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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»

The Fourth International Trade Facilitation Seminar entitled “Building an enabling environment for trade facilitation in Ukraine by implementing the Single Window concept”

RECOMMENDATIONS

OF THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL TRADE FACILITATION SEMINAR

Building an enabling environment for TRADE FACILITATION IN UKRAINE by implementing THE SINGLE WINDOW CONCEPT

 

The Fourth International Trade Facilitation Seminar entitled “Building an enabling environment for trade facilitation in Ukraine by implementing the Single Window concept” was organized in Odessa on 27 May, 2014 by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Government of Ukraine, the Ukrainian National Committee of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Ukraine) and the Association of Transport Forwarding and Logistic Organizations of Ukraine (UKRZOVNISHTRANS).

Representatives of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM), the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), Regional project ENPI-East “Logistics processes and Motorways of the Sea II”, public authorities of Ukraine, professional associations and business community participated in the Seminar.

Similar to three previous seminars Single Window - Local Solution Project was the point of focus for the participants. This project was initiated in 2011. Hallmark of this seminar and logical follow-up of the previous seminars were representation of the project as operating as per normal with key features of the Single Window. This hallmark added more practical rather than theoretical feature.      

Discussion of the issues on the need to extend the implementation of the Single Window concept from territorial to regional cooperation was conducted from the point of view of adding new functional opportunities to the operating Port Community System. The issues of the Single Window concept implementation for international transport operations were discussed in the context of certain partner search for participation in the international pilot project. Small but real experience gained during the PCS implementation allowed to determine the approaches to solve such significantly difficult task as international trade and logistics facilitation.

 

In conclusion of the Seminar, the participants agreed on the following recommendations: 

  1. General issues
  1. To take note of the successful operation of the port community system in the ports of Odessa Region.
  2. To recognize as effective and partially implemented the UNECE trade facilitation recommendations 2011, 2012, 2013
  3. To support further development plans in Ukraine in three directions:

 (а) extension of the list of operations covered by PCS;

 (b)  study of possibilities to develop modules that provide processes of other types of transport modes except the sea one;

 (c) development of national document and messages handling system as key element of the process automation basing at the Single Window concept

  1. To continue work, particularly in the framework of the Interagency Working Group, on the determination of changes, necessary to be implemented into the laws and provisions regulating the operation of state authorities and commercial organizations activity for establishment and operation of systems based at the Single Window concept and other measures on international trade and logistics facilitation
  2. Participants of the Interagency Working Group shall prepare proposals on the optimization of provisions of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dd 21 May, 2012 No. 451 "Issues of border-crossing procedures of persons, land, water, railway and air vehicles of carriers and cargo that is transported" concerning the PCS operation.
  3. To take all measure to incite wider use of the e-document flow and intelligent transport systems, establishment of port community systems of ports, airports and other large international transport hubs basing at the Single Window concept according to UNECE Recommendations No. 33, 35, 35;
  4. Taking into account organizational changes to apply to the Government of Ukraine to give the instructions to ministries and institutions involved into the work of the Interagency Working Group (IWG) to update the participants of IWG, to appoint heads in charge, provide reports on the IWG members activity
  5. To inform the Prime Minister of Ukraine with letter on the achievements of the Single Window – Local Solution project in Ukraine, about the significant role of the Interagency Working Group  and representatives of ministries and institutions achievements and about the aims and results of the Fourth UNECE International Seminar, to propose the Government of Ukraine to support recommendations of the seminar on the implementation of international trade and logistics facilitation strategy and the Single Window concept implementation.
  6. To apply to the UNECE Secretariat with gratitude for the support and constant participation of the regional Advisor Mario Apostolov in implementation of the pilot project on the Single Window – Local Solution technology implementation in the area of Southern Customs and Odessa Region ports operation and inform about the interest in further work on the development of this project.
  7. To propose conduction of the 5th UNECE international seminar on the issues of international trade and logistics facilitation with the support of the Ukrainian Government in June 2015, Odessa, Ukraine.
  1. Further development of the Single Window – Local Solution project
  1. To extend PCS operation in Odessa for cargo in containers with goods in export and transit for the operations in all directions of cross-border cargo flow, all types and kinds of cargo carried at the cross-border routes that are important for the development of Ukraine and to involve more regulating bodies into the system. Organize (probably in autumn 2014) experience share with PCS experts in Odessa, international experts and representatives of such systems in other countries: for example UNECE, European Commission, European association of Port Community systems, Singapore and other countries.
  2. As the next stage to begin work on the establishment of national document and messages handling system as key element of process automation for sea transport implementing the Single Window concept (as determined in 2010/65/EU directive of the European Parliament and Council dd 20 October 2010 on the report formalities for vessels coming to and/or departing from the ports of member-states) or all transport sector in Ukraine.
  3. To study two possibilities of development of national handling system for transport and commercial documents and messages in Ukraine:

(а). potential of possible cooperation with European Union country, for example, Finland, that have experience of implementation of such projects with UNECE and other organizations that were ready to help Ukraine;

 (b). application of the mechanism existing in the national legislation of Ukraine for public-private partnership basing at the achievement and competence of PCS.  

