CPD Occasional Paper Series

CPD Occasional Paper Series
Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO:

Implications for Bangladesh and Other
Least Developed and Developing Countries
Paper 30
Wenguo Cai
Sarah Geddes
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Centre for Policy Dialogue
House No 40/C, Road No 11 (new), Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka-1209
Mailing Address: GPO Box 2129, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
Tel: (880 2) 8124770, 9141703. 9141734; Fax: (880 2) 8130951
E-mail: [email protected]; Website: www.cpd-bangladesh.org
December, 2003
The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), established in 1993, is a civil society initiative to promote
an ongoing dialogue between the principal partners in the decision-making and implementing
process. The dialogues are designed to address important policy issues and to seek constructive
solutions to these problems. The Centre has already organised a series of such dialogues at local,
regional and national levels. The CPD has also organised a number of South Asian bilateral and
regional dialogues as well as some international dialogues. These dialogues have brought together
ministers, opposition frontbenchers, MPs, business leaders, NGOs, donors, professionals and other
functional groups in civil society within a non-confrontational environment to promote focused
discussions. The CPD seeks to create a national policy consciousness where members of civil
society will be made aware of critical policy issues affecting their lives and will come together in
support of particular policy agendas which they feel are conducive to the well being of the country.
In support of the dialogue process the Centre is engaged in research programmes which are both
serviced by and are intended to serve as inputs for particular dialogues organised by the Centre
throughout the year. Some of the major research programmes of CPD include The Independent
Review of Bangladesh's Development (IRBD), Governance and Development, Population and
Sustainable Development, Trade Policy Analysis and Multilateral Trading System and
Leadership Programme for the Youth. The CPD also carries out periodic public perception
surveys on policy issues and developmental concerns.
Dissemination of information and knowledge on critical developmental issues continues to

remain an important component of CPD’s activities. Pursuant to this CPD maintains an active
publication programme, both in Bangla and in English. As part of its dissemination programme,
CPD has decided to bring out CPD Occasional Paper Series on a regular basis. Dialogue
background papers, investigative reports and results of perception surveys which relate to issues
of high public interest will be published under its cover. The Occasional Paper Series will also
include draft research papers and reports, which may be subsequently published by the CPD.
The present paper titled Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO: Implications for
Bangladesh and Other Least Developed and Developing Countries, has been prepared under
the CPD programme on Trade Policy Analysis and Multilateral Trading System. This
programme aims at strengthening institutional capacity in Bangladesh in the area of trade policy
analysis, negotiations and implementation. The programme, inter alia, seeks to project the civil
society’s perspectives on the emerging issues emanating from the process of globalization and
liberalization. The outputs of the programme will be available to all stakeholder groups including
the government and policymakers, entrepreneurs and business leaders, and trade and
development partners.
This paper has been prepared jointly by Mr Wenguo Cai, Programme Director (Asia-Pacific) and
Ms Sarah Geddes, Project/Research Officer, Centre for Trade Policy and Law, Carleton
University, Ottawa, Canada.
Assistant Editor: Anisatul Fatema Yousuf, Head (Dialogue & Communication), CPD
Series Editor: Debapriya Bhattacharya, Executive Director, CPD
Table of Contents
1. Introduction 1
2. Defining Trade Facilitation 3
3. Trade Facilitation in International Organizations 4
3.1 World Customs Organization 5
3.2 The United Nations 6
3.3 Regional and Bilateral Initiatives 7
4. Trade Facilitation in the WTO 8
4.1 From Singapore to Doha to Cancun 8
4.2 State of Play in DDA Negotiations on Trade Facilitation 11
4.2.1 GATT Article V (Freedom of Transit) 11
4.2.2 GATT Article VIII (Fees and Formalities Connected with Importation and
Exportation) 13
4.2.3 GATT Article X (Publication and Administration of Trade Regulations) 15
4.2.4 Identification of Needs and Priorities for Technical Assistance to LDCs and
Developing Countries in the Area of Trade Facilitation 16
5. Trade Facilitation Implementation Issues 18
6. Trade Facilitation Initiatives in Bangladesh 20
7. Implications for Bangladesh and Other Least Developed and Developing
Countries 23
Annex
Other WTO Provisions and Agreements Relevant to Trade Facilitation 29
Selected Bibliography 31
CPD Occasional Paper Series 30
Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO: Implications for

Bangladesh and Other Least Developed and Developing Countries
1. Introduction
The trade facilitation issue has become of significant importance since it was identified
as one of the “new issues” in the first Ministerial Conference of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) in Singapore in December 1996. The Council for Trade in Goods
(CTG) of the WTO was mandated to “undertake exploratory and analytical work…on the
simplification of trade procedures in order to assess the scope for WTO rules in this
area.” 1 In the following five years that led up to the fourth WTO Ministerial Conference
in Doha, Qatar, in November 2001, a great deal of such exploratory and analytical work
was undertaken by the WTO and other international organizations, as well as by national
governments and non-governmental organization (NGOs).
Prior to the Doha Ministerial Conference, much debate on trade facilitation took place.
Most WTO Members acknowledged that overall benefits in trade facilitation could be
achieved by removing inefficiencies in areas such as customs and transport. However,
disagreement remained over how this should be handled under the framework of the
WTO. Many developed countries favoured the creation of a new trade facilitation
agreement with binding commitments under the WTO. On the other hand, many
developing countries remained hesitant to include the issue in the WTO negotiations that
would later subject them to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. This was a
particular point of concern in light of the fact that most developing countries lack the
technical and financial capacity to implement comprehensive reforms in customs
administration and other trade facilitation areas. After much debate at the 2001 Doha
Ministerial Conference, WTO members were able to strike a compromise reflected in the
Doha Ministerial Declaration, including the following mandate for trade facilitation:
“Recognizing the case for further expediting the movement, release and clearance of
goods, including goods in transit, and the need for enhanced technical assistance and
capacity building in this area, we agree that negotiations will take place after the Fifth
Session of the Ministerial Conference on the basis of a decision to be taken, by explicit
consensus, at that Session on modalities of negotiations. In the period until the Fifth
Session, the Council for Trade in Goods shall review and as appropriate, clarify and
improve relevant aspects of Articles V, VIII and X of the GATT 1994 and identify the
trade facilitation needs and priorities of members, in particular developing and least-
developed countries. We commit ourselves to ensuring adequate technical assistance and
support for capacity building in this area.” 2
1
Singapore Ministerial Declaration, paragraphs 21-22, December 1996.
2
Doha Ministerial Declaration paragraph 27, November 2001.
Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 1

As a result, trade facilitation negotiations could be launched if WTO members reach an

agreement on the negotiating modalities at the fifth WTO Ministerial Conference to be
held in Cancun in September 2003. This means WTO members must agree on the scope
of the negotiations on trade facilitation and how the negotiations should be conducted
over the coming years.
The possible launch of trade facilitation negotiations in the WTO after the Cancun
Ministerial will have profound implications for developing and least-developed countries
(LDCs) in the WTO. For most LDCs and developing countries, implementation of trade
facilitation obligations negotiated in the WTO may involve broad and detailed domestic
customs and trade administration reforms. As a result, developing countries, and the
LDCs in particular, will require substantial technical and financial assistance from
developed countries and international organizations in order to fulfil their obligations. In
addition, there is increased concern among developing countries and LDCs that dispute
settlement procedures could be used against them simply because they lack the technical
and financial capacity to implement their obligations on trade facilitation.
Bangladesh is an important LDC member in the WTO. However, in the course of

multilateral trade negotiations leading to Doha and beyond, apart from voicing concerns
through coalition groups of least developed and developing countries, Bangladesh has
not taken a strong position on trade facilitation or on the other Singapore issues. As the
Cancun Ministerial approaches quickly, it is important to examine the implications that a
trade facilitation agreement will have for Bangladesh and other LDCs. LDCs and
developing countries need to identify their needs and objectives and formulate adequate
negotiating strategies that will advance the trade and investment interests of their
countries, while at the same time, reinforcing their commitments to increased trade and
investment liberalization within the multilateral trading system.
This paper provides an overview of how trade facilitation has been addressed in the
WTO to date, and how this may affect Bangladesh’s negotiating strategy on trade
facilitation in the upcoming Cancun Ministerial and beyond. Following the Introduction,
the second section of this paper defines the term “trade facilitation” as it is used in the
context of this paper. The third section reviews the development of trade facilitation in
the international community apart from the WTO. The fourth section examines the work
that has taken place on the issue in the WTO including the current state of play in trade

