“Single Window is defined as a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfil all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements”
UN/CEFACT RECOMMENDATION No. 33
Trade facilitation shifted to a central position in Ukraine's integration into European and world markets. Ukraine needs to improve information of international trade, a key element of which is the transportation of goods across borders.
Odessa is favorably located for successful advanced pilot of the "single window-local solution" aimed at unifying and harmonizing trade procedures.
June 1, 2011 in Odessa, was held an international seminar on the issue with the assistance of Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICCUkraine), the National Institute for Strategic Studies, State Customs Service of Ukraine with the participation of Ukrainian business.
Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) J.Kubiš highly appreciated results of this seminar and asked the Prime Minister of Ukraine to support the initiative of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine) to implement a pilot project in Ukraine "Single window - a local solution. "
In pursuance of instructions and with the support of Prime Minister of Ukraine, on the initiative of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce was established and expert Working Group on the implementation of the " single window-local solution" in the area of Southern customs and ports of Odessa region, which started its activity in December 2011.
In April 2012, in order to implement the concept of simplification, harmonization, standardization and computerization of international trade on the basis of developments UNECE and the World Customs Organization was formed Limited Liability Company "PPL 33-35"
Implementation of this project will be undertaken by creating in ports located in the Odessa area, United Port Community Information System (UIS). General principles of establishment and operation of a "single window" set out in Recommendation number 33, 34, 35 UNECE.
Reference:
• Recommendation number 33 (2005) defines the basic principles for the treatment of export, import and transit.
• Recommendation number 34 (2011) details the process of harmonization of data in the implementation of information exchange between participants UIS.
• Recommendation number 35 (2010) requires an analysis of the legal system readiness to implement the "single window" in the country or a particular region.
Creating of this system will allow all economic agents - members of the transport process to provide information simultaneously, the only place in the standard form and one agency, institution, organization (regardless of ownership).
For today UIS is used in most developed ports and airports intense border crossings in the world.
In Western Europe operates these forms of "single window" in ports of Hamburg (Germany), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium), Felixstowe (UK), Le Havre, Marseilles (France), Barcelona, Bilbao (Spain).
On the basis of these ports was founded European Association UIS - EuropeanPortCommunitySystems Association (EPCSA).
The purpose of the Association - to build an e-logistics in all European ports, improving the efficiency of shipping, freight forwarding and logistics activities in the EU. The Association encourages all users of port services actively create mentioned systems.
Implementation of UIS initially on a local level with the prospect of using this experience to create a national "single window" bring Ukraine closer to the EU trade strategy, which has adopted a program of development of a network the national mechanisms " single window-local solution" that will share information based on the standards of the UN and the World Customs organization.
Thus in the first stage of the project the main task is to implement these UN recommendations, instructions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine by creating appropriate software and information systems, communications between participants UIS, organizational interoperability of public and private enterprises and institutions towards optimization of transport processes, reducing threats unpredictable subjective circumstances, nullifying the impact of human factors on the movement of goods and vehicles across borders and as a result, increasing foreign trade revenues into the State Budget of Ukraine taxes and fees.
UIS, which today is created in the Odessa Commercial Sea Port is using the existing experience and best practices of European ports.
Creation of UIS on the basis of Odessa region ports should be as beneficial for the business community, and to regulatory authorities. It has a positive impact on the development of Odessa as a European supply chain hub between South and North of Europe, between Europe and Asia.
At the level of Ukraine establishment of this system will provide a real impetus to the development of a favorable legal space, harmonization of data exchange between various stakeholders of the transport process and state regulatory agencies to the international standards and thus will be the first step towards national "single window" with all related processes improvements, aimed to the integration with Europe at the international supply chain of goods, limiting bureaucracy and corruption.
