Single Window for export and import clearance:

Policy arguments and regional options

Mario Apostolov, Regional Adviser UNECE Trade mario.apostolov@unece.org

Joint Trade Conference: PAM and UN Trade & Productive Capacity Cluster

Geneva, 4-5 May 2011

Financial crisis, social upheavalMediterranean:

The current situation

Economic crisis

Security concerns

The current situation

Economic crisis

Security concerns

- Raise economic efficiency

- Trade (eliminate protectionism)

- Foster development in South and East Mediterranean

- Efficiency of official controls

- Good governance

Eastern Europe

1989

Mediterranean 2011

Vaclav Klaus to the West:

Give us trade, not aid!

The structure for this: EU integration

Period of preparation & expectations

Wave of democratization in the S.&E. Mediterranean

What structural arrangements ?

Support for SMEs – middle class – democratic society

Tariffs - low (WTO) = trade facilitation

Why a Single Window?UNCEFACT Recomendation 33

1. A tool of good governance (benefits for Government)– Efficient distribution of resources– Better revenue collection– More compliance from businessh– More security (on hte basis of risk analysis)– Less corruption

2. A tool of business efficiency (benefits for business)– Lower cost because of shorter time for the preparation of documents– Goods released faster– Predictable and efficient explanation and implementation of rules and

procedures– More transparency

Organizational and political instrument

B

G

B

G

B

G G 2 G

B 2

G G 2 G

PROBLEM – For a foreign trade transaction various control agencies require about 40 documents with often repeated data =>

• Streamline trade procedures and document exchange

• Alignment withinternational standards

• Automation▼

SOLUTION – Single Window for export and import clearance

G 2 G

B 2 B

What the Single Window is: virtual info exchange

Definition: a system that allows all participants in trade and transport file requested information in only one place, in a standard format, in order to carry out import, export and transit operations.

Electronic

Authority 3

SingleAuthority

Authority 1

Authority 2

Authority 4

3-a: 'Single Authority'

Paper

Trader(incl. Transport)

PORTHEALTH

PORTAUTHORITY

CUSTOMS

CONSIGNOR

CARRIER

HAULIERWHARFINGER

CUSTOMSBROKER

LINEAGENT

CONSIGNEE

100

FROM TO

Mountains of paper

30% mistakes

Weeks for clearance

Customs, export, import, etc. processes together

Many documents filed together

Appr. 1 hour for clearance

Rec. 33: The Single Window Concept

PORTAUTHORITY

CUSTOMS

CONSIGNOR

PORTHEALTH

CARRIER

HAULIERWHARFINGER

CUSTOMSBROKER

LINEAGENT

CONSIGNEE

Single Window

Two directions of work in building a SW

~80% of the work - negotiations

Policy work

Building political will

Draft concept paper & feasibility study

Appoint a lead agency (e.g. Customs)

Harmonize policy

Technical work Data harmonizationDeveloping a SW systemAlignment with international standards

Interagency management group

~20% technical work

Interagency technical group

Prerequisites

• High-level political support (e.g. PM)

• Strong lead agency

• Clear vision (purpose, concept, model, scope)

• Effective coordination of various organizations!

• Step-by-step

• Involve business community in planning, decision-making and execution (not like Tunisia TradeNet)

• Create an enabling legal environment

• Draft and adopt a Master Plan defining tasks for all

Rec.35: Checklist of basic legal issues

1) Law on electronic signatures Is the system working on a PKI basis? Is there a root CA + functioning network of CAs?

2) Law on electronic commerce

3) Law on e-government

4) Law on data protection

5) Do sectoral laws (e.g. sanitary laws) envisage the use of sector and/or country specific codes

6) Are there requirements for paper originals in law?

Agreement on a Single Window (among multiple organisations to define roles and responsibilities)

Public vs. private law (both domains)

Identification, authentication, authorization (electronic authentication not reguilated)

Data protection

Sharing data bet. government agencies

Retention (archiving) of data

Liability issues (determine responsibilities)

Competition law (against abuse of dominant position)

Electronic and paper document equivalence (admissibility issues, UNCITRAL instruments)

Intellectual property rights

Settlement of disputes (arbitration or litigation)

Finland SW

Greece SW

Macedonia SW

International Standards

Turkey SW

Bulgaria SW

Ireland SW

Spain SW

Romania SW

Netherlands SW

UK SW

Possible common Single Window model

SW = Single Window Provider

Standardized Data Set based on WCO Data Model, UNTDED & UNeDocs Core Components

Sweden SW

Thanks!

mario.apostolov@unece.org

www.unece.org/trade & www.unece.org/cefact