facilitation discussions. It provides an overview of WTO provisions that are relevant to

the trade facilitation issue as a part of the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and
summarizes the proposals various WTO members have made for enhancing trade
facilitation in the WTO. The fifth section addresses some of the implementation issues
WTO members face with respect to trade facilitation. The sixth section highlights some
of the trade facilitation initiatives that have been taken place in Bangladesh in the last
several years. The final section examines the implications that trade facilitation
negotiations will have for Bangladesh and other least developed and developing
countries and how these will shape the negotiating strategies and policies of these
countries.
2. Defining Trade Facilitation
Following the significant reduction in overall tariffs achieved through the application of
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the implementation of the
Uruguay Round commitments, attention has increasingly focused on cutting red tape at
the border that is seen as a barrier to international trade. In particular, the private sector is
pressuring governments to implement trade facilitation programs that include the
simplification of documentation requirements and customs procedures for trade in goods.
Although trade facilitation is considered as one of the “new issues” identified by the
WTO at the Singapore Ministerial Conference in 1996, other international organizations
had been working on this issue for a number of years. Originally, trade facilitation was
understood to be the harmonization and standardization of different regimes, and the
mutual recognition of different customs administrations. It aimed to identify and simplify
or remove the main administrative, logistical or procedural obstacles to the movement of
goods and services across borders. 3 Both the WTO and the World Customs Organization
(WCO) have worked to establish common sets of international standards and good
customs practices for their member countries. However, the challenge remains to
implement the customs procedures and other administrative measures based on these
international standards.
In recent years, the idea of trade facilitation has expanded to include the modernization
and automation of import procedures in order to make the adoption of international
standards easier. It is generally understood that trade facilitation involves the reduction
3
WTO, WT/COMTD/W/57 “Development Aspects of Trade Facilitation: Note by the Secretariat.”

of the transaction costs for all parties of the enforcement, regulation and administration
of trade policies. Trade facilitation has been described as the “plumbing of international
trade” which focuses on the efficient implementation of trade rules and regulations. By
nature, trade facilitation is very technical and detailed.4 For example, UNCTAD has
estimated the average customs transaction involves 20-30 different parties, 40
documents, 200 data elements and the repeated entry of the same data in the reporting
process. 5
As a result of this complexity, there are many different definitions of what constitutes
trade facilitation. For example, the definition of trade facilitation outlined by APEC and
the World Bank is quite broad and includes e-commerce and business mobility as
important issues that need to be addressed in order to speed up international trade
transactions. 6 Work in other forums often gives the term of trade facilitation a broader
definition than that of the WTO, sometimes including the Technical Barriers to Trade
(TBT) issue, competition policy, government procurement, and transparency in general.
This paper will use the definition given by the WTO, which defines trade facilitation as
“the simplification and harmonization of international trade procedures, with trade
procedures being the activities, practices and formalities involved in collecting,
presenting, communicating and processing data required for the movement of goods in
international trade.” 7 This includes activities such as import and export procedures,
transport formalities, payments, insurance and other financial requirements. The Doha
Declaration also refers to “expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods,
including goods in transit.” 8 It is expected that the possible negotiations on trade
facilitation after Cancun will follow the lines of this definition.
3. Trade Facilitation in International Organizations
Work on trade facilitation has taken place outside of the WTO for a number of years and
continues to take place in various arenas. A number of WTO members have pointed the
importance of acknowledging the work that is taking place in this field and incorporating
results into any future WTO trade facilitation agreement so as not to unnecessarily
duplicate these efforts. The World Customs Organization (WCO), and the United
4
Staples, Brian Rankin, “Trade Facilitation: Improving the Invisible Infrastructure.”
5
See www.wto.org/e…99_e/english/about_e/15facil_e.htm.
6
World Bank, “Facilitating Trade in the Asia-Pacific,” p. 74.
7
WTO Website, http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tradfa_e/tradfa_e.htm.
8
Doha Ministerial Declaration, paragraph 27.

Nations are some of the forums where trade facilitation studies and projects have been
and continue to be pursued. Regional trade initiatives have also begun to include trade
facilitation on their agendas. Some of the work in these forums is outlined below.
3.1 World Customs Organization
Historically, the WCO is the international organization that has assumed the most
important role in the area of trade facilitation. The WCO works to enhance the
effectiveness and efficiency of customs administrations through the oversight of
international instruments for harmonization and simplification of customs systems,
reinforcing efforts to maintain compliance with trade policies and the promotion of
communication and cooperation among Members’ customs administrations and related
international organizations. 9 Among the various conventions that the WCO oversees is
the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs
Procedures (Kyoto Convention), which outlines standards for implementation considered
necessary for harmonization and simplification, as well as recommended practices that
are viewed as important measures for the improvement of customs administration. The
Kyoto Convention was revised in 1999 to reflect the changes that have occurred in
customs administration and international trade due to the introduction of modern
technologies. The WCO also oversees the Customs Convention on Temporary
Admission (Istanbul Convention) dealing with the temporary admission of goods or trade
samples for exhibition or demonstration purposes. The International Convention on the
Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System is also administered by the
WCO and contributes to trade facilitation by providing a common basis for commodity
classification and goods valuation for duty purposes. Almost all members of the WTO
base their schedules of goods on the Harmonized System (HS). The WCO Arusha
Declaration Concerning Integrity in Customs (1993) promotes standardized customs
procedures and automation as a method of decreasing malpractice and corruption.
The WCO is involved in a global customs reform and modernization program (CRM),
providing technical assistance through training and assisting domestic customs
authorities to implement changes that have been established as necessary by a customs
needs analysis. In addition, the WCO administers a great number of programs,
guidelines, resolutions, norms, recommendations, and conventions. However,
9
See the WCO website at http://wcoomd.org.

participation by WCO members in the CRM is largely on a voluntary basis, and, unlike
the WTO, the WCO lacks a formal process for dispute settlement.
3.2 The United Nations
Among the many United Nations organizations involved in trade facilitation programs,
the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has played an
important role in developing the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) - an
electronic filing system designed for use by traders and customs. The system facilitates
processing of customs declarations and accounting procedures, and serves as a database
for statistical economic analysis. ASYCUDA is used in more than 70 developing
countries. UNCTAD has also done work in the transport sector, including initiatives for
port development; development of the Advance Cargo Information System (ACIS), an
electronic transport management tool; and promoting the formation of committees to
promote dialogue among all stakeholders in the transport sector in order to create
efficient policies for the enhancement of trade facilitation. UNCTAD works in
cooperation with other international organizations to provide training and support for the
implementation of the system.
In 1994, the Columbus Declaration was adopted at the UN-hosted International

Symposium on Trade Efficiency. The declaration is a set of detailed recommendations
that have become important guidelines in the development of trade facilitation. The
symposium also resulted in the establishment of UNCTAD’s Trade Point Global
Network. The objective of the program is to establish 180 trade points in 109 countries
that will be electronically linked to national centres for trade facilitation providing trade-
related information and data. One outcome of the program was the establishment in 2000
of the World Trade Point Federation - an international non-governmental organization
that assists small and medium enterprises by providing information on international trade
and the use of electronic commerce technologies. 10
Within the United Nations system, the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) has
worked on trade facilitation issues since 1960. In 1997, the UN Centre for Facilitation of
Procedures and Practices for Administration, Commerce, and Transportation (CEFACT-
UN/ECE) was established to work towards harmonization and automation of customs
procedures and information requirements. One of the main focuses of its work is
10
See World Trade Point Federation website at http://www.wtpfed.org.

