At the beginning of February, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) presented its Database for National Trade Facilitation Committees, a resource that provides Real-time information on how countries are implementing their commitments under the World Trade Organization's landmark Trade Facilitation Agreement.
According to UNCTAD, the database, which was created in 2010, incorporates several new features and allows users to explore information on each national trade facilitation committee and compare statistics at the global, regional and development group levels.
The tool is intended to help users understand differences in trade facilitation progress across different groups of countries, or how one country is performing compared to others.
Based on the release, Aranzazu Sanchez, who works on UNCTAD’s trade facilitation programme, pointed out one detail. “In the past, stakeholders had to wait for UNCTAD to publish new statistics in a separate study every two years,” he said. He added: “Now, they have the most up-to-date data at their fingertips whenever they need it.”
The UN organization has also been working to make the new resource available. Available in English, French and Spanish.
Complete database
The database compiles data from National Trade Facilitation Committees into a single standardized repository to speed up research and comparisons.
According to UNCTAD, since 2013, the number of countries in the database has almost doubled from 70 to more than 130. In this sense, the tool “is one of the most complete repositories in the world.”
The database also covers a wide range of topics on National Trade Facilitation Committeesor, including the scope of respective responsibilities, their institutional framework, membership, gender composition, communication, results and sustainability measures.
Additionally provides contact information for each National Trade Facilitation Committee, allowing all interested parties to acquire additional information directly from the source.
Sustainability score for each committee
In addition, UNCTAD has developed sustainability scores for each National Trade Facilitation Committee.. This score was calculated based on a series of factors that determine the long-term operational capacity of each committee.
The scorecard therefore not only focuses on the prerequisites for establishing an efficient national trade facilitation committee, but also considers current practices in each country.
Analyzing an individual committee's sustainability score will help highlight its strengths and weaknesses, followed by a technical assistance action plan, if necessary.
UNCTAD noted that, according to the most recent data published in January 2022, the above-mentioned committees scored an average of 47 out of 100 points on the sustainability score.
Importance of accelerating reforms
Trade disruptions caused by COVID-19 since early 2020 have highlighted the importance of trade facilitation.
In this sense, “implementing trade facilitation reforms requires a high level of coordination between the parties to simplify, modernize and harmonize import and export processes,” said Shamika Sirimanne, who heads UNCTAD’s technology and logistics division.
“This is where national trade facilitation committees come in, with the role of supporting countries’ efforts to align themselves with the World Trade Organization’s historic Trade Facilitation Agreement,” he added.
However, UNCTAD clarified that establishing and maintaining a National Trade Facilitation Committee “is not as easy as it seems.” It detailed challenges: issues such as lack of awareness, frequent replacement of members and shortage of funds are just the tip of the iceberg. Added to this is the COVID-19 pandemic which makes regular meetings and communication difficult for many committees.
In this regard, the UN agency highlighted a particularity of the new resource: “With tools such as the database, UNCTAD improves transparency and the exchange of information for Empowering National Trade Facilitation Committees in their role as coordinators of trade facilitation reforms,” he concluded. (UNCTAD database to explore and compare National Trade Facilitation Committees)
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