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“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

Информационный бюллетень Центра обработки данных
ИСПС ООО «ППЛ 33-35»

Third International Seminar on trade facilitation: “Trade facilitation in Ukraine. The “Single Window – Local Solution” project in Odessa. Achievements and New Challenges”

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

OF THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE FACILITATION: “TRADE FACILITATION IN UKRAINE.

THE “SINGLE WINDOW – LOCAL SOLUTION” PROJECT IN ODESSA.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND NEW CHALLENGES.

On 30 May 2013, in Odessa, the Third International Seminar on trade facilitation issues on the following topic: “Trade facilitation in Ukraine. The “Single Window – Local Solution” project in Odessa. Achievements and New Challenges” was held. The Seminar was organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), in cooperation with the Government of Ukraine, with the support of the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine) and the - Association of Transport Forwarding and Logistic Organizations of Ukraine (UKRZOVNISHTRANS), at the initiative of PLASKE JSC.          

Representatives of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), the European Association for Forwarding, Transport, Logistic and Customs Services (CLECAT), the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), TRACECA, public authorities of Ukraine and business community, as well as participants of the East-West Transport Corridor Association Forum and Ministers of Transport of the BSEC Member States participated in the Seminar.

Participants of the Seminar saw a considerable progression in the project implementation: Interagency Working Group on the implementation of the “Single Window - Local Solution” concept, established in 2011, has already held eight meetings; work on implementation of the Port Community single information system is carried out successfully in the port of Odessa. The aim of this work is paperwork minimization during technological operations in the port, processes optimization, cutting time on each operation through furnishing the latest, proper and legitimate information to all the actors of freight transport process. It was noted that after signing the process diagram of the first working stage of the Port Community System that unites already-existing results of free practice, security badge, automated access control system, electronic planning and new project of electronic order for container delivery, by the port of Odessa and the State Customs Service of Ukraine on 22 May 2012, the following work has been done: first electronic order has been executed; consultations for representatives of the State Customs Service of Ukraine and other regulatory authorities, freight forwarding organizations and liner agents have been held; an electronic and a paper order have been implemented in Odessa port in a parallel mode; a stage of container delivery execution from the checkpoint area has been started; regulatory authorities’ involvement is in the final stage; liner agents and container terminals are involved as a separate working area; test of reception of preliminary information from marine agents is carrying out; test of data exchange upon actual unloading with stevedores is in its final stage. More than 300 freight forwarding organizations are involved as of 30.05.2013.

Participants noted that international trade facilitation have gained central position in economic policy of Ukraine, in the framework of integration of the country into wider European markets in order to increase transit potential and competitive ability of Ukraine.

Participants of the Seminar also supported the following proposals:         

 

  1. To thank the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mr N. Azarov for supporting the pilot project on the implementation of the “Single Window – Local Solution” concept in the area of operation of the Southern Customs and the ports of Odessa Region, as well as to appreciate highly the participation of the Ministry of Revenues and Duties of Ukraine and the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine towards the project implementation.
  2. To address to the UNECE Secretariat with thanks for supporting and constant contribution of Mr. M. Apostolov, UNECE Regional Adviser, towards the pilot project on the implementation of the “Single Window – Local Solution” concept in the area of operation of the Southern Customs and the ports of Odessa Region, as well as to inform of the interest on the project development need.

 

Discussions on five Sessions issues took place in the course of the work program:

 

Trade facilitation tasks in Ukraine and the “Single Window – Local Solution” pilot project in Odessa:

  • Objectives and tasks of the Seminar. The Single Window and the Port Community System projects in the general trade facilitation strategy;
  • Support for trade facilitation and the “Single Window – Local Solution” projects;
  • General support for trade facilitation and the “Single Window - Local Solution” project in the ports of Odessa Region.

