“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
MINUTES
of the Meeting of Initiative Group on establishment of Interagency Working Group introducing “Single Window – Local Solution” within Southern Customs and Odessa Region Sea Ports
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Kyiv |
18 October 2011 |
Venue: 11-г Degtiarivska Str.
Start: 11:00
End: 13:00
Participants: see Annex No. 1
AGENDA
1. Key outcomes of International Trade Facilitation Seminar “Single Window Concept and Integrated Railways Transportation to Facilitate Trade in the Pan-European Environment”. Single Window Concept: key trade facilitation and management tool.
Speaker: Mr. Apostolov Mario (UNECE, Regional Adviser, Trade Department)
Time: 20 minutes
2. Best practices and outcomes of NCTS RAIL pilot project implementation
Speaker: Mr. Dovydenas Valdas (ICITAP, U.S. Department of Justice, Adviser of Advisory Group on Security and Trade and Transport Facilitation)
Time: 25 minutes
3. E-declarations as an element of Single Window.
Speaker: Mr. Muratov Igor, Head of Declaration and Customs Treatment Administration, State Customs Service of Ukraine
Time: 15 minutes
4. Defining the members of Interagency Working Group on “Single Window – Local Solution”
5. Considering the proposals on membership in Expert Panel on elaboration of proposals aimed at implementation of “Single Window – Local Solution” Pilot Project
6. Discussion of draft decision made by Interagency Working Group on Introduction of “Single Window – Local Solution” within Southern Customs and Odessa Region Sea Ports
Mr. Shchelkunov Volodymyr, President of ICC Ukraine, opened a meeting.
Mr. Shchelkunov informed that a meeting was held under the Order of Mr. M. Azarov, Prime Minister of Ukraine, to create the necessary conditions for facilitation of goods handling to enhance international trade flows, using Ukrainian transit opportunities.
Mr. Shchelkunov also informed that Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine together with other ministries and administrations have adopted recommendations on the need to create Interagency Working Group on Introduction of “Single Window – Local Solution” within Southern Customs and Odessa Region Sea Ports.
In this sense, following up on the recommendations of the joint UNECE-Ukrainian seminar on the Single Window, which took place in Odessa on 1 June 2011, an exchange of letters took place among Mr M.A. Azarov, Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mr. Ján Kubiš, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); and Mr V.I. Shchelkunov. Mr Ján Kubiš indicated in his correspondence that such a pilot project would help the implementation of European best practice in Ukraine, and this will foster the faster integration of Ukraine into the Pan-European space.
At the end of his opening remarks Mr. Shchelkunov highlighted that the main objective of this meeting is defining the opportunities and viability of Single Window in Ukraine and as a first stage – an introduction of “Single Window – Local Solution” as a pilot project within Southern Customs and Odessa Region Ports.
Mr. Platonov Oleg, Vice President on Strategic Development of ICC Ukraine, The Chairman of the Public Council of State Customs Service expressed gratitude to the leadership of the State Customs Service of Ukraine for good conditions for this meeting and informed on the key results of International Trade Facilitation Seminar “Single Window Concept and Integrated Railway Transportation to Facilitate Trade in the Pan-European Environment” held in Odessa (June 2011) in the framework of Transport Week.
Mr. Platonov also reported on decisions and recommendations made after the Seminar.
Mr. Mario Apostolov, UNECE Regional Adviser in Trade, introduced the first item on the agenda: the Single Window Concept: A key tool for trade facilitation and good governance. He thanked the Ukrainian Government for its cooperation and support of the implementation of the Single Window principle in Ukraine.
Mr. Apostolov made a presentation on the “Single Window Concept: key trade facilitation and management tool”. He highlighted the fundamental prerequisites for the introduction of the Single Window concept in other countries around the world, and described the benefits of implementing the Single Window principle for both government agencies and business.
Mr. Apostolov briefly introduced the major UNECE instruments in this area:
- Recommendation and Guidelines on establishing a Single Window” (Recommendation 33),
- Data Simplification and Standardization for International Trade” (Recommendation 34),
- Establishing an enabling legal framework for the Single Window” (Recommendation No. 35), and a number of international standards and codes for trade data exchange.
He also noted that the full implementation of a Single Window is impossible without the existence of a strong political will.
Mr. Dovydenas Valdas (ICITAP, U.S. Department of Justice, Adviser of Advisory Group on Security and Trade and Transport Facilitation) presented the second item of agenda: Best practices and outcomes of NCTS RAIL pilot project implementation.
Mr. Dovydenas shared his experience in implementation of NCTS RAIL pilot project on electronic customs documents within EU and Republic of Lithuania, in particular. This project provides the intermodal transport with full set of transport documents and customs declaration in electronic format.
Mr. Dovydenas made a presentation (Annex No. 3) (Single Window Concept in Klaipeda Sea Commercial Port) and informed on the key principles of creation and operation of data interchange information system between port companies and state authorities for transport of goods via Klaipeda Sea Commercial Port (KIPIS System). The speaker demonstrated a cartoon on introduction of Single Window in Lithuania (Annex No. 4) where he showed the step-by-step process and its benefits.
At the end of his speech, Mr. Dovydenas explained that Single Window and advanced information technologies significantly facilitated business processes in Klaipeda port and increased its throughput.
Mr. Muratov Igor, Head of Declaration and Customs Treatment Administration, State Customs Service of Ukraine, took floor to introduce the third item of agenda (E-declarations as an element of Single Window).
