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Trade Facilitation at the Border 4th seminar, UN Development Account project Trade Facilitation in Central Asia
(Dushanbe, 11-13 May 2009)
The Harmonization Convention and Border-Crossing Facilitation
Konstantin Glukhenkiy, UNECE Transport [email protected]
Mario Apostolov, Regional Adviser, UNECE Trade [email protected]
Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, 1982
• 53 Contracting Parties53 Contracting Parties
• Latest accessions: Jordan, Lao People’s Latest accessions: Jordan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Moldova, TunisiaDemocratic Republic, Moldova, Tunisia
• Expressed interest to join: China, IranExpressed interest to join: China, Iran
Contracting Parties
Increasingly numerous and complicated
formalities and controls at borders for persons
and goods
1984 EU estimate: US$ 12 billion loss annually
due to border crossing difficulties
IRU estimate: International road freight transport in Europe requires around 40 documents
Lack of simplification, no one-stop-shop
Background of the Harmonization Convention
Legal framework for Coordinated Border Management
and harmonization of controls
Simplify customs and administrative border crossing
procedures (sanitary, veterinary, phytosanitary etc.)
Harmonize formalities
Reduce the number and duration of controls
Standardize documentation
Co-ordinate national and international control
procedures
Aim of the Harmonization Convention
Reduction of border delays,
Reduction of transport cost
Reduction of trade transaction cost
Reduction of border operating costs for
State budget
More efficient investments in border
facilities
Benefits of the Harmonization Convention
Scope of the Harmonization Convention
• All goods moved across borders (exported, All goods moved across borders (exported, imported or in transit) imported or in transit)
• All control services All control services
• All modes of transport All modes of transport
• Specific provisions for certain transport modes Specific provisions for certain transport modes and goodsand goods
• Also addresses certain issues with regard to Also addresses certain issues with regard to vehicles and drivers vehicles and drivers
General principles vs. detailed provisions
• Framework providing for a high degree of flexibility Framework providing for a high degree of flexibility in organizing national and international cooperation in organizing national and international cooperation
• No universal ‘one size fits all’ solutionNo universal ‘one size fits all’ solution
• Examples of best practice are essential Examples of best practice are essential
• Integrated operational annexes are required Integrated operational annexes are required
• Annex 8 on road transport came into force in 2008Annex 8 on road transport came into force in 2008
• A new Annex 9 on rail transport has been agreed A new Annex 9 on rail transport has been agreed
Major aspects of border crossing facilitation
• Infrastructure Infrastructure
• Procedures Procedures
• Documents and informationDocuments and information
• PersonnelPersonnel
Infrastructure• Necessary equipment and facilities at frontier pointsNecessary equipment and facilities at frontier points
• Minimum list for road border crossings Minimum list for road border crossings
• Common facilities and shared use of equipment, both Common facilities and shared use of equipment, both domestically and with neighbourdomestically and with neighbouringing countries countries
• To the extent possible, controls should be moved To the extent possible, controls should be moved from the border to other locations (e.g. departure or from the border to other locations (e.g. departure or destination)destination)
• At border crossing points, controls should be At border crossing points, controls should be replaced by verification of internationally replaced by verification of internationally standardized documentationstandardized documentation
Domestic intra-service coordination: sine qua none for efficient procedures
• There are many control authorities at the There are many control authorities at the border. Who takes the lead? border. Who takes the lead?
