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More on trade facilitation
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I. SUPPORT FOR TRADE FACILITATION NEGOTIATIONS
WHAT is the support for Trade
Facilitation negotiations
It is an initiative to assist WTO Members and Observers to participate
more effectively in the WTO Trade Facilitation negotiations and to
assess national trade facilitation needs and priorities. Regional
workshops to support this initiative are organized in each of the
different WTO technical assistance regions. They consist of interactive
training sessions with presentations, films, panel discussions and
extensive working group exercises covering all aspects of the Trade
Facilitation negotiations.
The objective of the negotiations on Trade Facilitation is to clarify
and improve three articles of GATT with the purpose of easing customs
procedures and facilitating the movement, release and clearance of
goods. This would be achieved by cutting bureaucracy and improving the
functioning of customs administrations and border procedures.
The workshops are delivered by WTO trade facilitation specialists in
cooperation with officials from the World Customs Organization, the UN
Conference on Trade and Development, the International Monetary Fund,
World Bank and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In
some workshops, officials from relevant regional organizations also
participate and act as working group facilitators.
WHO benefit form this support
Beneficiaries are WTO Members and Observers that are developing
countries, least-developed countries and economies in transition.
Participants are government officials nominated by their governments,
and representative of regional organizations. Government are invited to
send two officials: one from trade and one from Customs. The workshop
typically accommodate 50 participants.
II. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SELF ASSESSMENTS OF NEEDS AND PRIORITIES
WHAT is this technical assistance
It's a programme to help individual WTO Members and Observers to conduct
a self assessment of their national needs and priorities in the WTO
Trade Facilitation negotiations following a Needs Assessment Guide based
on Member's proposals. The goal is to assist with more effective
negotiation on the proposed measures, special and differential treatment
and technical assistance and to help prepare for eventual implementation
of the results of the Trade Facilitation negotiations.
The programme is funded by WTO Members through a special trust fund and
its offered in addition to the normal WTO technical assistance
programme.
WHO benefits
Beneficiaries are WTO Members and Observers that are developing
countries, least-developed countries or countries that designate
themselves as small, low-income economies in transition.
Participants are members of the national trade facilitation task force
that is made up of officials from all relevant government agencies and
representatives of the private sector. Each workshop accommodates
between 15 and 20 participants.
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