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WTO Trade Facilitation UNECE
Delivering on the Trade Facilitation Agreement
The role of standards and regulatory frameworks
Nairobi Kenya
Enacting the Trade Facilitation Agreement
Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)
International Standards
Implementation Flexibilities
State of Play
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Objectives:
• Expedite movement, release & clearance of goods
• Improve cooperation between customs/other authorities
• Enhance technical assistance and build capacity
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WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement
Trade Facilitation Agreement
Section I:
12 articles of technical measures
Section II:
Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) Provisions for developing countries
Section III:
WTO Committee
National Committees
Final Provisions
4 WT/L/940
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Balance
Facilitate Trade Effective
Enforcement of Laws/
Effective
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TF Measures
Transparency and Appeals
• Publication/internet publication
• Enquiry Point for trade information
• Opportunity to comment
• Consultations
• Advance rulings
• Right of appeal
• Test procedures
Transit
• Restrictions on fees and charges
• Use of guarantee
Import/Export/Transit Fees & Formalities
• Disciplines on fees
• Pre-arrival processing
• Risk management
• Post clearance audit
• Publish average release times
• Authorized operators
• Border agency cooperation
• Review formalities and documents
• Single window
• Eliminate use of PSI for tariff classification and customs valuation.
• Separate release from clearance
• Perishable goods
Customs Cooperation
Level of Legal Commitment
Mandatory Provisions
• “Shall…”
• “Shall not…”
Qualified Provisions
• “may…”
• “to the extent practicable…”
• “to the extent possible…”
• “whenever practicable…”
• “are encouraged…”
• “as appropriate…”
• “shall endeavor…”
Article 10.3 Use of International Standards
3.1 Members are encouraged to use relevant international standards or parts thereof as a basis for their import, export, or transit formalities and procedures, except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement.
3.2 Members are encouraged to take part, within the limits of their resources, in the preparation and periodic review of relevant international standards by appropriate international organizations.
3.3 The Committee shall develop procedures for the sharing by Members of relevant information, and best practices, on the implementation of international standards, as appropriate.
The Committee may also invite relevant international organizations to discuss their work on international standards. As appropriate, the Committee may identify specific standards that are of particular value to Members.
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International standards in other measures
o Members are encouraged to develop authorized operator schemes on the basis of international standards
o Members are encouraged to measure and publish their average release time of goods . . using tools such as, inter alia, the Time elease Study of the WCO
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Best Practices 10.1 Formalities and Documentation Requirements
• 1.1 use of business practices, international best practices
• 1.2 The Committee shall develop procedures for the sharing of best practices.
Article 23 WTO TF Committee
• 1.4 The Committee shall develop procedures for Members to share information and best practices
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Section III: Final Provisions
• General issues affecting all or many
provisions
“All provisions of this Agreement are binding on all Members.”
“ . . . nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as diminishing the rights and obligations of Members under the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures.”
NATIONAL COMMITTEE ON TRADE FACILITATION
ARTICLE 23.2
Each Member shall establish and/or maintain a national committee on trade facilitation or designate an existing mechanism to facilitate both domestic coordination and implementation of the provisions of this Agreement.
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IMPLEMENTATION FLEXIBILITY FOR DEVELOPING AND LDC MEMBERS
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Section II -Special & Differential Treatment for developing and LDC countries
Implementation of agreement linked with capacity
Each developing and least-developed county can say when it will implement each measure
Which measures can implement only with technical assistance
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SPECIAL AND DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT
Category A: implemented by time Agreement enters into force
Category B: Entry into force + (X) time
(indicative dates of implementation)
Category C: need extra time & TACB
(category notifications due at EIF
one year later for LDCs)
Entry into Force of TFA*
Notify A,B,C categories &
indicative implementation
dates for categories B &C
CAT B
Notify definitive dates
for implementation of
Cat. B provisions
CAT C
Member and
Donor inform of
TACB arrangements
CAT C
1. Progress in provision of TACB
2. Definitive dates for
implementation
1 year 2.5 years 2 years
Figure 1: Developing Countries Notification for all categories of provisions
* Entry into force of TFA when 2/3 of Members ratify. Obligations for an individual
country will only commence once this country completed its ratification process as well.
