As part of WTO activities, the Trade Facilitation Committee held a meeting to address the use of digital tools to optimize the movement of goods across borders, the Organization reported.
The meeting, held on 16 and 17 April 2024, brought together ten delegations from countries that have ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement and deposited their instruments of acceptance with the WTO Secretariat, who shared their positive experiences with the use of such tools. Participating countries included: China, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Japan, Pakistan, Peru, the Dominican Republic, the United Kingdom, the United States and Togo.
The details of the experiences are described below:
America
1. Costa Rica. Digitalization in trade facilitation through VUCE and the Border Integration Program.
2. United States. Digitalization of Importation by the Food and Drug Administration.
3. Guatemala. Digitalization of port processes. The Central American country is preparing for the official launch of the Maritime Single Window (VUMAR)
4. Dominican Republic. The experience of using digitalization to facilitate trade. In particular, the Dispatch Time Study, 24-Hour Dispatch, VUCE and CNFC Achievements.
5. Peru. Risk-based and data-driven border approach. In particular, the SECO Initiative for improving the efficiency of health management.
Asia
6.Chinese. Creation of smart customs to advance towards a higher level of security and facilitation of international trade.
7. Japan. Experiences on data accumulation and use in customs.
8. Pakistan. Integrated single window risk management system and trade facilitation through data-driven decision making.
West Africa
9. Togo. Digitalization of the cross-border transit procedure: SIGMAT (Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit).
Europe
10. United Kingdom. Trust and Digitalization of Trade Ecosystem Project.
In addition to sharing successful measures to make trade simpler, faster and more profitable, committee participants were able to hear a presentation by Brazil on the results of its study on cargo release times for exports, among other presentations by members.
The Trade Facilitation Agreement is projected to reduce total trade costs by more than 14 percent for low-income countries, more than 15 percent for lower-middle-income countries, and more than 13 percent for upper-middle-income countries.
In this regard, the Trade Facilitation Committee – chaired by Carlos Guevara of Ecuador – gives WTO Members the opportunity to consult on any issue relating to the operation of the instrument or the achievement of its objectives.WTO News)
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