electronic data interchange (EDI), which has had an important impact on reducing
customs paperwork and exchanging trade-related information between parties to
international trade transactions. CEFACT has also produced a number of
recommendations on trade facilitation, some of which have been adopted by the
International Standards Organization (ISO). 11
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) of the United
Nations has also played a role in the area of trade facilitation by simplifying import and
export documentations and procedural requirements in the region. ESCAP projects have
included the alignment of trade documents for Cambodia, Myanmar and Vietnam, as
well as India, Nepal and Pakistan.12
3.3 Regional and Bilateral Initiatives
A number of regional and bilateral initiatives have also been launched in the area of trade
facilitation. These include:
Members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have made commitments to

standardizing customs requirements in the region. They have agreed to align national
norms with international standards and to allow for mutual recognition of each other’s
national standards. The APEC has also emphasized the importance of using technology
to facilitate the movement of frequent travelers.
The European Union (EU) has concluded agreements covering the simplification and
computerization of customs administrations, free flow of trade, and a common approach
to customs valuation among its members.
Two initiatives have been established among the parties to the North America Free Trade
Agreement (NAFTA). The Canada-US Shared Border Accord aims to create a common
set of objectives for a cooperative approach to trade facilitation and trade compliance.
The Heads of Customs Conference is a forum for regular trilateral meetings between
Canada, Mexico and the United States to review customs issues and examine ways to
facilitate the cross-border movement of goods.
In April 2001, Canada and Costa Rico signed a Free Trade Agreement that includes a
chapter on trade facilitation. The aim of the chapter is to make trade procedures more
11
UN Economic and Social commission for Asia and the Pacific. Trade Facilitation Handbook for the
Greater Mekong Sub-region. See www.unescap.or/itid/publication/t&ipub2224.htm, p. 11.
12
ESCAP, Trade Facilitation Handbook for the Greater Mekong Sub-region, p. 12.

efficient and to reduce the number of formalities and costs to Canadian and Costa Rican
businesses. The two countries have consented to base procedures on international
standards and incorporate mechanisms such as consultations, cooperation, technical
assistance, the exchange of information, and recommendations for best practices.
Trade facilitation has also been an important topic of the Free Trade Area of the
Americas (FTAA) negotiations. A number of recommendations incorporating trade
facilitation objectives have also been developed under the FTAA negotiations.
4. Trade Facilitation in the WTO
4.1 From Singapore to Doha to Cancun
Along with investment, competition policy, and transparency in government

procurement, trade facilitation was formally introduced to the WTO agenda as one of the
four new issues that emerged from the 1996 Singapore Ministerial Conference. These
issues have since come to be termed the “Singapore issues.” To date, WTO work in the
area has focused primarily on customs and border-crossing procedures which can
contribute to trade facilitation through the reduction or elimination of excessive
requirements and procedures; the design and implementation of targeted, efficient
procedures, taking into account the business process and the need for risk analysis; the
standardisation of rules and procedures across administrations within a country; the
promotion of the use of information technology through the use of electronic filing of
documents and making information about customs rules and procedures accessible over
the Internet.
One of the most basic methods of identifying areas where trade facilitation is needed is
to analyze complaints made by the business community. In 1998, the CTG organized a
trade symposium inviting both business and policy representatives to identify and discuss
obstacles encountered when moving goods across borders. Concerns voiced by the
business community included excessive documentation requirements; lack of automation
and insignificant use of information-technology; lack of transparency (unclear and
unspecified import and export requirements); lack of modernization of and cooperation
among customs and other government agencies, resulting in barriers to trade. 13
13
APEC, p. 77.

The CTG also scheduled meetings throughout 1998-1999 to address the following issues:
• Import and export procedures and requirements, including customs and border-
crossing problems;
• Overview of the World Customs Organization International Convention on the

Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures (Kyoto Convention);
• Physical requirements which affect the cross-border movement of goods in

international trade;
• Electronic facilities and their importance for facilitating international trade;
• Technical cooperation and development issues relating to simplification of trade

procedures;
• Consideration of WTO Agreements relating to, or including provisions on trade

facilitation;
• Evaluation of the exploratory and analytical work to assess the scope for WTO rules
in the area of trade facilitation. 14
Analytical work on trade facilitation continued in the WTO through 2000. In 2001, WTO
Members submitted national papers on their experiences on trade facilitation measures ,
and a Workshop on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building in Trade Facilitation
was organized by the WTO. The workshop provided an overview of the types of trade
facilitation initiatives being provided through various technical assistance programs.
Conclusions from the workshop identified that successful trade facilitation measures
require the political will to implement trade facilitation reforms, coordination and
cooperation among donors and providers of technical assistance, and transparency in the
process of reforms, stakeholder consultation and benchmarks for measuring process. It
was also acknowledged that programs must be designed to provide for long-term
sustainability.
After four years of exploratory work, some WTO members proposed that it was time that
trade facilitation be added as a new issue for a new round of multilateral trade
negotiations. Advocates of a trade facilitation agreement under the WTO are known as
the Friends of Trade Facilitation, or the “Colorado Group.” This includes Australia,
14
WTO G/L/333, p. 2

Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, the EU, Hong Kong/China, Hungary, Japan,
Korea, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Singapore, Switzerland and the
United States. They proposed a two-track approach to the negotiations. As a part of the
first track, members would make commitments on border and border-related procedures,
building on existing WTO provisions, specifically GATT Articles V, VIII and X.
Negotiations would also work towards strengthening WTO principles of transparency,
due process, simplification and non-discrimination. The second track would focus on
developing and implementing a comprehensive technical assistance program parallel to
the negotiations entailing cooperation and coordination among donors and recipients as
well as a method for needs assessments.
As mentioned in the introduction, this proposal did not receive the support of all WTO
members. Many LDCs and developing countries maintained that the issue was not ripe
for binding commitments. These WTO members expressed a desire to undertake work on
trade facilitation at national, bilateral and regional levels instead of multilaterally.
Informal consultations showed that although WTO Members generally agreed that trade
facilitation could be beneficial, large disagreement remained over how the issue should
be pursued.
Since the Doha Ministerial Conference, the CTG has held a number of formal meetings
to address the core issues of the Doha Declaration mandate including GATT Articles V,
VIII, and X, trade facilitation needs and priorities of Members, and technical assistance
and capacity building of LDCs and developing countries. WTO members have submitted
a number of proposals concerning the clarification of the relevant GATT articles and the
scope of the negotiations. The relevant GATT articles in the Doha Ministerial
Declaration are examined in Section 4.2, and an overview of WTO member proposals
and positions on trade facilitation is provided in Section 4.3 of this paper.
At a meeting of the CTG in December 2002, the WTO Secretariat introduced a paper
compiling member’s proposals on how to improve and clarify GATT Articles V, VIII
and X. 15 The Secretariat pointed out that many of the proposals submitted contained
overlapping content and common elements. The Secretariat’s paper was received by the
European Union and other developed countries as a good photograph of WTO work on
15
WTO, G/C/M/67 “Minutes of the Meeting of the Council for Trade in Goods, 6 December 2002.”
WTO, G/C/W/434 “Review, Clarification and Improvement of GATT Articles V, VIII and X Proposals
Made by Delegations: Compilation by the Secretariat.”

trade facilitation to date, and a base on which to build further work. On the other hand,
developing country representatives, specifically Brazil, India, Malaysia, and Cuba,
emphasized that the proposals that have been submitted to date fail to reflect the
diversity of opinions that remain among WTO members. Therefore, the common
elements present in the proposals should not be understood as indicating any kind of
consensus on the issue.
4.2 State of Play in DDA Negotiations on Trade Facilitation
Although trade facilitation is considered to be one of the “new issues” on the negotiating
agenda, the existing legal framework of the WTO contains a number of articles and
provisions in the WTO Agreements that are directly related to facilitating the movement
of goods across borders. These provisions are included in the GATT 1994 and other
WTO Agreements, and are aimed at increasing transparency and setting minimum
procedural standards in aspects of trade administration. The Doha Declaration mandates
the CTG to review, clarify and improve GATT Articles V, VIII and X, identify the needs
and priorities of members and commits members to technical assistance and support for
capacity building. Elements of these provisions and WTO member proposals for their
clarification are examined below. 16 Other WTO provisions and Agreements that are
relevant to trade facilitation can be found in Annex to this paper.
4.2.1 GATT Article V (Freedom of Transit)
GATT Article V provides that traffic in transit will have freedom to move through the
territory of a Member to its destination country and will receive Most Favoured Nation
(MFN) treatment with respect to all charges, regulations and formalities. 17 Traffic in
transit must be exempt from customs and transit duties and any unnecessary delays or
restrictions other than for failure to comply with customs regulations. Traffic in transit is
to be exempt from customs duties and other charges. There are only two kinds of charges
that may be imposed on traffic in transit. These are limited to charges for transportation
and for administrative expenses caused by transit or services rendered. Members must
also treat traffic in transit no less favourably than it would have been treated had it been
transported from its original destination without passing through the territory of a third
party.
16
Most of the proposals submitted to date come developed countries that are advocates of a trade
facilitation agreement. The most comprehensive proposals have been submitted by the European Union.
17
WTO “Article V of the GATT 1994 – Scope and Application,” G/C/W/408.