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Entry into
Force of TFA*
CAT A-B-C
Notify: A, B, C Categories
CAT B
LDCs may notify indicative
implementation dates for
category B
CAT C
Notify technical
assistance required
for implementation
of Cat. C provisions
CAT C
Inform TF Committee
of arrangements with
donors & indicative dates
for implementation for
Cat. C provisions
1 year 2.5 years 2 years
Figure 2: LDCs Notification for all categories of provisions
* Entry into force of TFA when 2/3 of Members ratify. Obligations for an individual
country will only commence once this country completed its ratification process as well.
1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5.5 years
CAT B
Notify definitive dates
of implementation for
Cat. B provisions
CAT C
Inform TF Committee on
progress in provision of
assistance and notify
definitive dates
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STATE OF PLAY
How many acceptances have been received?
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Thus far…
1. Australia 2. Austria 3. Belgium 4. Belize 5. Botswana 6. Bulgaria 7. China 8. Croatia 9. Cyprus 10. Czech Rep 11. Denmark 12. Estonia 13. Finland 14. France 15. Germany 16. Greece 17. Hong Kong, China 18. Hungary 19. Ireland 20. Italy 21. Japan 22. Korea, Rep of
23. Lao DPR
24. Latvia
25. Liechtenstein
26. Lithuania
27. Luxembourg
www.TFAfacility.org
28. Malta 29. Mauritius 30. The Netherlands 31. New Zealand 32. Nicaragua 33. Niger 34. Norway 35. Poland 36. Portugal 37. Romania 38. Slovak Rep 39. Slovenia 40. Spain 41. Sweden 42. Switzerland 43. Chinese Taipei 44. Thailand 45. Togo 46. Trinidad and Tobago 47. Ukraine 48. United Kingdom 49.United States 50. FYR Macedonia 51. Pakistan 52. Panama 53.Côte d'Ivoire, 54.Grenada 55.St. Lucia 56.Kenya
Category A to date: 1. Hong Kong China
2. Mexico
3. Costa Rica
4. Korea
5. Colombia
6. Singapore
7. Chinese Taipei
8. Paraguay
9. China
10. Nicaragua
11. Mauritius
12. Turkey
13. Honduras
14. Saudi Arabia
15. Malaysia
16. Kuwait
17. Chile
18. Qatar
19. Thailand
20. Peru
21. Uruguay
22. El Salvador
23. Brazil
24. Mongolia
25. Morocco
26. Vietnam
27. Tajikistan
28. Dominican Republic
29. Sri Lanka
30. Israel
31. Philippines
32. Guatemala
33. Ecuador
34. Kyrgyz Republic
35. Panama
36. Indonesia
37. Republic of Congo
38. Cote d'Ivoire
39. Ukraine
40. Brunei Darussalam
41. Oman
42. Albania
43. Moldova
44. Tunisia
45. Jordan
46. Montenegro
47. Botswana
48. Pakistan
49. Senegal
50. Nigeria
51. Macao, China
52. Gabon
53. Egypt
54. Jamaica
55. Rwanda
56. Dominica
57. St Vincent/Grenadines
58. Burundi
59. Kenya
60. Tanzania
61. United Arab Emirates
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62. St. Kitts and Nevis 63. Antigua & Barbuda 64. Trinidad and Tobago 65. St. Lucia 66. Seychelles 67. Barbados 68. Belize 69. Lao PDR 70. Macedonia FYROM 71. Grenada 72. Uganda 73. Nepal 74. Samoa 75. Bahrain 76. Suriname
Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility
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Launched July 2014
Operational November 27, 2014
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Ensure developing & LDC countries acquire capacity to take on commitments under the agreement
Promote coherence among assistance providers
Complement existing efforts, enhance their effectiveness
Provide flow of information between donors and recipients
Where no other funds available, provide seed money or resources for implementation
THE ROLE OF THE FACILITY
WWW.TFAFACILITY.ORG
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Donors and Organizations
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TF and MC10
Not on MC meeting
agenda
WTO side event
Information at WTO
TFAF table
