[Index]
Customs to play wider role
in trade facilitation
Geneva, 5 April 2005
- “Trade facilitation is one of
the key factors of economic development of
all nations and world welfare” according
to Tan Sri Abdul Halil bin Abd. Mutalib, Director
General of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department.
The Director General opened the Capacity
Building Workshop on Trade Facilitation for
Asia and the Pacific Region, which was
held on 17 and 18 March 2005 in Kuala Lumpur.
“The world is changing rapidly and we
have to face these changes”, he said.
“Customs systems and processes must
not be allowed to serve as a barrier to international
trade”.
This was also acknowledged
by the over one hundred participants from
29 developed, developing and least-developed
economies in the region. The Workshop was
organized jointly by the United Nations regional
economic commissions for Europe (UNECE) and
for Asia and the Pacific region (UNESCAP).
It was held under the auspices of the 6th
Forum of the United Nations Centre for Trade
Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT)
and hosted by the Royal Malaysian Customs
Department, Ministry of Finance of Malaysia.
The Workshop discussed the
current policy environment of trade facilitation,
including the WTO talks on trade facilitation
on GATT Articles V, VIII and X, and regional
initiatives, such as the APEC trade facilitation
strategy and the ASEAN Single Window Initiative.
It provided training in:
- Document simplification and standardization,
moving from paper to better paper and to
digital paper documents for trade
- Use of international codes
- Establishment and operation of a Single
Window facility
The Single Window facility
for trade documents and information was endorsed
by the Workshop as a major trade facilitation
instrument in the region. Asia has many Single
Window facilities, including in Fiji, Hong
Kong SAR (China), Malaysia, the Republic of
Korea and Singapore. These facilities are
using various supporting software programmes
for data and document exchange. The challenge
now is to ensure interoperability among the
Single Windows, as well as the use of the
same simplified and standardized data and
documents, with international standards playing
an indispensable role.
Participants expressed their
views on the major steps to be taken towards
moving to paperless trade in the region. Jean
Kubler (UNECE) underlined that the solution
lies in international standards that allow
for a scaleable implementation. “If
you want to move to paperless trade”
he pointed out, “not everybody may start
from the same point, but at least everybody
would follow the same path, starting with
simplified and standardized documents based
on the United Nations Layout Key, then adopting
codes, then UN/EDIFACT, or XML directly, depending
on the point at which you jump on the path”.
Participants believed that
ensuring political will at the highest level
possible and identifying strong lead governmental
agency were top priorities for each country.
However, political will in itself is not enough;
it has to be based on a bottom-up approach
from a trade and business-community perspective.
Other issues raised were:
1. Introducing a strategy complemented by
a step-by-step roadmap, 2. Creating a legal
environment for paperless trade, 3. Increasing
awareness, including training and education
of government staff, policy makers and business,
and 4. Establishing an electronic Single Window.
The Workshop also emphasized
the need to approach trade facilitation from
a regional perspective, since each region
differs as to needs and priorities and the
level of ICT infrastructure. “At UNESCAP
we have developed a Trade Facilitation Framework
comprising tools and techniques for assessing
the stages, needs and priorities of trade
facilitation in our region”, said Ravi
Ratnayake. “These tools are complementary
to trade facilitation standards and other
instruments developed by UNECE, with whom
we work closely to bridge the gaps among the
countries and regions”.
For further information, please contact:
Ms. Maria Misovicova
UNECE Trade Development and Timber
Division
Palais des Nations
CH – 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Phone: +41 (0) 22 917 2793
Fax: +41 (0) 22 917 0629
E-mail: [email protected]
|
Ms. Kaori Yasuoka
UNESCAP Trade and Investment Division
United Nations Building
Bangkok 10200, Thailand
Phone: +66 2 288 2456
Fax: +66 2 288 1027
E-mail: [email protected]
|
|
Ref: ECE/TRADE/05/N02