ERA Ontology for verified permissions
type: Ontology
license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
contributor: OPD Unit
created: 2024-06-28
creator: Ghislain Atemezing
  type: Person
  affiliation: European Union Agency for Railways
  work info homepage: http://publications.europa.eu/resource/authority/corporate-body/ERA
creator: Maarten Duhoux
  type: Person
  affiliation: European Union Agency for Railways
  work info homepage: http://publications.europa.eu/resource/authority/corporate-body/ERA
issued: 2024-06-28
modified: 2024-07-02
modified: 2024-10-14
modified: 2025-02-21
modified: 2025-03-27
modified: 2025-04-02
modified: 2025-05-14
modified: 2025-05-15
modified: 2025-05-23
modified: 2026-01-13
modified: 2026-01-21
publisher: European Union Agency for Railways
preferred namespace prefix: vpa
preferred namespace uri: https://w3id.org/vpa#
comment: ERA ontology for verified permissions, as applied in vehicle(type) authorisations, registrations and approvals
label: The Verified Permissions (VP) ontology
version info: v1.1
change note: Revision 1.1 (13-01-2026, 21-01-2026) - Added a property `vpa:statement` and `vpa:checkResult` to express a statement and a structured result category on a Compliance check. - Provided `vpa:documentsRequest` & `vpa:documentsCase` to allow individual EvidenceDocument's to support a Request or a Case. - Removed `vpa:supportsRequest` from the file (already in Comments) Revision 1.0 (23-05-2025) - Removed sameAs between property vpa:submittedfor - vpa:supportsRequest and added altLabel instead for the naming. - Added `vpa:permits` which allows refining what the `vpa:Permission` actually permits (range: SKOS) - Added `vpa:requestedIn`, as the true inverse of `vpa:requestFor` Revision 0.9 (15-05-2025): - Changed `vpa:supportsRequest` to have domain `vpa:Evidence` (in order to be in line with all other supports properties) - Added `vpa:constitutes` as the true inverse of `vpa:constitutedBy` (change regarding version 0.5). Revision 0.8 (14-05-2025): - Isolated domain of `vpa:checkedCompliance` (renamed from `vpa:checked`) to `vpa:EvidenceDocument` - Keep the link between Evidence and Compliance, using `vpa:statesCompliance` (renamed from `vpa:supportsCompliance` in order to avoid confusion with the supports class). - Added `vpa:supportsScope`, as it is third level of `supports` for vpa:Evidence - Added comments for the supports subProperties - corrected to rdfs:isDefinedBy some links to vpa: - added property `vpa:versionNumber` for `vpa:EvidenceDocument` (a sequence numbering integer) - corrected typo, annotated and commented `vpa:constitutedBy` - added ORCID MD Revision 0.7 (02-04-2025): - renamed supports properties - added subclassOf vpa:Requirement of eli:LegalResource - added a super property for supports-alike properties Revision 0.6 (27-03-2025): - added new properties vpa:supportsRequest, vpa:supportsCase - refined domain and range of classes vpa:Evidence Revision 0.5 (21-02-2025): - Introduction of `vpa:Evidence`, and renaming of `vpa:DocumentedEvidence` to `vpa:Ev…
type: NamedIndividual
type: Vocabulary

has organisation role
type: ObjectProperty
type: FunctionalProperty
domain: Organisation Role
range: Concept
in skos concept scheme: OrgRoles
created: 2024-06-03
comment: Relates the Organisation role instance (the role played by an Organisation) with the specific role in the taxonomy of organisation roles.

role
type: ObjectProperty
inverse of: role of
domain: Body
range: Organisation Role
shacl shape validation rule: Role
created: 2024-06-03
modified: 2024-10-24
comment: Indicates the relationship of a Body to the organisation roles that it can play.

role of
type: ObjectProperty
type: FunctionalProperty
domain: Organisation Role
range: Body
shacl shape validation rule: RoleOf
created: 2024-10-24
comment: Indicates the corresponding Body that plays a certain organisation role.

member
type: ObjectProperty

certifies
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Appropriate Body
range: Requirement
comment: within its accredited competencies, can express an opinion whether a (legal or standardized) requirement is met. This relation must be accompanied by Evidence(Document) to formalize this opinion and eventually Restrictions if it is met only partially.

compliance check result
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Compliance
range: Concept
type: DatatypeProperty
comment: For a Compliance check, a structured expression of the result. Can detail and should be consistent with the boolean result under `isCompliant`.

checked compliance
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Documented Evidence
range: Compliance
comment: The Compliance checks having been documented by the Appropriate Body in the EvidenceDocument.
editorial note: Use `statesCompliance` for the relation Evidence -- Compliance`

checked requirement
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Compliance
range: Requirement
comment: For a Compliance check, the Requirement which was (globally or in part) checked by the Appropriate Body.