Article V has never been tested under the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, although
violations of the provisions have been asserted. In 1989-1990, Austria proposed to limit
traffic of certain heavy trucks (from any nation) on some roads during night hours. This
resulted in the German government invoking a ban on Austrian vans operating on any
German roads during night hours. Austria claimed that this constituted a violation of
Article V because of the exclusive application of the regulation to vehicles of Austrian
origin. The two countries finally settled the case by mutual agreement.
In 1996, the EU alleged that the United States Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 violated
Article V by prohibiting, among other things, vessels carrying goods or passengers to or
from Cuba from entering any US port. Although a panel was established to hear the case,
its work was suspended at the EU’s request.
A request to establish a panel was made in 2000 concerning EU assertions that a Chilean
prohibition on unloading swordfish in Chilean ports violated Article V by making it
impossible for EU vessels to transit its swordfish catches through Chilean ports, resulting
in damages to the EU industry. The process was suspended after the two parties made a
provisional arrangement.
In 2002, Slovenia asserted that a Croatian ban on road transit of oil and oil products
through its territory was in violation of GATT Article V. Finally, Slovenia and Croatia
agreed to hold consultations to solve their dispute.
In a proposal submitted to the CTG, the EU calls for discussion and clarification on the
issue of ensuring non-discrimination between modes of transport, with particular
reference to whether or not non-traditional modes of transportation, such as the carriage
of gas and oil via pipelines, are covered by the Article. 18 It also identifies a potential
conflict between ensuring non-discrimination between individual carriers in relation to
transit procedures and GATS restrictions on cross-border supply of services or
commercial presence. Relating to non-discrimination between types of consignments, the
EU proposes that countries publish lists of sensitive goods that are subject to special
provisions in order to ensure consistency of treatment for both the goods and the
transport providers. In order to simplify documentary and data requirements and
procedures undertaken for transit purposes, the EU proposes the development of a
common set of transit data based on international standards. A list of legitimate services
18
In light of the considerable natural gas reserves that are believed to be in Bangladesh, inclusion of gas
and oil pipelines under this Article would have an important impact on how the industry is developed.

for which fees may be charged could be developed under the WTO. The EU also
encourages the promotion of regional transit agreements such as the Customs
Convention on the International Transport of Goods (TIR Convention), the European
Convention on Common Transit, and the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the
Facilitation of Goods in Transit.
In its submission relating to Article V, Korea proposes that negotiations focus on

developing a common understanding of how the principles in Article V should be
applied, particularly with respect to the prohibition of unnecessary restrictions and
charges. It suggests that implementation of Article V be improved through
institutionalized cooperation among members’ customs authorities and harmonization of
policies, simplification of customs procedures, standardization of documentation and
increased transparency through notification of fees and charges for transit traffic. Korea
also suggests that a distinction be made between goods in transit that undergo
transhipment (changing from one mode of transportation to another) and goods without
transhipment. The reason given for the need for this differentiation is that transit traffic
that does not involve transhipment poses a lower risk of illegal release of goods and
would therefore require less sophisticated risk management procedures when compared
with transhipped goods.
Canada’s submission on Article V also recommends adoption of the use of international

instruments relating to Customs transit, including the TIR Convention and the Istanbul
Convention. Canada further points out that although the Article provides for most-
favoured-nation treatment for traffic in transit, there is no explicit mention of the
application of national treatment, which should be added to the Article.
4.2.2 GATT Article VIII (Fees and Formalities Connected with Importation and
Exportation)
GATT Article VIII calls for minimizing the number and complexity of fees and
formalities connected with imports and exports. 19 Typical charges to which it applies
include licence fees, document fees, stamp fees and inspection fees. While there are no
legal requirements for the reduction of fees and charges, WTO Members “recognize the
need” for reduction and simplification. The Article states that fees and charges should be
kept proportional to the government services used in the process. It encourages
19
WTO, “Article VIII of the GATT 1994 – Scope and Application,” G/C/W/391.

decreasing and simplifying documentation requirements. The Agreement on Import

Licensing Procedures deals with these issues in more detail.
Article VIII has been addressed in both GATT and WTO dispute panels. For example, in
US – Customs User Fee, 1988, Canada and the European Economic Community asserted
that the US application of a merchandise processing fee violated GATT Article VIII. 20
The fee was an ad valorem charge imposed for the processing of commercial
merchandise entering the US. Canada and the EU argued that the fee was
disproportionate to the cost of the services rendered and constituted taxation for fiscal
purposes resulting in indirect protection for domestic products. The panel concluded that
the cost of services must be determined based on the processing of individual entries, and
therefore, the ad valorem method of calculating the fee was inconsistent with Article
VIII because it collected fees in excess of the cost of services rendered, impairing
benefits to Canada and the EU. In another case, Argentina – Textiles and Apparel,
Argentina argued that a “Memorandum of Understanding” it had with the IMF permitted
the imposition of a statistical tax. However, the panel in the case concluded that
Argentina did not prove there was an irreconcilable conflict between the “Memorandum
of Understanding” and the provisions of Article VIII that prohibit the collection of a tax
for fiscal purposes.
Six delegations have submitted proposals on the clarification of Article VIII: Canada,
Colombia, European Communities, Hong Kong - China, Japan, and Korea. The EU
considers the provisions in GATT Article VIII to be too weak and proposes that WTO
members make firm commitments on fees and formalities connected with importation
and exportation. It identifies the scope of the Article as extending beyond customs to
other government agencies. It proposes that a rule of least trade restrictiveness be
applied to import and export procedures to ensure that they do not act as barriers to trade.
In addition the EU proposes the adoption of international standards, agreement on the
definition of permissible fees, and notification to the WTO of new fees and charges. The
EU, along with other delegations, has proposed the adoption of simplified, standardized
customs procedures through the adoption of the WCO Kyoto Convention and the
Istanbul Convention.
20
Panel Report US – Customs User Fee, BISD 35S/245.