• Control mentality is an obstacle Control mentality is an obstacle
• Each control authority wants to have their Each control authority wants to have their shareshare
• A decision should be taken at the highest A decision should be taken at the highest possible political levelpossible political level
• Establishment of a single agencyEstablishment of a single agency
• Delegation of authority Delegation of authority
Documents and information
• Internationally standardized (UN Layout Internationally standardized (UN Layout Key) documents and certificates Key) documents and certificates
• Use of any technical/commercial documentsUse of any technical/commercial documents
• Use of ICTUse of ICT
• Exchange of informationExchange of information
• Transparency with respect to legislation, Transparency with respect to legislation, regulations and procedures regulations and procedures
Personnel
• Qualified personnel in sufficient numbers Qualified personnel in sufficient numbers should be availableshould be available
• Officers should get instructions for acting in Officers should get instructions for acting in accordance with international agreements accordance with international agreements and national provisionsand national provisions
• Joint controlsJoint controls
• Delegation of functionsDelegation of functions
Monitoring mechanism• Monitoring is essential for the proper Monitoring is essential for the proper
implementationimplementation
• What gets measured gets managedWhat gets measured gets managed
• Border crossing performance Border crossing performance indicators/benchmarks: OSCE-UNECE indicators/benchmarks: OSCE-UNECE Handbook Handbook
• Every two years, UNECE is to carry out a survey Every two years, UNECE is to carry out a survey on the implementation of Annex 8 on road on the implementation of Annex 8 on road transporttransport
• Public-private partnership Public-private partnership
Chapter I: General provisions incl. definitions
Chapter II: Harmonization of procedures
• Co-ordination of controls,
• Resources of the services,
• International co-operation,
• Co-operation between adjacent countries,
• Exchange of information, documents
Chapter III: Goods in transit
Chapter IV: Miscellaneous
Operational annexes
Structure of the Harmonization Convention
Harmonization of Customs
and other controls
• Organization of controls
(simultaneous control,
opening hours, availability
of facilities and personnel,
delegation to Customs)
• Result of controls
Harmonization ConventionAnnex 1
Medico-sanitary inspection
• Protection of life and health of
persons
• Information (types of goods, offices,
requirements)
• Organization of controls (availability
of facilities, storage)
• Goods in transit and co-ordination
Harmonization ConventionAnnex 2
Veterinary inspection
• Transport of animals and animal products
• Information (types of goods, offices,
requirements)
• Organization of controls (availability of
facilities, storage, working hours)
• Goods in transit and co-ordination
Harmonization ConventionAnnex 3
Phytosanitary inspection
• Relating to transport of plants and plant
products
• Information (types of goods, offices,
requirements, restrictions/prohibitions)
• Organization of controls (storage,
disinfection, working hours)
• Goods in transit and co-ordination
Harmonization ConventionAnnex 4
Control of compliance with technical standards
• Relating to technical standards of goods
(conformity, PSI)
• Information (types of goods, offices)
• Harmonization of standards
• Organization of controls
• Goods in transit and co-ordination
Harmonization ConventionAnnex 5
Quality Control
• Information (offices, procedures)
• Organization of controls (facilities, working
hours)
• Does normally not apply for goods in transit
• Co-ordination
Harmonization ConventionAnnex 6
New Annex 8
Facilitation of border crossing procedures Facilitation of border crossing procedures for road transportfor road transport
To the extent possible, perform controls at To the extent possible, perform controls at the places of departure or destinationthe places of departure or destination
At crossing points, replace controls by At crossing points, replace controls by verification of internationally standardized verification of internationally standardized documentation and certificatesdocumentation and certificates
Facilitation of visa procedures Facilitation of visa procedures
for professional drivers for professional drivers
Facilitated border crossing Facilitated border crossing
procedures for goods, procedures for goods,
particularly for urgent particularly for urgent
consignments, such as live consignments, such as live
animals and perishable goodsanimals and perishable goods
Faster controls of road vehicles (technical Faster controls of road vehicles (technical inspections) and equipment used for transport inspections) and equipment used for transport of goods under controlled temperaturesof goods under controlled temperatures
Standardized weighing procedures and Standardized weighing procedures and international vehicle weight certificateinternational vehicle weight certificate
Minimum infrastructure requirements for Minimum infrastructure requirements for efficient border crossing pointsefficient border crossing points
Languages: English, French, Russian and
Spanish
UNECE Working Party on Customs Questions
affecting Transport (WP.30)
Administrative Committee (Contracting Parties)
Secretariat (UNECE)
Management of the Harmonization Convention
http.//border.unece.org
http://untreaty.un.org/ENGLISH/bible/englishinternetbible/partI/chapterXI/subchapA/treaty17.asp
http://www.unece.org/trans/conventn/harmone.pdf
Harmonization Convention
Results from the 2006 survey
• Very useful tool for transport facilitation at Very useful tool for transport facilitation at national and international levelsnational and international levels
• Used as a model both at the national level and Used as a model both at the national level and among neighbouring countriesamong neighbouring countries
Problems highlighted by the survey
• Lack of detailed guidelines for organizing Lack of detailed guidelines for organizing cooperation at the national and international cooperation at the national and international levelslevels
• Need for training/capacity building in the Need for training/capacity building in the implementation of integrated border implementation of integrated border management procedures management procedures