Members intensify work to ensure full implementation of TFA
Worl Trade Organisation (WTO) members intensified work to ensure the full implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) at the 2 May meeting of the Committee on Trade Facilitation.
The Committee reviewed a total of 63 new notifications from members of their respective timetables and assistance needs to implement provisions of the TFA, import and export procedures and other information helpful for traders and governments, and details of available technical assistance and support for capacity building.
The Agreement is unique in that it allows developing and least-developed countries to set their own timetables for implementing the TFA, communicated in a series of notifications that reflect their respective capacities. Developed countries committed to immediately implement the entire Agreement when it entered into force.
A dedicated session on technical assistance was held the next day on pertinent issues related to implementation support. Donor members presented their initiatives, often followed by corresponding interventions from recipients of their aid. The World Bank, UN Conference on Trade and Development, World Customs Organization and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development also participated in the session to provide information on technical assistance as did the Secretariat to share updates on activities of the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility.
At the end of the session, members elected Ambassador Dalia Kadišienė (Lithuania) as their new Committee chair.