Canada’s proposal for the clarification and improvement of GATT Article VIII
recognizes the differences in the level of technological capacity among WTO Members
and recommends that simplification of procedures should be applicable and usable in
both non-automated or technology based environments. The proposal includes the
adoption of existing international standards and the development of common data sets
for use in clearance procedures. As a component of border agency coordination, Canada
also proposes the concept of a “single window”, where exporters and importers are
required to report to only one border agency.
4.2.3 GATT Article X (Publication and Administration of Trade Regulations)
GATT Article X requires WTO Members to promptly publish all laws, regulations,
judicial decisions and administrative rulings affecting imports and exports, and all
bilateral agreements affecting international trade policy, so that traders may become
acquainted with them. These laws, regulations, and rulings should be administered in a
consistent, impartial and reasonable manner. If a new law imposes a more burdensome
requirement, it must be published before it is enforced. These obligations are repeated in
both the Agreement on Customs Valuation and the Import Licensing Agreement.
In the Appellate Body ruling of EEC – Poultry, the scope of the article was defined as
relating to the publication and administration of laws, regulations, judicial decisions and
administrative rulings rather than the actual content of the measures. In EEC – Dessert
Apples, the panel concluded that the article specifies no time limit or delay between
publication and entry into force, although it would prohibit the use of backdated quotas.
The EU has argued that despite the provisions of GATT Article X, lack of transparency
and predictability is creating delays and additional costs for the business community. The
EU, Canada, Japan and Korea have submitted proposals for clarification of Article X.
They include specifications regarding the regulations covered and the availability of the
information; recommendations for officially designated, accessible electronic publication
of regulation; establishment of centralized inquiry points (via websites where possible)
for publication of all information and provision of information services; and notification
to the WTO of the media through which measures are published. The proposals also
recommend establishment of an advance ruling system on importations with rulings that
are binding on importing authorities. Another recommendation is the creation of a
consultative/feedback mechanism provided for stakeholders to comment on proposed

rules and procedures before their implementation. All four proposals also recommended
a non-discriminatory, legal right of appeal against customs and other agency rulings and
decisions.
4.2.4 Identification of Needs and Priorities for Technical Assistance to LDCs and
Developing Countries in the Area of Trade Facilitation
Since trade facilitation was introduced as one of the Singapore issues, a number of
submissions documenting experiences of individual countries have been made to the
WTO. However, rather than identifying needs and priorities, these papers often detail
trade facilitation initiatives which are already taking place. At the December 2002
meeting of the CTG, the Canadian representative noted that identification of the needs
and priorities, especially those of LDCs and developing countries, was an important part
of the Doha mandate, but more work needs to be done to understand the various
concerns of these countries.
Proposals by the EU also call for better integration of developing countries (LDCs, in
particular) into the world trading system in the area of trade facilitation. With regard to
the capacity of LDCs to meet their obligations, although one method for achieving this
would be a blanket exemption from obligations until LDCs reach a level where they are
ready to implement new trade facilitation measures, the EU is of the view that this would
create a “two-tier” system. Instead, the EU proposes giving special and differential
treatment to LDCs and developing countries to allow for transitional periods for
implementing commitments and distinguishing from commitments that are resource
intensive and those that are more easily achieved. Measures would be taken by
developed countries to ensure that their customs procedures facilitate trade of developing
countries. In addition to any agreement on trade facilitation, there would be a parallel
capacity building program for LDCs and developing countries. Ideally, the program
would involve the cooperation of the WTO and other international organizations such as
the World Bank, UNCTAD and the WCO, that are participating in trade facilitation
capacity building projects.
Korea also acknowledges the need for technical assistance and capacity building for
developing countries, suggesting that longer implementation periods be allowed as a
form of special and differential treatment. Finally, Korea asserts that the trade facilitation
needs and capabilities of developing countries must be understood, and recommends that

developing countries take steps to determine in which areas they most need technical
assistance.
The United States has proposed a concurrent and integrated approach to technical
assistance that is integrated into the development and implementation of an agreement on
trade facilitation. This approach would establish transition periods for specific
obligations based on individual Members’ situations rather than a blanket transition
period for the implementation of an agreement as a whole. It would include more
comprehensive and detailed technical assistance using diagnostic and benchmark
programs to track the progress of implementation. With respect to enforcement, the
United States has also suggested exploring the possibility of establishing a consultation
or mediation process to be used when individual capacity has been determined as the
reason for non-compliance.
While most developing countries recognize that trade facilitation is beneficial in the long
run, many have expressed the view that it is an issue of domestic capacity building and
therefore it should not be included under multilateral trade rules. Developing countries
are concerned that they lack adequate resources and technical capacity to implement
trade facilitation commitments. It is felt that this would increase their risk of facing
dispute settlement procedures under the WTO if binding rules on trade facilitation are
negotiated and implemented. Therefore, developing countries remain cautious of
entering comprehensive trade facilitation negotiations in the WTO. Due to experiences
with past WTO agreements, such as the TRIPs Agreement, developing countries are
calling for technical assistance programs to be designed before negotiations are
concluded, rather than being considered subsequent to the agreement. Rather than new
requirements under the WTO, this group of countries encourages further research and
analysis of the issue and cooperation with other international organizations such as the
WCO. With the exception of Brazil, developing countries refrained from submitting
proposals for trade facilitation negotiations.
Least developed countries have not formally submitted any proposals on trade
facilitation in the WTO. However, in August 2001, LDCs, as a group, collectively
submitted the Zanzibar Declaration to the WTO. The Declaration was the result of the
meeting of the LDC Ministers Responsible for trade. At that time, the LDC position on
trade facilitation was summarized in the following paragraph:

LDCs concur with the general assessment that trade facilitation measures are necessary
and beneficial and they share the view that this area does not require new rule making.
Existing rules and regulations both within and outside WTO are sufficient but may
require improvement and a high degree of implementation. In the context of the LDCs,
improved facilitation would require increased financial and technical assistance to
narrow the technology and human resources gap that exists between them and developed
trade partners. Hence the study process in the Working group should continue. 21
5. Trade Facilitation Implementation Issues

Implementation of trade facilitation measures in a country is usually associated with the
use of new technologies and building capacity in order to provide an enabling
environment and adequate infrastructure for reforms to take hold. Information
technology can provide a cost effective means of overcoming obstacles at the border by
speeding up procedures, enhancing accuracy and getting rid of redundant and repetitive
manual reporting tasks. However, benefits from automation can only be achieved if
effective administrative and commercial practices are in place prior to computerization.
Many trade facilitation programs emphasize automation of customs administrations. An

efficient customs administration is of particular importance to a country’s trade policy
because it covers important areas such as clearance of imported or exported goods;
revenue collection; prevention of smuggling of arms, drugs and aliens; and the provision
of statistical data and information for analysis, and policy evaluation and planning, etc.
Technical assistance programs like those provided through UNCTAD and the WCO
assist administrations to utilize information technology in making better use of resources,
strengthening management skills and designing and implementing effective policies.
Technology is also a useful tool for transport management, facilitating the tracking of
transport equipment and cargo in ports, railways, lakes and roads. Automation of
transport management systems provides more reliable information, creating a database of
up-to-date information on the status and location of consignments for parties involved in
trade transactions, as well as providing governments with analytical data.
Automation of customs administrations can allow for increased security information

sharing both domestically and internationally. Since the terrorist attacks of September
11, 2001, security has become an issue of prime concern and importance. Leaders of the
APEC economies have declared that trade facilitation must promote the movement of
21
WTO, WT/L/409.

goods and services while at the same time maintaining adequate security measures. Some
multilateral forums are considering the adoption of measures such as the Container
Security Initiative and the Customs-Trade Partnership (C-TPAT), which have been
supported by the United States. 22 These initiatives could have important consequences,
especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. For example, selection of “safe ports”
by the U.S. Customs Service could result in changes to the routes of major trade flows;
the screening of containers will require appropriate equipment which ports in developing
countries may be lacking; and the C-TPAT requires trading partners to work with service
providers throughout the supply chain as a means to enhance security processes and
procedures. The results may require changes to policies, regulations and procedures.
The WCO has also developed an action plan to assist customs agencies to improve
national security while continuing to facilitate legitimate trade. 23 The initiatives in the
Action Plan include risk management, advanced transmission of passenger and goods
data, co-operation with the private sector and exchange of information. Risk
management techniques will assist with the identification of high-risk consignments for
thorough inspection. To this end, the WCO is developing guidelines that will be
compiled in a risk management handbook.
Assessing the costs and benefits of trade facilitation usually involves examination of
trade transaction costs. 24 These include compliance costs that arise from supplying
information to customs and filing documents required for the movement of goods or
methods of payment; charges for trade-related services, such as trade insurance, which
may be affected by government policy; procedural delays that result from complications
in customs clearance; lack of predictability due to unclear regulations and procedures;
and lost business opportunities resulting from procedural delays that negatively affect the
production chain in business practices, like just-in-time delivery.
Although enhancing trade facilitation usually involves initial costs such as re-training of
administrators and the implementation of new procedures, there is general agreement
among trade policy analysts that the long-term effects of trade facilitation will be
positive. Implementing more efficient procedures and reducing transaction costs can
22
UNCTAD, “Problems of and Potential for the Application of Current Trade Facilitation Measures,”
TD/B/COM.3/EM.17/2, 2002.
23
Mikuriya, Kunio, “The Challenges of Facilitating the Flow of Commerce in a Heightened Security
Environment,” UNECE International Forum on Trade Facilitation, May 2002, p. 4.
24
Kleitz, Anthony, “Costs and Benefits of Trade Facilitation,” p. 2.

