Introduction

JEL Classification: F53, F55, F60, H29, H77

FACILITATION AND SECURITY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE:

INNOVATIVE MECHANISMS AND INSTRUMENTS

Olena Pavlenko, Olga Triakina, Evgeniy Garmash

Academy of Customs Service of Ukraine (Ukraine)

Elena Bogdanova, Victor Jeifets

International Business and Law Institute, National Research University ITMO (Russian Federation)

Igbal Babayev

Head Department Azerbaijan, Statistics and Information Technology

State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijan)

Pier Alberto Cucino

Training & Research Department, Italian Trade Commission - Government Agency (Italy)

Panos Zafeiropoulos

Minister's Office Adviser, Operational Steering Committee (Greece)

Abstract

This paper is a result of the collaborative study of experts from 11 countries. It is based on the materials of the training workshop, which was held by the UNECE in Turin, Italy on the theme "Trade Facilitation Implementation Guide ─ Capacity Building Phase" in the period of 12 ─ 14.02.2013. A group of authors provides an analytical review of the reforms carried out in 11 countries in order to facilitate international trade. The following data are presented by categories: regulatory reforms aimed at achieving clarity, concision and transparency of the legal framework, institutional development, business – sector consultation, inter-agency cooperation, modernization of infrastructure of electronic data processing and changes in trade processes and procedures.

Keywords: international trade, facilitation, implementation, instruments, reforms, legal, procedures, cooperation, business-sector.

Introduction

Over the last few decades international trade has increased and become more global along with the emergence of e-business and logistic techniques. It has highlighted the need to have an efficient, fast and reliable movement of goods while eliminating opaque rules and regulations, redundant and lengthy clearance processes and multiple documents requirements in different formats and with different data elements. Thus, it is more important than ever to achieve trade facilitation to enhance administrative efficiency and effectiveness, reduce costs and time to markets, and increase predictability in global trade. An important role in all these processes belongs to mechanisms and instruments of trade facilitation, developed and proposed by international organizations, such as, for example, the World Customs Organization, the United Nations Economic Commission, the World Trade Organization, etc.

In this study, the authors presented the national experience of 11 countries on the implementation of reforms to simplify and ensure the safety of international trade. The analytical review is based on Country Profile ─ a questionnaire prepared by the Economic Commission for Europe (hereinafter - UNECE) ─ which was kindly provided by experts (Domi, Ristani (Albania) 2013); (Babayev (Azerbaijan) 2013); (Muvinovic, Salihagic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) 2013); (Lymperis, Papadopoulos, Zafeiropoulos (Greece) 2013); (Cucino, Carpena, Padua, Severini, Zadro, Belmonte (Italy) 2013); (Mirkovic, Zivanovic (Republic of Serbia) 2013); (Bogdanova (Russian Federation) 2013); (Rasulov (Tajikistan) 2013); (Özergül, Yasal (Turkey) 2013); (Akbarov (Uzbekistan) 2013); (Pavlenko, Тriakina, Garmash (Ukraine) 2013).

For the experts of UNECE (United Nations Economic Cooperation for Europe) and its UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT, Turin/Italy), trade facilitation is “the simplification, standardization and harmonization of procedures and associated information flows required to move goods from seller to buyer and to make payment” (UNECE, http://tfig.itcilo.org/index.html). Trade facilitation may be also defined as the systematic rationalisation of procedures and documentation for international trade. In its wider sense, it covers all the regulatory measures that affect the flow of exports and imports, including customs laws and regulations, technical regulations, veterinary inspections and other controls used to ensure that goods and services traded adhere to the minimum international and national standards (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, http://www.unescap.org).

Due to its impact on competitiveness and market integration as well as attracting direct foreign investments, trade facilitation is considered as an important factor for accelerating international trade and the economic development of countries. That is why it has been on the agenda of the ongoing WTO multilateral trade negotiations as well as of wide international technical assistance programs for developing and transition economies.

The international practice proved that in order to efficiently facilitate and secure trade countries should seek guidance from available trade facilitation instruments, which include international conventions, regional or bilateral agreements, standards and recommendations developed by international organizations, associations or regional bodies, as well as best practices and case studies (UNECE, http://tfig.itcilo.org/index.html). The advantages of using these instruments are that they are providing a firm legal framework for trade facilitation measures as well as guidance on technical matter that would allow countries to attain the highest degree of harmonization and uniformity. Besides, guidelines and guides, compilations, case studies and best practices serve the purpose of proving information on technical matters to encourage countries to take appropriate action together with providing information to deepen the understanding of a particular matter in an applied context.

Trade facilitation is carried out at three levels: the national, regional and international level. At the national level, trade facilitation is a reform process that starts with a comprehensive needs assessment, leads to an analysis of the implementation objectives and decisions, strategic planning, and ends in monitoring and evaluating reform initiatives. Being at different development stages and acting in different legal and administrative environments, each country individually determines what trade facilitation measures to implement, for what scope, and in which order. The following data provide a review of the actual implementation of the reform activities carried out by 11 countries, which we grouped into four categories: 1) regulatory reforms aiming at a clear, concise, transparent legal framework; 2) institutional development, private sector consultation, and inter-agency cooperation; 3) introduction and modernization of infrastructure for electronic processing of trade documents and related data exchange; 4) changes in business processes and procedures.

An analysis on the first category shows the reform programs undertaken or ongoing reform projects being implemented further. These data are summarized in table 1.

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