 

“Single Window - Local Solution” project. Odessa Port’s practice of interaction with the State Customs Service of the Ministry of Inland Revenue of Ukraine and other state control agencies in the sea entry points:

  • Practice of development of the Port Community System in the Port of Odessa;
  • Technical aspects of the “Single Window – Local Solution: project implementation in the SE “Odessa Commercial Sea Port”;
  • Role of Customs bodies in the development of a Port Community System using risk analysis and information exchange.

 

 Master Plan and role of different public and private organizations in the development of Port Community Systems:

  • Master Plan role in the development of the Port Community System and in the common strategy of trade facilitation;
  • The role of public and private organizations – trade actors in the development of the Port Community System;
  • Customs clearance procedures modernization. Best practices in the European Union and the Customs Union of the Eurasian Economic Community and strategic aims of trade facilitation in Ukraine.

 

Data harmonization and document formats:

  • Data harmonization: practical application of electronic documents using electronic digital signatures and data conversion.

 

Closing session; organizational issues and recommendations

 

 

 

In conclusion of the Seminar the following recommendations were adopted: 

 

Organizational issues

  1. To continue improvement of the working plan (project stages list cards) on development of the Port Community System in the ports of Odessa Region involving all the authorized representatives of public authorities and private sector into control arrangement at the border crossing points.
  2. To ask the Prime Minister of Ukraine to define the Ministry of Revenues and Duties of Ukraine as principle performer of development of the draft Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On establishment of the (Coordination Council) Interagency Working Group on the implementation of the “Single Window - Local Solution" concept. 
  3. To the Secretariat of the Interagency Working Group:

- To address the Prime Minister of Ukraine with a request for assistance to early adoption of the Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine “On introduction of amendments to the Regulation of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine as of May 21, 2012 No 451 “Issues of the State Border passage of persons, road, water, rail and air transport of carriers and conveying load”;

- to ensure regular work of the expert working group on development of the project on the Procedure for customs formalities in the exercise of customs control and customs clearance of vessels of carriers and conveying load;

- to form an expert group, involving UNECE and EUBAM representatives, the task of which shall be preparation of the project of national strategy on trade facilitation;

  1. Before 1st July 2013 the SE “Odessa Commercial Sea Port” shall make the switch to paperless technology of order execution with reserved right of choice by a transport process actor (freight forwarding organization) of electronic or paper form of documents submission.
  2. To recognize valid in general recommendations adopted on 30 May 2012 and to continue their realization in the framework of the Interagency Working Group in terms of carrying out the following researches at national and local levels:

(a)   determination of compatibility degree of technical systems of information exchange of different regulatory authorities and commercial organizations as well as feasibility for information and documents exchange for trade, transport and control procedures at the border, including electronic form with electronic digital signature;

(b) compliance of applicable documents and technical systems with the international standards and UNECE Recommendations on the implementation of the “Single Window” concept; 

(c) determination of necessary changes in the legislation and regulations that influence on arrangement of work on interaction of regulatory authorities and business community for the implementation of the “Single Window” concept.

  1. To recommend all the stakeholders to use all reasonable efforts to motivate the widest use of e-document flow and intelligent transport systems, creation of information communities of ports, airports and other large international hubs on the principle of Single Window in accordance with the UNECE Recommendations No 33, 34, 35.
  2. To recommend all the stakeholders to support the initiative of Community Council under the State Air Service of Ukraine on establishment of the Working Group on coordination of pilot project on E-freight standard implementation in Ukraine, consisting of authorized representatives of airlines, airports, agency and freight forwarding organizations.
  3. To recognize that development of information exchange systems for international trade facilitation should be based on the principle of interoperability of information systems of different state offices and business communities, as well as on understanding that tools of electronic communication should provide an opportunity to transport operators for one-time submission of information to regulatory authorities on conveying load, and to avoid its resubmission during the entrance at the territory of neighboring state.