benefit an economy by increasing trade in goods and services, promoting competition

and efficient use of resources, encouraging technology transfer, and increasing the
incentive for foreign direct investment, thereby contributing to overall development.
6. Trade Facilitation Initiatives in Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, initiatives for trade facilitation have taken place in the context of customs
reforms under the broad objective of export diversification. 25 In the past, many customs
procedures lacked transparency and were out dated and subject to corruption. Estimates
of the revenue lost as a result of inefficiency and corruption ranged from as high as one-
third of potential revenue collection. 26 The basic infrastructure for information
technology support of customs operations as well as human and financial resources was
extremely limited. Previous attempts at reform met with political opposition from those
whose interests lay in maintaining the status quo.
In 1999, the Bangladesh Export Diversification Project (BDXDP) was created with the
goal of strengthening the country’s economy by increasing export trade. Funding and
support for the project is provided jointly through the World Bank and the World
Customs Organization. 27 Trade facilitation initiatives in Bangladesh include WCO-
sponsored experts from other customs administrations providing technical assistance
workshops; a team of international and local experts, coupled with NBR staff for
planning, training and the drafting of legislation; and the installation by UNCTAD of the
ASYCUDA++ system for electronic data control.
Under the BDXDP, the Customs Administration Modernization Project (CAM Project) is
funded by the World Bank for the support of export diversification, which includes
customs reforms, trade and tariff policy reforms, and support to companies seeking to
develop export products and expand markets. The main goals are the reform and
simplification of customs procedures; a shift to post-entry audits for warehouse imports;
bringing the private sector into the process of export reform through raising awareness
with programs such as training seminars and publication of research; facilitating
diversification of exports by electronic information for speedy processing, effective risk
25
Information in this section comes from “Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for Trade
Facilitation: The Experiences of Bangladesh” presented by Mobarak Ali Molla, NBR Member and Project
Director of the CAM-1 Project at the WTO Symposium on Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for
Trade Facilitation, May 2001, and Charles Draper “Reforming Customs Administration: the Unlikely Case
of Bangladesh?” www1.worldbank.or/wbiep/trade/othertrade/files/Draper_customs.pdf.
26
Draper, Charles, “Reforming Customs Administration: the Unlikely Case of Bangladesh?” p. 1.
27
Draper, Charles, p. 2.

management and policy decisions. The project is specifically targeted at the ready-made
garment sector in order to increase efficiency and simplify the customs clearance process
for both imports and exports. Under Phase 1 of the CAM Project the NBR made
legislative changes to the Customs Act of 1969 facilitating the use of electronic
processing, post-clearance audit, the issue of binding rulings, management rights to
transfer staff, and limitations on shipment detention. The tariff structure has also been
simplified so that import assessments would be more consistent. Changes to legislation
and details concerning regulations have been published and can be accessed on the
Internet. Private Pre-Shipment Inspection companies have replaced customs inspections
for most imports, and a task force has been formed to address delays at the main port of
entry. The project is a part of the NBR’s long-term plan to modernize the whole revenue
administration in Bangladesh.
In the past, customs inspected every imported shipment, resulting in delays and
harassment of importers. To counter this, the GOB introduced the use of Pre-Shipment
Inspection (PSI) in February 2000. PSI refers to the verification of unit prices and the
examination and reporting of the quantity and quality of exports before they are sent to
the importing country. In terms of trade facilitation, PSI can create more efficient
administrations by controlling over- or under-invoicing of imports, misclassification of
imports, under-collection of taxes on imports, misappropriation of funds, and compliance
with national regulations. The Bangladesh-PSI project was designed by the National
Board of Revenue, in consultation with both importers and staff. Three private PSI
companies were contracted to inspect goods to be imported to Bangladesh and certify the
accuracy of the information related to them. A fourth company is assigned the role of
auditing the activities of the three PSI companies. One of the rules guiding the PSI
project in Bangladesh limits the physical examination of shipments by customs to 5
percent of the total of all shipments, while the rest undergo documentation checks only.
The port of Chittagong now clears 40 percent of bills of entry in two working days or
less. The number of bills of entry cleared in two days or less has increased by close to 25
percent per month. The number of bills of entry taking 7 days or more for clearance has
been reduced from 26 percent to 21 percent. The target of the GOB is to clear all bills of
entry in less than two days with the exception of goods that need to be fully inspected for
customs purposes.

A selectivity system is also being implemented at the port of Chittagong, where

shipments are screened against pre-determined risk criteria and then processed through
the appropriate channel. The categories are “green channel” imports that are released
with minimal documentation checks and no physical inspection, “yellow channel”
imports that undergo a full documentation check, and “red channel” imports that account
for 10 to 12 percent of the total and receive full documentation and physical inspection.
A post-audit system is also being developed to verify the accuracy of green channel and
yellow channel clearances. The government plans to extend the system to include both
imports and exports and to implement the system at other customs offices.
The Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA ++) is an electronic data system
that allows random selection of consignments and staff for inspection purposes in order
to cut down on the opportunity for bribes. The system is being installed by a national
team of eight members from customs administration, in coordination with an
international consultant (Clapp and Mayne) representing UNCTAD. The original version
of ASYCUDA was introduced to Dhaka and Chittagong between 1992-1996. The
ASYCUDA++ project was designed to introduce the updated system at 5 customs ports:
ICD, Dhaka, Chittagong, Benapole and Mongla. The system covers most foreign trade
procedures, including manifests and customs declarations, accounting procedures, risk
management, and warehousing procedures. It serves as a database of detailed
information about foreign trade transactions, which is helpful in economic analysis and
planning. It is important that the system is being implemented in coordination with the
wider project of customs reform. An UNCTAD study has observed that ASYCUDA
“cannot be successfully implemented without first undertaking a major reform of
customs procedures.” 28 In other words, computerization alone cannot result in more
efficient customs administration.
The implementation of these initiatives in Bangladesh has not been without challenges.
One of the initial challenges was to ensure that there was adequate political will to
implement the changes. Administrative reforms can be subject to resistance from those
who profit from a corrupt and inefficient regime. However, in the case of Bangladesh,
the government perceived that the need to raise more revenue could be met through
reforming an inefficient and corrupt customs administration. Pressure for change also
28
Cited in Staples, p. 144.

came from the private sector, especially from exporters who were unable to meet the
costs of doing business in a corrupt system.
The project also entails extensive training and retraining of customs officials that
sometimes means bringing about a change in values as well as physical working
conditions and wages. To a certain extent, these changes have been assisted through the
external support of the World Bank, the WCO and UNCTAD in providing both financial
and technical assistance. It has been observed that this external support has likely had a
positive psychological impact, weakening the strength of critics of the reforms. 29 On the
other hand, more funding will be needed in order to ensure long-term customs reforms in
order to promote trade facilitation in the country.
7. Implications for Bangladesh and Other Least Developed and Developing

Countries
With the ongoing customs reforms in Bangladesh, the possible future negotiations on
trade facilitation in the WTO will have a profound impact on Bangladesh, as well as on
other LDC and developing countries. These countries will benefit greatly from new trade
facilitation initiatives. At the same time, these countries will face enormous challenges to
implement their commitments in the area of trade facilitation. These countries should
closely monitor the Doha negotiations in this area and be prepared to formulate their
negotiating strategies. They should also continue with customs administration reform and
trade facilitation capacity building programs in order to develop their own capacity.
First, these countries should conduct a full assessment of the benefits from trade
facilitation initiatives. Exporters from Bangladesh and other least developed and
developing countries could benefit through gaining easier access to other markets as
other countries implement similar trade facilitation programs. Governments of these
countries can also capture lost revenue by making import administration more efficient
and by implementing best practices in order to increase integrity. Most LDC and
developing countries have realized that customs and transport inefficiency can act as
major barriers to integration into the international trading system. It can also impede
export competitiveness or the ability to attract foreign direct investment. Both
governments and companies with limited resources will gain in the long run from the
implementation of more efficient customs procedures. Trade facilitation can benefit both
29
Draper, p. 2.

importers and consumers by lowering prices as the cost of administration is reduced.