checked section
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Compliance
range: Concept
comment: For a Compliance check, the section of the Requirement which was individually checked by the Appropriate Body. The sections in scope of the verification are registered under each Requirement itself.

closes
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Documented Evidence
range: Requirement
comment: within the accredited competencies of the issuer of the EvidenceDocument, confirms that the evidence shown in the context of the Requirement was (not, partially or fully) fulfilled, where needed in presence of a Restriction.

concerns
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Case
range: Scope
comment: holds as material content, constitutes, embodies the material components of the Scope.

constituted by
type: ObjectProperty
inverse of: constitutes
domain: Request
range: Case
comment: holds as a complete, independent, possibly sole part, embodies as one element of potentially more

constitutes
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Case
range: Request
comment: forms a complete, independent, possibly sole part of a request
comment: is part of, inherently constitutes

defines case
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Scope
range: Case
comment: Inverse property of `vpa:concerns`. Is covered by, included in

delivers
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Appropriate Body
range: Documented Evidence
comment: within its accredited mandate, issues in a traceable and qualitative manner for reuse in a Permission process

documents case
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Documented Evidence
range: Case
type: Class
disjoint with: supports case
comment: supporting, as a single provided document, a case, used when a precise case can be linked to this evidence document only

documents request
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Documented Evidence
range: Request
type: Class
disjoint with: submitted for
comment: supporting, as a single provided document, a request, used when no more precise case or exact scope can be linked to this evidence document

grants
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Organisation Role
range: Permission
comment: within its legally recognized mandate, issues, delivers in a traceable and qualitative manner, such that the receiver is able to act within the authorisation cases and its verified documentation

issues
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Requesting Body
range: Request
comment: transmits with the intention to be allowed to act according to a legally verified process

permission type
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Case
range: Concept
comment: the detailed process which constitutes this Case's permission conditions

permits
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Permission
range: Concept
comment: the process, activity, role or other scope which the Permission allows to the Requesting Body to execute or hold
example: For an ECM Certificate, vpa:permits will link to the OrganisationalRole 'ECM'

regarding
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Restriction
range: Requirement
comment: belonging to, and when being respected, then also fulfilling
scope note: The linked requirement URI must remain consistent with the Compliance check, if both are used. This property should be used if no trace of a Compliance check is present, apart from the checked Requirement itself.

request for
type: ObjectProperty
inverse of: requested in
domain: Request
range: Permission
comment: aiming to be enabled to act as covered by the Permission and its conditions, by receiving

requested in
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Permission
range: Request
comment: aiming to be enabled to act as covered by the Permission and its conditions, by issuing

requests
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Organisation Role
range: Permission
comment: aims to be allowed to act according to a legally verified process, by receiving

sections
type: ObjectProperty
type: FunctionalProperty
domain: Requirement
range: Concept
comment: section(s) of the requirement to which individual compliance can be registered by the Appropriate Body

states compliance
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Evidence
range: Compliance
comment: stating, through a collective set of evidence providing documents, a (non)compliance, instantiated as a `vpa:Compliance`

status
type: ObjectProperty
type: FunctionalProperty
domain: Request
range: Concept
comment: the status of the Request as it is being treated by the PermittingBody

submitted for
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: supports
domain: Evidence
range: Request
type: Class
comment: supporting, holding evidence of compliance in order to enable the Permitting Body to verify and permit
alternative label: supports Request
editorial note: Replaces the removed `vpa:supportsRequest`-predicate

submitted in
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Permission
range: Case
comment: The submission of a permission or evidence to a case

supports
type: ObjectProperty
comment: super property for the different targets of supporting evidence: the scope, a case or the full request

supports case
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: supports
domain: Evidence
range: Case
type: Class
comment: supporting, as a collective set of evidence providing documents, a specific case, as such also supporting the request

supports scope
type: ObjectProperty
sub property of: supports
domain: Evidence
range: Scope
comment: supporting, as a collective set of evidence providing documents, a specific, material scope within a case, as such also supporting the request

valid
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Class
  union of: Documented Evidence
  union of: Permission
range: Interval
comment: valid during a certain time
scope note: The validity of Evidence should be based on the validity limits of the EvidenceDocuments it is constitutedBy. The validity of a Permission (checked e.g. with SHACL) should also be consistent with the validity of the underlying Evidence.

with restriction
type: ObjectProperty
domain: Class
  union of: Compliance
  union of: Documented Evidence
range: Restriction
comment: when taken into account in the final act to be permitted, can be accepted if the conditions of the Restriction are fully answered to
scope note: Only Compliance checks and specific EvidenceDocuments are precise enough to form the basis of a Restriction. Therefore, Evidence itself cannot directly link to a Restriction

is compliant
type: DatatypeProperty
domain: Compliance
range: boolean
comment: For the verified section of a Requirement: true when fully compliant, false in other cases (in which a clarifying Restriction is possible)

compliance statement
type: DatatypeProperty
domain: Compliance
range: string
comment: Any statement on the Compliance, like e.g. those typically filled in on checklists, annexed to the Permission

version number
type: DatatypeProperty
domain: Documented Evidence
range: integer
comment: An integer representing any sequence number of a version of an EvidenceDocument. Subsequent EvidenceDocuments SHOULD use `dcterms:isReplacedBy` and `dcterms:replaces` to indicate their relation.

