MoReq

MoReq, short for Model Requirements for the Management of Electronic Records, is a specification for electronic records management systems (RMS). It provides a framework of functional requirements and a data model intended to help organizations capture, manage, preserve, and locate electronic records over time while meeting legal and regulatory obligations. The specification is technology-neutral and vendor-agnostic, designed to support interoperability between RMS products and with other information systems such as email, document management, and repositories.

Origin and development: MoReq was developed as an open, European initiative to guide public sector records management. It has evolved through several major revisions, including MoReq2 and MoReq2010, expanding coverage of metadata, lifecycle management, security, retention scheduling, and interoperability.

Key components: The standard comprises a functional model describing the capabilities of an RMS and a data model specifying the essential metadata and data structures. Core features include record creation and capture, classification, metadata management, lifecycle management (retention, disposition, migration), search and retrieval, security and access controls, audit trails, preservation and export, and interoperability with other enterprise systems via standardized interfaces.

Impact and use: MoReq has been widely referenced in European public sector procurement and policy development as a benchmark for RMS capabilities. It has influenced other records management standards, including ISO 15489 and ISO 16175, and remains a reference point for organizations evaluating RMS solutions.

Accessibility: The specifications are published as open documents by the MoReq project and are publicly available through its website and affiliated repositories.