Improvements in trade facilitation could also be extremely beneficial for small and
medium-sized enterprises that find administrative barriers more difficult to overcome
than larger enterprises that regularly ship large quantities of goods.
Measures that facilitate trade for least developed and developing countries may also have
significant developmental potential. For example, simplification of documentary
requirements can increase transparency, reduce delays at border crossings and prevent
opportunities for corruption. The experience of Chile provides an example of successful
reform and modernization of customs administration through the use of information
technology. The use of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) led to more efficient use of
human resources, reductions in customs import declaration processing time from 10.8
hours to 2.2 hours, elimination of errors and an increase in the quality of customs
controls. 30 Efficiency can reduce the ability of traders to avoid fees, increasing collected
revenue and also making the implementation of new regulations easier. Likewise,
streamlining of procedures and the implementation of more effective communication
systems can reduce transaction costs. Thus, trade facilitation acts as a complement to
efforts to reduce tariffs and non-tariff barriers by lowering administrative barriers
A WTO Secretariat note on the “Development Aspects of Trade Facilitation” concludes

that developing countries have much to gain from trade facilitation despite the short-term
costs. Facilitated trade in developed countries could increase exports into those markets
from developing countries. Trade facilitation in developing countries can be beneficial
for both importers and exporters, increasing intra-developing country trade and attracting
foreign direct investment. If trade facilitation rules are negotiated and agreed upon in the
WTO, the bulk of reforms would be needed in developing countries in order to
implement their obligations. These reforms will likely benefit these countries to
strengthen the export potential of their small and medium-sized enterprises, currently
unable to overcome administrative trade barriers.
Second, these countries need to adequately anticipate the challenges that lie ahead if a
trade facilitation agreement is reached in the WTO after Cancun. It is expected that
implementation of trade facilitation obligations will require enormous investments for
Bangladesh and other least developed and developing countries. The need to deploy
30
WT/COMTD/W/57, “Development Aspects of Trade Facilitation: Note by the Secretariat.”

financial, physical and human resources to the area of trade facilitation can be extremely
difficult for them to achieve without external financial and technical support. Although
information technology may mean faster, cheaper and more transparent procedures,
successful implementation of increased trade facilitation obligations in the WTO also
requires basic physical infrastructure and regulatory environments that are often lacking
in Bangladesh and other least developed and developing countries. There is a need for a
literate workforce with computer skills, access to physical resources such as computer
software and hardware and telecommunications systems. The need for trade facilitation
also differs among countries and across sectors within countries. Therefore, the challenge
for the new round of multilateral trade negotiations is to ensure adequate financial and
technical assistance and capacity building in trade facilitation across differing
economies. This has been one of the concerns identified by developing countries
opposed to the creation of binding rules on trade facilitation in the WTO. Gains from
trade facilitation measures are expected to come later. The risk associated with making
new binding commitments in this area is that valuable resources could be diverted from
other high priority areas that least developed and developing countries need to address in
order to implement their commitments on trade facilitation. 31
For example, a number of basic infrastructure difficulties have been identified as posing
challenges to trade facilitation initiatives in the Philippines. 32 One of the most basic
concerns is the effect of weather on the processing of goods by customs. Due to
inadequate secure warehouse space, officers often have to wait for rain to stop in order to
resume inspections outdoors. Poor weather can also result in power outages causing
processing delays. As a result of insufficient electricity generating capacity, some ports
shut off air conditioning units in order to maintain computer capability. Interruptions also
occur when working conditions become too hot forcing personnel to leave the office
building. The Bureau of Customs has also received complaints that their computers are
too slow. Upgrading to newer models was not possible with a 2002 Customs budget that
allocated 0.0 for capital expenses, 0.0 for overtime hours and 0.0 for new personnel.
Therefore, upgrading of PCs is dependent on donations of old Pentium III PCs from the
private sector, or a change in the budget. Similarly, the Philippines relies on the private
31
Winters, p. 34.
32
Arevalo, Alexander, A Developing Country’s View on Trade Facilitation. International Forum on Trade
Facilitation: Simpler Procedures for World Trade Growth and Development, United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe, May 2002.

sector to provide funding for the implementation of plans for the automation of exports
processing, in what has been termed “self-help private-sector trade facilitation.” As a
Deputy Commissioner for the Philippines Bureau of customs concludes, “We did our
best, but our best was just not good enough.” 33
Most proposals that have been submitted to the WTO on the issue of trade facilitation
acknowledge that least developed and developing countries will require technical
assistance in order to implement new obligations. However, these proposals lack
concrete suggestions for how this should be undertaken. It is extremely important that a
comprehensive technical assistance and capacity building plan be worked out before
large commitments on trade facilitation are made by least developed and developing
countries. Least developed and developing countries could demand, as a part of their
DDA negotiating strategy, the binding commitments of developed WTO members on
financial and technical assistance to LDCs and developing countries in the area of trade
facilitation.
However, it should be recognized that technical assistance alone is not sufficient to

address the needs of least developed and developing countries. These countries need to
be able to administer and manage the technical assistance they receive. Program input
and stakeholder participation in bottom-to-top implementation rather than simply top-to-
bottom policy making is necessary if reforms are to take hold and be sustained and to be
successfully put into practice. 34 The need for a consultation process within the short
DDA negotiating schedule places added pressure on the limited resources of LDC and
developing countries. It is important that Bangladesh and other least developed and
developing countries have the time and assistance to undertake needs assessments in
order to understand which areas would benefit the most from increased efficiency
through trade facilitation.
The importance of technical capacity-building programs for LDC and developing

countries, such as UNCTAD’s ASYCUDA and ACIS, and funding from other
international financial institutions cannot be overemphasized. However, implementation
of these programs needs close coordination with other reform priorities as well as with
initiatives that are being taken in other forums. Closer cooperation and coordination
among international organizations involved in trade facilitation is also important in order
33
Ibid. p. 5.
34
Winters, p. 35.

to avoid duplication of work and maximize the use of resources. It has been suggested
that a Memorandum of Understanding be established outlining the roles and
responsibilities of various agencies in order to facilitate joint management of programs.35
This could include coordination in the dissemination of information on work programs to
the general community through an Internet database. Likewise, closer coordination and
the uniting of domestic agencies can save costs of program implementation and system
operations. However, it is not enough to rely on financial and technical assistance from
developed countries. Developing countries also have an important part to play by
cooperating and working together with the international community in the identification
of needs for capacity development and active participation in the implementation of
technical assistance programs.
Finally, Bangladesh and other least developed and developing countries need to closely
monitor the ongoing negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda and pay special
attention to emerging issues such as trade facilitation which are of great interest to their
countries. These countries should take advantage of the commitments developed
countries have made to integrating developing countries into the global trading system
and ensuring that adequate technical assistance is available for the implementation of any
new commitments. They should obtain technical assistance in the area of trade
facilitation in order to build and strengthen their capacity.
From the past experience, LDC and developing countries often felt that once they agreed
to an issue being placed on the agenda, developed countries then negotiated the details
on their own terms. In order to ensure that their interests are addressed, LDC and
developing countries need to take an active role in the negotiations and demand a clear
definition of the modalities and principles that determine how trade facilitation will be
addressed in the negotiations. In the lead up to the Doha Ministerial, LDCs assumed a
common position in the submission of the Zanzibar Declaration to the WTO that there
should be no new obligations on trade facilitation. At Cancun, LDCs may once again
acknowledge that trade facilitation can be beneficial, and affirm their commitment to
further work being carried out in the relevant international organizations such as the
WCO and UNCTAD.
35
United Nations Economic and Social Council, “Trade Facilitation in a Global Trade Environment,”
TRADE/2002/21, 2002, p. 22.

