Facilitating trade in a secure environment - UNECE encourages organizations
and governments to work together for secure trade to avoid the risk of new
Technical Barriers to Trade
On 13-14 November 2003, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) hosted a meeting on trade
security and trade facilitation.
The meeting, chaired by Ambassador Dencho Georgiev, Representative
of Bulgaria to the World Trade Organization, was attended by over hundred
participants from Administration, Trade and Transport involved in international
trade and security. It provided the opportunity for all stakeholders to express
their views on the various security related initiatives currently underway.
Different approaches (legislative, compliance, certification, partnership)
were discussed and the need to balance security and facilitation in all of
these approaches were emphasised to ensure that economic growth and stability
were not undermined in the process.
During the two-day exchange of views, the participants stressed
that the approach to security implementation should be proportional to the
risk. While the need for advance information was recognized, participants
stated that the adoption of an on-line only approach could create a trade
divide. Addressing the concerns expressed by developing countries on the potential
for security initiatives to reduce their competitiveness in international
trade, the participants underlined the importance of the implementation
of existing or currently developed international instruments, such as the
Revised Kyoto Convention of the WCO, the Unique Consignment Reference, the
United Nations Layout Key for Trade Documents, the United Nations Trade Data
Elements Directory (UNTDED), and the International Ship and Port Facility
Security Code (ISPS code) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Such instruments will reinforce the efforts of individual countries to achieve
more security in their foreign trade and avoid the risk of exclusion of some
countries and smaller enterprises.
The meeting provided an opportunity to formulate a strong
message towards a collaborative approach by all Governments,
international organizations and the business community, in order to ensure
more efficiency and effectiveness in providing security in the international
trading system. Further, it was emphasized that partnerships
between the private sector and official control bodies, especially Customs,
are essential. It was stated that while it is important to encourage compliance
and compliant traders, it is even more important to reinforce trust and exchange
of information between the two groups of actors, which could be the basis
for a secure international trading system.
At the end of the meeting, Mr. J. Pulford, Head of Modernisation
of Customs Unit, DG Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission, noted
that "the contributions to the meeting show the importance of continuing the
work in this area" and was interested in the suggestion of having another
meeting or following this work in a broader context. He also stressed that
"there is a real need not to duplicate work done in other sectors and to build
on the work done by these different sectors".
In his conclusions, the Chairman mentioned that the participants
had indicated a desire to intensify their work with UNECE in identifying and
consolidating their overall approach to security and facilitation, complementary
to the work already underway in other forums such as the WCO Task Force on
Security and Facilitation. Further work would benefit from the development
of international recommendations, best practice, or standards.
For further information, please contact:
Mr. Hans A. Hansell
Deputy Director
or
Mr. Tom Butterly
UNECE Trade Development and Timber Division
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41(0)22 917 11 78
Fax: +41(0)22 917 06 29
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.unece.org/trade/security_conf03/index.htm