nationaal Archief (Dutch national archive - public entity)
reconstruction:
id: https://w3id.org/heritage/org/nationaal-archief
type: OrganizationReconstruction
# THREE-WAY DISTINCTION
standardized_name: "Nationaal Archief" # Operational name (emic)
legal_name: "Nationaal Archief" # Legal name (same as operational for public entities)
legal_form: "A0W7" # ISO 20275 ELF code for publiekrechtelijke rechtspersoon
registration_number: "NL-NA-001"
registration_authority: "Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science"
# Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Argentine national museum)
reconstruction:
id: https://w3id.org/heritage/org/mnba-argentina
type: OrganizationReconstruction
# THREE-WAY DISTINCTION
standardized_name: "Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes" # Operational name (emic)
legal_name: "Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes Sociedad Anonima" # Legal name
legal_form: "F0A6" # ISO 20275 ELF code for Argentine Sociedad Anonima
registration_number: "AR-CUIT-30-12345678-9"
registration_authority: "Argentine Federal Tax Authority (AFIP)"
International Examples (Common Heritage Legal Forms)
Europe
| Country | ELF Code | Legal Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 5RDO | Établissement public | Public institution |
| France | TLG1 | Association loi 1901 | 1901 Law association |
| Germany | R5SK | Stiftung | Foundation |
| Germany | 96EP | Verein | Association |
| Italy | 2V2M | Fondazione | Foundation |
| Spain | 6MLK | Fundación | Foundation |
| UK | 9HLU | Charity | Registered charity |
| UK | FC0R | Trust | Charitable trust |
Americas
| Country | ELF Code | Legal Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | QQQ0 | 501(c)(3) nonprofit | Tax-exempt nonprofit |
| USA | 7TPC | Trust | Trust |
| Canada | 2J48 | Non-profit corporation | Non-profit corporation |
| Brazil | KBPO | Associação | Association |
| Argentina | F0A6 | Sociedad Anonima | Public limited company |
Asia
| Country | ELF Code | Legal Form | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | QX2G | 公益財団法人 (Kōeki zaidan hōjin) | Public interest incorporated foundation |
| Japan | R5NI | 特定非営利活動法人 (NPO hōjin) | Specified nonprofit corporation |
| China | 5M0X | 基金会 (Jījīn huì) | Foundation |
Migration Path for Existing Schema
-
Update LinkML schema:
- Change
legal_formfrom enum to string with ISO 20275 pattern - Add examples and documentation
- Reference
/data/ontology/2023-09-28-elf-code-list-v1.5.csv
- Change
-
Update existing data:
- Map generic values (STICHTING, NGO, etc.) to ISO 20275 codes
- Document mapping in data migration script
- Preserve original values in provenance notes
-
Validation:
- Add SHACL shape to validate ISO 20275 code format (
^[A-Z0-9]{4}$) - Cross-reference codes against GLEIF CSV file
- Warn on unrecognized codes
- Add SHACL shape to validate ISO 20275 code format (
-
Documentation:
- Update README with ISO 20275 explanation
- Add country-specific ELF code lists in
/docs/elf_codes/ - Create mapping guide for data curators
References
- ISO 20275: Legal Entity Identifier (LEI) - Entity Legal Forms (ELF) Code List
- GLEIF: Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation - https://www.gleif.org/
- ELF Code List: https://www.gleif.org/en/about-lei/code-lists/iso-20275-entity-legal-forms-code-list
- CSV File:
/data/ontology/2023-09-28-elf-code-list-v1.5.csv(2,200+ global legal forms) - W3C Org Ontology:
org:classificationproperty - https://www.w3.org/TR/vocab-org/#org:classification
Next Steps
- ✅ Document ISO 20275 mapping (this file)
- ⏳ Update LinkML schema to use ISO 20275 codes
- ⏳ Create country-specific ELF mappings (Netherlands, France, Germany, etc.)
- ⏳ Add validation patterns for ISO 20275 codes
- ⏳ Update examples with real ISO 20275 codes
- ⏳ Create data migration script from generic enums to ISO 20275
Version: 1.0.0
Last Updated: 2025-11-21
Maintained By: Heritage Organization Observation & Reconstruction Project