Single Window is evolving and adapting to the needs of both Government and Business in order to achieve more effective Trade Facilitation

Background

Since the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) Recommendation n°33, which sets out the basis for establishing a single window environment, was published in July 2005, there has been an evolution of the implementation of such a mechanism. This is due to a number of differing driving forces including the World Trade Organisation’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, WCO support to members for Single Window implementation, regional and national priorities as well as the continuing advancement of technology, which requires the exchange of information at Government to Government, Business to Government and Business to Business level in order to achieve more effective Trade Facilitation.

This evolution of the Single Window environment has included developments such as themed Single Windows (e.g. Customs or Maritime Single Windows). The recently approved United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business’ (UN/CEFACT) “Technical Note on Terminology for Single Window and other electronic platforms” endeavours to provide a more consistent use of the term ‘Single Window’.

Objective

This mini conference entitled “Single Window Evolution” seeks to give practical examples of different types of Single Windows or similar platforms, ranging from customs, maritime, to full Single Window environments mandated by Governments as well as supply chain or logistics platforms. It will further be discussed how and why they have been implemented. Current and future technical solutions and challenges will also be explored.

The mini conference will provide participants an opportunity to understand the variety and evolution of Single Window within the Trade Facilitation environment.

Target audience

• Member States who have a responsibility to implement trade facilitation measures through the WTO TFA; and
• All parties that have an interest in easier cross border trade.

Organisers

This mini conference is being jointly organised by the UN/CEFACT:

• Single Window Domain within the International Trade Procedures PDA;
• Customs Domain within Regulatory PDA;
• Transport & Logistics Domain within the Ship PDA; and
• Supply Chain Domain within the Buy/Pay PDA. 

Downloads:

• Agenda
• Presentations
  Key Note Address: WTO Trade Facilitation Agreemen, Alejandro Gamboa-Alder, WTO Secretariat
  Session One: "Single Window Evolution"
  - Data Quality in the Evolution of Single Window Environments, Armen Manukyan, Technical Attaché, Procedures and Facilitation Sub-Directorate WCO
  - Eurasian Economic Commission initiative in Single Window, Aleksei Bondarenko, Consultant of the Department of customs legislation and law-enforcement practice of the Eurasian Economic Commission
  - Central America Regional Single Window, Javier A Gutiérrez, Executive Director, Secretariat for the Economic Integration of Central America (SIECA)
  - European Commission initiatives in Single Window,
    Jukka Savo, Policy Officer, DG MOVE, European Commission
    Zahouani Saadaoui, DG TAXUD European Commission 
  Session Two: "Technical Innovation"
  - Single Window terminology, Lance Thompson, Chairman, UN/CEFACT
  - Digitisation – Business & Government, Jalal Benhayoun, PORTNET, Morocco
  - Implementation using old and new technologies, Mikael Renz, Sjofartsverket, Sweden
  - Blockchain – Is this the future for Transport and Logistics?, Rudy Hemeleers, Luxembourg
• Report