Mr. Muratov informed that on the initiative of State Customs Service of Ukraine they hold a working meeting with representatives of ministries and administrations and experts involved into customs clearance of goods (12 August 2011). The participants supported the initiative of International Trade Facilitation Seminar “Single Window Concept and Integrated Railways Transportation to Facilitate Trade in the Pan-European Environment” (held on 1 June 2011 in Odessa) to launch in Ukraine Single Window Pilot Project on the base of Odessa Region Ports.
Mr. Muratov also reported that Ukraine adopted the Laws on electronic documents, electronic document flow and digital signature in 2003. Since 2007 Ukraine has been using customs declaration as advance notification in electronic format and there is a list of companies allowed to use electronic declaration.
In October-December 2009 they successfully implemented pilot project on interaction between the Single Automated Information System of SCSU and New Computerized Transit System (NCTS) to handle transit goods transporting from Ukraine to Lithuania. Ukrainian-based PLASKE Joint Stock Company was engaged into the project as a carrier and a declarant.
To carry out Mr. Azarov’s order on introduction of comprehensive electronic document flow system within customs and other authorities to gain experience in customs clearance and goods handling using electronic documents, in 2010 they launched a pilot project on declaration, customs control and goods handling using electronic declarations in “transit”, “import” and “bonded warehouse treatments”.
At the moment there is a list of companies allowed to use electronic declaration. In 2007 the list included 50 companies, now it comprises over 1000 companies.
Concluding his speech, Mr. Muratov informed that State Customs Service of Ukraine supports the introduction of Single Window in Ukraine and hopes the implementation of “Single Window – Local Solution” Pilot Project within Southern Customs and Odessa Region Ports will facilitate the trade and decrease red-tape practices at the border.
Mr. Miroshnikov Andrii, Deputy Head of Main Commercial Administration of Ukrainian Railways described electronic document flow process in Ukraine. He informed that from 1 July 2011 Ukrainian Railways started using electronic documents. As the first stage they introduced mandatory issuance of transport documents for inner transport using Automated Rail Transport System. 8308 client-users are switched to the System (AS Client UZ). Overall, the percentage of Ukrainian Railways clients using AS Client UZ System has reached 99.4%. It is possible to make a conclusion that mainly all the information on transport documents for inner connections and export is submitted to Ukrainian Railways in electronic format.
Ukrainian Railways has elaborated and adopted the “Road Map for Comprehensive Transfer to Electronic Documents in relations between Client and Railways”. All the necessary measures are to be taken by the end of 2012.
Mr. Miroshnikov said that Ukrainian Railways is ready to adopt 100% issuance of transport documents however there are deterrents beyond administration’s authority. He mentioned the unwillingness of state control authorities to use electronic documents that still demand the original copies of certificates and other documents in paper format.
Mr. Miroshnikov pointed out that the implementation of “Single Window – Local Solution” will facilitate an interaction between carriers and state control authorities and will decrease red-tape at the borders.
As regards the fourth item of agenda (Defining the members of Interagency Working Group on “Single Window – Local Solution”) Mr. Shchelkunov offered the participants of this meeting to inform their supervisor about the need to define and adopt the members of Working Group on “Single Window – Local Solution”. The participants unanimously endorsed a list of government agencies and nongovernmental organizations, which can involve the Interdepartmental Working Group (listed in Annex № 5) with the suggestion that each agency of the Interagency Working Group will include the head of not less than the Deputy Minister, Service, Administration or Association.
As regards the fifth item of agenda (Considering the proposals on membership in Expert Group on elaboration of proposals aimed at implementation of “Single Window – Local Solution” Pilot Project) Mr. Shchelkunov offered and the participants supported his offer that the Members of Interagency Group are to propose the relevant authorities for Expert Group to ensure the competent handling of administrational, methodological and technical issues regarding the Single Window – Local Solution” Pilot Project from the number of subordinate offices, public and private organizations and institutions.
Mr. Pisnoi Pavlo, Deputy Head of Department of Customs Information technologies and Statistics under State Customs Service of Ukraine, offered to decide the issues of financing for pilot project at the level of Government and to define the possible contribution of UNECE representatives (administrational and financial) to arrangement and running of the relevant training in Ukraine dedicated to the application of documents in the electronic form and certified with a digital signature within international trade.
In the debate on the establishment of the Interagency Working Group and expert groups to develop practical (methodological, legal and technical) solutions implementing the pilot project "Single Window - a local decision " participated:
- Mr. Andrii Videnov - an expert on customs control and audit mission EUBAM;
- Mr. Andreas Schoen - Regional Team Leader of the TRACECA project;
- Mrs. Olena Yemelyanova - Senior Consultant sector of the economy of the National Institute for Strategic Studies.
At the end of the meeting Mr. Shchelkunov offered to adopt the decision of Initiative Group to establish Interagency Working Group introducing “Single Window – Local Solution” within Southern Customs and Odessa Region Sea Ports. The participants unanimously voted for this decision:
Mr. Shchelkunov also offered to hold the first meeting of the Interagency Working Group on 22 December 2011 and start it by discussing the plan of action and activities to ensure funding of the pilot project for Southern Customs and the ports of the Odessa Region entitled: “Single Window – Local Solution”.
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Chairman |
Volodymyr Shchelkunov |