 

Issues of legislation and system of application of electronic digital signature

  1. To support introduction of amendments to acts of law of Ukraine in order to legalize  electronic trust services and to create legal framework for building services for trusted third party in Ukraine. This will allow to speed up implementation of e-document flow projects in international trade and in cross-border cooperation, and to determine powers and  responsibility of qualified centers of rendering services during the signing of documents using electronic digital signature on behalf of a client for application in automated information systems without direct participation of a person, use of electronic digital signature for Web site protection arrangement or communication channels encoding. 
  2. The Ministry of Revenues and Duties of Ukraine shall consider the possibility to model procedure of submission and reception of convertible e-documents with electronic digital signature of Port Community System operator, having equal legal force with original e-documents with electronic digital signature of the document issuer (container line, container terminal, etc.).
  3. Central government agencies, operating at the points of passage across the State Border of Ukraine, shall provide their representatives at the points with electronic digital signatures of accredited key certification centers of the Ministry of Revenues and Duties of Ukraine. 

 

 

 

Data harmonization

  1. During the development of Port Community System designers shall consider experience of international standards application and technical cooperation with international organizations (UNECE, WCO, ISO, European Commission, FIATA and others).
  2. To recommend to authorized bodies in Ukraine:

- to adopt classifiers of container lines, ports of Ukraine and port terminals at the level of national standards;

- to harmonize the classifier of container types approved by the Order of the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine dd. 20.09.2012 No 1011, with ISO standard 6346;

- to harmonize DSTU/ISO-9735 standard with the Law of Ukraine and Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine for expansion of scope of application of electronic exchange of information in the format of UN EDIFACT by the State bodies of Ukraine;

- to formalize normative single numbers of ship entries to the ports of Ukraine;

- to consider the possibility of maintaining by Port Community System of other international formats, together with XML, to foresee the possibility of auto transition between formats.

  1. To consider the possibility of organization of workshop on data harmonization with participation of UNECE experts for all the stakeholders.
  2. To suggest to the Ministry of Revenues and Duties of Ukraine to consider the possibility of definition of requirements for ocean liner agents about delivery of preliminary information on cargo in containers in such a way as to the necessary information is in accord, in terms of volume and form, with information on cargo in containers contained in the international transport document – ocean bill of lading.

 

Cooperation

  1. To take into account European ports’ and business community’s experience on implementation of electronic exchange of information. To enhance cooperation between public authorities and business community of Ukraine, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the European Port Community Systems Association (EPCSA), Bureau Veritas, CIT, the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM), USAID, TRACECA, FIATA, and appropriate bodies of Moldova, Lithuania and other countries.
  2. To continue cooperation with Railway Community, in particular in terms of insertion of data of CIM/SMGS rail consignment note into consecutive exchange of information in the Port Community System. To explore a possibility of rendering assistance to organization of the conference on insertion of railway documents and data in general processes of trade information exchange that ensure customs clearance procedures of all the supply chain, under the auspices of the UN, with the key support of Members of CIT, OSJD and business community, with participation of all the international organizations on railway transport in Europe.
  3. To develop cooperation with international organizations with a view to improve a system of vocational training of customs authority officials, customs Clarence agents, declarants, freight forwarders, carriers and other entities engaged in foreign economic activity who are involved in a transport and customs clearance process, by implementing in practice provisions of a cooperation agreement, signed by the State Customs Service of Ukraine and the UKRZOVNISHTRANS Association.
  4. With the view of further development of work on the project, to continue regular consultations on international trade facilitation and the implementation of the “Single Window” concept with the participation of different public authorities of Ukraine, UNECE and other international organizations dealing with electronic exchange of trade and transport documents and data for international trade facilitation.
  5. To develop cooperation in the framework of the project with the National Institute of Strategic Studies under the President of Ukraine and the Institute of Economic Researches and Political Consultations.
  6. To suggest to hold the UNECE Forth International Seminar under the auspices of the Government of Ukraine, on 29 May 2014, in Odessa, Ukraine, in the course of which to consider one of the issues of public and private partnership for international trade facilitation.

Participants of the Interagency Working Group on the implementation of the “Single Window - Local Solution” concept, the ninth meeting of which was held in the framework of the UNECE Third International Seminar on trade facilitation, welcomed conclusions and adopted recommendations.