Development Account Projects
Enhancing the trade competitiveness of least developed countries, countries in transition, and transit countries through the implementation of single-window facilities
Background:
Simplified one-stop systems for the submission and processing of trade documents and requirements have been established in many developed and developing countries. This single-window approach to trade has reduced the cost and complexity of international trade, increased competitiveness and reduced corruption at the border. These systems are important for small and medium sized enterprises for which the relative cost of trade procedures is high, as well as for exports, because procedural costs reduce the competitiveness of goods from low-income countries. Enhancing trade efficiency and competitiveness is closely linked to simplified one-stop systems for the submission and processing of trade documents and data (better known as single window). Such facilities have reduced the cost and complexity of international trade, increased export competitiveness and reduced corruption at the border.
The project seeks to increase networking among these selected landlocked, least developed countries, countries in transition, and transit countries in Asia and the Pacific region so that their capacity to implement international standards for electronic trade data exchange and single window facilities is increased. Furthermore, it will examine conditions for potential subregional single window systems and electronic trade data exchange integrating landlocked and transit countries in Central Asia and South and Southeast Asia.
Objective:
To enhance the capacity of the Governments in least developed countries and countries in transition in South, South-East and Central Asia to develop single-window facilities to reduce the cost and complexity of trade transactions and increase their export competitiveness.
Expected accomplishments:
- Improved awareness of least developed countries and countries in transition to develop and implement integrated national and subregional single-window systems
- Countries will consider adopting trade facilitation recommendations, guidelines and tools developed by the Untied Nations and international conventions related to the establishment of single-window facilities and the alignment of trade documents.
Implementation status:
This project began implementation in mid-2008. A regional conference on data harmonization and single window for LLDCs and transit countries will be organized during 2008, during which a regional network of experts for paperless trade (UN-NeXT) will be launched with the aim to build a critical mass of expertise in the area of trade data harmonization, electronic trade documentation and e-single window, in order to provide a community 'of know-how and practice' in this region. The results from this regional conference will contribute to four national workshops-cum-advisory services in Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Nepal and Vietnam with the aim to transfer technical knowledge on the analysis of trade processes, simplification and alignment of trade documents and data and development of single window in four countries with all stakeholders. Two sub-regional workshops, one for the landlocked countries with economies in transition in Central Asia, including Azerbaijan and Mongolia, and one for landlocked and transit least-developed and developing countries in South and Southeast Asia, will also be organized to review national experiences and consider the subregional approaches and best practices and suggested strategies in the trade data harmonization and development of single window.
An e-docs toolkit, a training (including on-line tools) material relating to trade documents and data harmonization and single window, will begin development utilising technical expertise under UN NexT. Four country specific implementation studies in Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Nepal and Vietnam on the process analysis, trade documents and data simplification and alignment and on approach, scope and business model for the single window will begin in 2009.
