The wto agreement on trade facilitation relevant for pharma trade and analyse their likely impact on the pharmaceuticalsector. Release and clearance of goods 4 risk management 4. Trade facilitation helps the movement of goods by simplifying international trade procedures including. Tfa is the first multilateral trade agreement to be concluded since the wto was established 20 years ago. The tfa creates a significant opportunity to improve the speed and efficiency of border procedures, thereby reducing trade costs and enhancing participation in the global value chains that characterize international trade today. Wto members reached consensus on the trade facilitation agreement tfa at the bali ministerial conference in december 20. Agreement governing importations or exportations, including. It is developed against the background of trade facilitation as understood by the world trade organization wto.
Current practices and challenges 2016 unctad, unece and itc repository of national trade facilitation bodies 2018 unece roadmap methodology for ntfcs 2016 unctad national trade facilitation bodies in the world 2014 unctad what is a tf roadmap and what it is not a tf roadmap. Wto trade facilitation agreement what is an authorized. Impact on trade costs and multilateral spillovers, artnet working paper series no. Refers to dmd, hkmd and july 2004 framework agreement and reiterates the three pillars of the negotiating mandate section i. Unctad has promoted trade facilitation reforms for many decades, dating to its mandate from the. Wto trade facilitation agreement international trade centre. The wto trade facilitation agreement background after nearly 10 years of talks, wto members concluded negotiations on the wto trade facilitation agreement tfa at the ninth ministerial conference held in bali, indonesia in december 20.
About 35 substantive disciplines on trade facilitation articles 111 onearticle on customs cooperation article 12 onearticle on institutional arrangements article. It entered into force in february 2017, following acceptance by over twothirds of wto members. Agreement on trade facilitation is a path to internationalization, which will allow them to access international value chains at lower cost and at greater speeds. The trade facilitation agreement tfa of the world trade organization wto contains provisions for expediting the import, export and transit procedures, including the movement, release and clearance of goods with a view to reducing related costs. The system remains blocked by an antiquated approach to flexibilities which allows over 23 of the membership including the worlds largest and most dynamic economies to claim special treatment. The bali ministerial decision and the tfa oblige members to undertake certain actions.
Agreement on trade facilitation agreement on trade facilitation. Asean development cooperation has also focused on capacity building efforts in technology, education, disaster management, food security, human rights, and trade facilitation. The tfa was concluded at the wto bali ministerial conference in 20. Once it enters into force, the agreement is expected to reduce total trade costs by more than 14 per cent for lowincome countries and more than per cent for upper middleincome countries by streamlining the. Engage immediately with the wto assist members to identify their needs, including availing of donor funding to enhance capacity building to implement the trade facilitation agreement together with other international organizations and the business. It applies only to the wto members that have accepted it. Impact of wto trade facilitation agreement on tariff. The wto trade facilitation agreement tfa entered into force on 22 february 2017. The package is an interim harvest of the doha round, launched. The world trade organization agreement on trade facilitation reduces trade red tape.
In july 2014, the wto announced the launch of the trade facilitation agreement facility, which assists developing and leastdeveloped countries in implementing the trade facilitation agreement. E v acknowledgements malcolm mckinnon, former head of trade in services at the united kingdoms department for trade and industry, and former chief executive of sitpro ltd, the united kingdoms trade facilitation body, is the author of this guide. Negotiations for the world trade organization wto trade facilitation agreement tfa were concluded at the bali ministerial conference in december of 20. The objective of this agreement is to boost global trade by. The trade facilitation agreement tfa entered into force on 22 february 2017. In respect of each member that accepts the tfa after its entry into force, it will take effect upon acceptance, in accordance with article x. After nearly 10 years of talks, wto members concluded negotiations on the wto trade facilitation agreement tfa at the ninth ministerial conference held in bali, indonesia in december 20. The text of the tfa was adopted by wto members at the 9th ministerial conference in bali, 3. Customs administration and trade facilitation article 5. Wto trade facilitation agreement congressional research service 1 introduction the trade facilitation agreement tfa,1 finalized in december 20, is the newest international trade agreement to enter into force at the world trade organization wto, after twothirds of.
A comprehensive approach to trade facilitation and capacity building the trade facilitation agreement tfa was the signature accomplishment of the bali package adopted in december 20 at the ninth ministerial conference of the world trade organization. Update on wto trade facilitation agreement tfa presentation to the parliamentary portfolio committee. Article resources tfaf trade facilitation agreement. Customs procedures and facilitation of trade each party shall ensure that its customs procedures are applied in a manner that is predictable, consistent and transparent.
Trade facilitation in regional trade agreements united nations new york and geneva, 2011 the number of provisions related to customs and trade facilitation included in regional trade agreements rtas has increased over time. Structure of trade facilitation agreement preamble. We outline and explain the links between trade facilitation and economic transformation and then examine progress to date in designing and implementing these types of trade facilitation measures in four african regional economic communities recs. Wto trade facilitation agreement international customs. Economic engagement has seen the successful establishment of the trade and investment framework agreement. It deals almost entirely with customsrelated topics but foresees cooperation with other agencies cbm. By february 2017, two thirds of the wtos members had ratified the agreement, and on february 22, 2017, the tfa entered into force eif. Negotiating group on trade facilitation wto negotiations.
Customs and trade facilitation in the east african community eac edward kafeero abstract this article expounds and evaluates the contribution of customs to trade facilitation within the east african community eac. It is a result of the doha round of trade negotiations, which was launched in 2001. Do trade facilitation provisions in regional trade. Wto modernisation introduction to future eu proposals. The tfa contains twelve articles regarding trade facilitation and customs cooperation in section i, ten articles on special and differential treatment for developing countries and leastdeveloped countries in section ii and two articles on institutional arrangements. A look will also be taken at where we stand with respect to putting the new. Concluded by wto members in december 20, the ag reement promises greater efficiency by targeting. This paper provides a legal analysis of the new wto agreement on trade facilitation, with particular focus on its consequences for developing country. The trade facilitation agreement is the first multilateral trade agreement to be concluded since the wto was established 20 years ago. This annex examines each measure contained in the agreement in order to assess the potential for the use of modern tools of ict. Use of the ict wto agreement on trade facilitation i. Trade facilitation agreement tfa implementing implications sujeevan perera1 headline issues upside. Utoktham 2016, do trade facilitation provisions in regional trade agreements matter. Negotiating group on trade facilitation wto negotiations on trade facilitation self assessment guide1 revision a guide to assist developing and leastdeveloped members to assess their technical assistance and capacity building support needs and priorities to implement members proposals on how to clarify and improve gatt articles v, viii and x.
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