SEE
ALSO:
> Trade
facilitation work in 2002
> Trade
facilitation work in 2001
> Trade
facilitation in the preparatory work for the Doha Ministerial
Conference, (2001)
> Trade
facilitation work in 2000
> De-restricted
papers submitted until end of 2000
> Work
from mid-1998 until end of 1999
> Trade
Facilitation in the preparatory work for the Seattle
Ministerial Conference (1999)
> Work
in the WTO until mid-1998
|
The
background note describes the work of more than 15
organizations which are dealing with all possible aspects
of simplification of trade procedures. It has been
updated in 1998, (G/C/W/80/Add.1)
(download in Microsoft Word format, 13 pages, 79KB) and
2000, (G/C/W/80 Rev.1)
(download in Microsoft Word format, 82 pages, 406KB) respectively.
In
December 1997, the Council for trade in Goods decided to
hold a Symposium on Trade Facilitation with the purpose
enable delegations to better identify the main areas
where traders face obstacles when moving goods across
borders. The symposium provided a direct interface
between the practical level (traders) and the trade
policy level (officials in capitals and in Geneva) in
this respect and was intended to place WTO Members in a
position to move to the phase of analytical work on trade
facilitation, in order to assess the scope for WTO rules
in this area, as set out in the Singapore Declaration.
The
WTO Trade Facilitation Symposium took place on 9 and 10
March 1998 at the WTO. Twenty-seven speakers from private
enterprises and industry groups gave an overview of a
number of areas where traders face obstacles when moving
goods across borders. Speakers from intergovernmental
organizations (IMF, ITC, UNCTAD, UN/ECE, World Bank, and
World Customs Organization) reported on the experiences
in their work on trade facilitation. On 18 March 1998,
the Chairman of the CTG made a brief summary of the
outcome of the Symposium, circulated in document
G/L/226
(download in WordPerfect format, 2 pages, 90KB), where he
concluded that the main concerns traders had voiced
during be Symposium could be summarized under the
following headings:
Excessive
documentation requirements;
Lack
of automation and insignificant use of
information-technology;
Lack
of transparency; unclear and unspecified import
and export requirements;
Inadequate
procedures; especially a lack of audit-based
controls and risk-assessment techniques;
Lack
of modernization of, and cooperation among
customs and other government agencies, which
thwarts efforts to deal effectively with
increased trade flows.
The
Secretariat circulated a “Checklist of issues”
(G/C/W/113)
(download in Microsoft Word format, 9 pages, 54KB),
summarizing all concrete suggestions made at the
Symposium, and a longer factual report on the Symposium,
(G/C/W/115)
(download in Microsoft Word format, 206 pages, 758KB)
containing full copies or transcripts of the
presentations made and the ensuing discussions. In
addition, the text of the Secretariat’s presentation
on WTO rules relevant to trade facilitation, which was
made during the Symposium, was circulated
(G/L/244)
(download in Microsoft Word format, 6 pages, 49KB).
|
|