Body
type: Class
subclass of: Class
  union of: Organization
  union of: Person
disjoint with: Organisation Role
created: 2024-06-03
modified: 2025-02-18
replaces: InfrastructureManager
replaces: Manufacturer
replaces: VehicleKeeper
comment: Is an organisation or a physical person

Organisation Role
type: Class
disjoint with: Organization
comment: Represents an n-ary relationship between a Body and a role

Legal Resource
type: Class
comment: A work in a legislative corpus. This applies to acts that have been legally enacted (whether or not they are still in force). For example, the abstract concept of the legal resource; e.g. "act 3 of 2005" (adapted from Akoma Ntoso) A legal resource can represent a legal act or any component of a legal act, like an article. Legal resources can be linked together using properties defined in the model. Note that ELI ontology accommodates different point of view on what should be considered a new legal resource, or a new legal expression of the same resource. Typically, a consolidated version can be viewed, in the context of ELI, either as separate legal resource (linked to original version and previous consolidated version using corresponding ELI relations), or as a different legal expression of the same legal resource.</rdfs:comment>

Interval
type: Class
subclass of: Temporal entity
comment: A temporal entity with an extent or duration
comment: Una entidad temporal con una extensión o duración. @es
label: Time interval
label: intervalo de tiempo @es

Temporal entity
type: Class
subclass of: Thing
comment: A temporal interval or instant.
comment: Un intervalo temporal o un instante. @es
label: entidad temporal @es

Document
type: Class
disjoint with: Organization
comment: A document.
term status: stable

Appropriate Body
type: Class
subclass of: Body
comment: Accredited organization which is able to express a formal opinion on Requirements, expressing them in EvidenceDocument (mostly called Certificates), and if necessary making them dependent on Restrictions, which shall be fulfilled.

Case
type: Class
comment: A clearly separated part of a Request, identified clearly by its Scope(s). Each Case has an individual PermissionType as objective. A Request consists out of minimally one Case.

Compliance
type: Class
comment: Regroups the result of a compliance check on a specific section of an applicable Requirement as registered in Documented Evicence. If needed, links this examined section to a specific Restriction.

Evidence
type: Class
subclass of: Bag
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: member
  some values from: Documented Evidence

Documented Evidence
type: Class
subclass of: Document
comment: Issued by an AppropriateBody, it is the summary of its formal and accredited verification process, enabling the receiver (RequestingBody) to issue a Request for a Permission to the PermittingBody.

Permission
type: Class
comment: Issued by a PermittingBody, it enables - mostly because of legal frameworks in place - the RequestingBody to execute the processes covered under these requirement frameworks.

Permitting Body
type: Class
subclass of: Body
comment: Within its legally recognized mandate, this Body is able to receive EvidenceDocument as submitted in a Request and based upon it, issue a Permit to the RequestingBody for the activities covered by the mentioned legislation.

Request
type: Class
subclass of: Restriction
  on property: constituted by
  some values from: Case
comment: Issued by a Requesting Body to a PermittingBody, and supported by at least one Case, while being supported by the necessary Evidence (consisting of EvidenceDocuments), it intends to enable the reception of a Permission.

Requesting Body
type: Class
subclass of: Body
comment: Within its legally recognized role, this Body is able to express the intention to act under the condition of reception of a Permission. The intended action being covered by legal or standardized Requirements to fullfil, this Body will present all required information, as verified by the Appropriate and examined by the Permitting Bodies, to the latter in order to receive the mentioned Permission.

Requirement
type: Class
subclass of: Legal Resource
comment: A legal/standardised collection of rules, which must be verified independently to be met in the context of a Permission Request, and of which the measure of compliance is expressed in EvidenceDocuments, with or without added Restrictions.
editorial note: ERA has the list of TSIs as instances of this class to be released as reference data in RDF

Restriction
type: Class
comment: Issued by an Appropriate Body in connection with its (documented) evidence on a certain requirement, it contains all aspects to take into account in order to accept the Evidence as proof, enabling the scope of the Permission. It is possible that the Restriction limits the Permission in the same way.

Scope
type: Class
comment: A collection of Scopes together defining a Case. Scope is mostly the specific material object of the Case, where the Case groups them together.