 

  1.  To support implementation of IATA standard introduction project on the cargo handling technology in e-freight in Ukraine.
  1. On the integration of transport sector of Ukraine into international trade and transport networks
  1. To discuss possibilities for further support of wider regional initiatives on international trade and logistics facilitation and interorganization trade information share networks. Particularly, to support efforts at BSEC level for implementation of international trade and logistics facilitation. To propose stakeholders to support organization of joint seminar BSEC-UNECE (25 September 2014, Istanbul). Support its aims, that is:

 (а).  to develop regional strategy on international trade and logistics facilitation taking into account interest of the countries in the field of development and facilitation;

 (b). to share the experience of the Port community System by the example of the PCS in Odessa to other sectors of logistics and transport;

 

(c).  To provide assistance to harmonized and standardized share of trade data with different system of interorganization information share (for example, port community systems, e-customs systems, etc.) in the Region of the Black, Baltic and Caspian Seas.

  1. To take part in the work on practical application of the common CIM/SMGS consignment note, CIM and SMGS in the form of electronic records that may be used as customs transit document during international railway cargo carriage and direct railway and ferry carriage in the regions of Black, Baltic and Caspian Seas (also using provisions of the Order of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine dd. 17.12.2013 No 1006/782 “On approval of the operating procedures of SMGS, CIM/SMGS, CIM electronic consignment notes for declaring non-excise goods”).  
  2. Taking into account the extension of mutually beneficial cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union, recommend Ministry of Home Affairs of Ukraine,  freight-forwarding and logistics organizations learn the possibility to use the agreement of CIM carriage under the Convention concerning International Carriage by Rail (COTIF) as a transit document and activate work of Ukraine on this convention having joined new segments of route joining near border EU stations and near-port stations of Ukraine.
  3. To promote the implementation of Annex 8 and 9 of the Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, 1982.
  1. On the national measure for international trade facilitation
  1. To take into account the information on the current status and issues of the following promotion of the project on National Strategy on international trade and logistics facilitation in Ukraine, developed by UNECE and Interagency working group on the Single Window – Local Solution concept implementation, directed to procedure facilitation in Odessa Region.
  2. To confirm the need for harmonized strategic approach in implementation of measure for international trade and logistics facilitation in Ukraine. In this regard significant step is wider discussion of the national strategy project.
  3. To recognize necessity to establish mechanism for cooperation (for example expert group) between UNCECE, EUBAM, Ministry of Economic Development and trade of Ukraine, Ministry of Revenues and Duties of Ukraine, Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, Interagency working group on the Single Window – Local Solution concept implementation, Ukrainian National Committee of International Chamber of Trade (ICC Ukraine), UKRZOVNISHTRANS Association and other partners for final development and implementation of strategy. During the further development it is necessary to pay attention to four elements:  

 (а). Specification of Ukraine strategic development priority as world trade operator;

 (b). Determination of current indexes of national trade in export and import of goods and key indexes that will be orienteers in one, two or five years;

 

 (c). Determination of desired status of range of instruments on international trade and logistics facilitation (unification and standardization of trade, commercial and transport documents and data flow; establishment of conditions for the Single Window concept implementation;  risk profile and management, authorized economic operators, etc.) using standards and recommendations of UNECE and WCO;

 (d). Further development of the working plan for the implementation of this strategy (events, persons in charge, terms, etc. and coordination of future plan implementation. It is possible that Ministry of Economic Development and Trade will coordinate indexes determination, their possible improvement and strategy implementation in future in cooperation with other regulating bodies. Interagency Working Group and UNECE will continue their cooperation in this work, particularly, in editing and strategy content.

  1. To continue efforts on establishment of body for international trade and logistics facilitation as interagency, public-private forum for dialogue on the existing challenges and possible solutions for trade facilitation according to the Recommendation No. 4 UNECE and Article 13 of WTO Agreement of trade facilitation basing at the experience and structure of the Interagency Working Group on the Single Window – Local solution concept implementation.
  2. To ask the Government of Ukraine to appoint the central body of executive authorities before the decision on establishment of the national body for international trade and logistics facilitation that will implement state customs policy as coordinating body on the issues of international trade and logistics facilitation, appointing the functions of Secretariat at ICC Ukraine.
  3. To develop training programs and arrange training on work with the Practical Trade Facilitation Implementation Guide (TFIG) for ministries and institutions staff that will take measures to facilitate international trade and logistics, particularly, specified in the WTO Agreement.