However, it is likely that developed countries will push for an agreement on trade
facilitation as a part of a “single-undertaking” – in other words, any agreement that
results from this round of negotiations must be adopted in its entirety with no exceptions.
In addition, if LDC and developing countries want to make gains in other areas of
importance, they must be prepared to make some concessions in particular areas such as
trade facilitation. Therefore, LDC and developing countries must determine what kind of
trade facilitation obligations would be acceptable if developed countries insist on
including trade facilitation in the “single-undertaking.” In Bangladesh, trade facilitation
initiatives are well under way but more technical assistance will be needed to ensure full
and lasting reforms in the area. Binding minimum standards in the area of customs could
ensure that achievements made to date be lasting. Bangladesh and other least developed
and developing countries could agree to negotiations on trade facilitation, provided they
are limited to customs-related issues and do not spill over into larger issues regarding
basic infrastructure, such as transport and telecommunications.
Participating in WTO trade facilitation negotiations under certain modalities could prove
beneficial for Bangladesh. However, any agreement that is made must include binding
commitments from developed WTO members to provide technical assistance and
capacity building programs in coordination with other international organizations. Phase-
in time periods for implementation of obligations is also a necessity. In the past, most
notably with respect to the TRIPs agreement, developing countries have had difficulty
instituting reforms within the allotted time period. If any commitments are taken on trade
facilitation, sufficient time should be given for LDC and developing countries to make
necessary changes, including a mechanism for review of progress and extension of the
time frame, if necessary. LDC and developing countries should take advantage of the
commitments made in paragraph 27 of the Doha Declaration to obtain adequate technical
assistance in the area of trade facilitation – ensuring that the term “adequate” is defined
in concrete terms.

Annex
Other WTO Provisions and Agreements Relevant to Trade Facilitation 36
GATT Article VII (Valuation for Customs Purposes) lays down the main principles
governing the valuation of imports for assessment of duties or other charges (not
including internal taxes), in order to enable traders to estimate, with a reasonable degree
of certainty, the value of imported products for customs purposes. Assessment should be
based on the actual value of the imported products or of like products and not on the
value of corresponding national merchandise or on arbitrary fictitious values. The Article
requires that regulations be published and that there be consistency in the methods of
determination of value. The Agreement on Customs Valuation clarifies the provisions of
this Article.
GATT Article IX (Marks of Origin) establishes MFN treatment with respect to marking
requirements, and calls for reduction of the burdens that result from laws relating to
marks of origin. When possible, marks should be affixed at the time of importation.
Trade names should not be used in a manner that confuses them with protected distinctive
regional or geographical names of products.
The Agreement on Customs Valuation clarifies the interpretation and application of
GATT Article VII, and establishes the rules for valuing imports for the assessment of ad
valorem customs duties. Harmonization of the methods used for valuing imported goods
is a means of establishing predictability and transparency for importers and exporters of
international goods. The agreement provides for the establishment of an adequate legal
and judicial framework to ensure the right of appeal for importers. A technical assistance
programme was designed by the WTO to enable developing countries to implement the
Agreement within a transition period of five years.
The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures provides more detail relating to the
provisions in GATT Article VII. The Agreement establishes disciplines to ensure that
import licensing procedures are administered in a neutral and non-discriminatory manner.
It sets up time limits for the publication of information concerning licensing procedures
and the processing of licence applications, as well as for notification to the Committee on
Import Licensing. The Agreement requires that rules and information concerning
procedures for submitting licence applications be published prior to enforcement in order
for governments and traders to become familiar with them. Foreign exchange is to be
made available on the same basis for both licensed imports and for those goods not
requiring import licences.
The Agreement on Preshipment Inspection governs the use by government authorities of
private agents to conduct quantity, quality and price inspection of imports. It aims to
harmonize worldwide use of preshipment inspection services by requiring that inspection
activities are carried out in an objective and non-discriminatory manner and offer
sufficient guarantees of uniform, fair and due process.
36
The information in this section is based on the WTO document G/L/244.

The Agreement on Rules of Origin (RoO) aims to harmonize non-preferential rules of

origin to ensure that the rules are not unnecessary obstacles to trade. A three-year
harmonization work programme of the WTO for non-preferential rules of origin was to
be undertaken in cooperation with the World Customs Organization.
The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) allows WTO Members to
determine their own technical regulations, standards and conformity assessment
procedures, provided they are not more trade restrictive than necessary to fulfil a
legitimate objective. The Agreement includes the principle of non-discrimination and
encourages Members to use international standards when developing their own
regulations. WTO members are also encouraged to give consideration to accepting
regulations of other Members if they fulfil the same objectives, and where possible, to
establish mutual recognition agreements.
The Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)
requires that WTO Members ensure that SPS measures do not arbitrarily or unjustifiably
discriminate between Members and shall not be a disguised trade barrier. The SPS
Agreement encourages the use of international standards and guidelines in order to
increase transparency and security. The Agreement also encourages Members to hold
bilateral and multilateral consultations with the aim of creating equivalence agreements
in SPS measures. WTO members must establish Enquiry Points to provide additional
information on new or existing SPS measures and their application.
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) applies the Most Favoured Nation
(MFN) principle to services and service providers from other WTO Members. In order to
maintain transparency, all measures affecting trade in services must be published, and the
WTO must be notified of any changes to laws and regulations affecting sectors where
commitments have been made. The GATS relates to all types of transport services
(excluding air traffic rights), electronic data interchange, various telecommunications
systems, financial services and distribution services that may affect trade facilitation.
The Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs)
generally applies to internal policies rather than those imposed at the border. However,
IPR holders can obtain assistance from customs authorities in order to suspend the release
of any goods suspected of being counterfeit or pirated. This ensures that IPRs are
enforced effectively and in a manner that avoids the creation of barriers to legitimate
trade.

Selected Bibliography
Draper, Charles. Reforming Customs Administration: the Unlikely Case of Bangladesh,
in www1.worldbank.org/wbiep/trade/othertrade/files/draper-customs.pdf.
ESCAP. Trade Facilitation Handbook for the Greater Mekong Sub-region, 2001.
OECD. The Relationship between Regional Trade Agreements and the Multilateral
Trading System: Trade Facilitation, TD/TC/WP(2002)17, 11 April 2002.
Molla, Mobarak Ali. Technical Assistance and Capacity Building for Trade Facilitation:
Experience of Bangladesh, draft paper, May 2001.
Rege, Vinod. Theory and Pactice of Harmonization of Rules on Regional and Multilateral
Bases: Its Relevance for World Trade Organization Work on Trade Facilitation, in
Journal of World Trade, 36(4) 2002.
Staples, Brian Rankin. Trade Facilitation: Improving the Invisible Infrastructure. Chapter
16 of a World Bank Handbook on WTO, Trade and Development, 2002
UN Economic Commission for Europe. Trade Facilitation in a Global Trade

Environment: Note by the Secretariat, 21 March 2002.
UNCTAD. Problems of and Potential for the Application of Current Trade Facilitation
Measures: Note by the UNCTAD Secretariat, 26 September 2002.
World Bank and APEC. Facilitating Trade in the Asia-Pacific: What Are the Benefits
from a Development Perspective? December 2002.
WTO. Doha Ministerial Declaration, 14 November 2001.
WTO. LDC Trade Ministers Meeting, Zanzibar, Tanzania, 22-24 July 2001, WT/L/409, 6
August 2001.
WTO. Trade Facilitation Needs and Priorities of Members, G/C.W/393, 11 July 2002.
WTO. Development Aspects of Trade Facilitation: Note by the Secretariat,

WT/COMTD/W57, 25 February 1999.
WTO. Minutes of the Meeting of the Council for Trade in Goods, 6 December 2002,
G/C/M/67, 13 February 2003.
WTO. Trade Facilitation: Status Report by the Council for Trade in Goods, G/L/333, 18
October 1999.
WTO. Review, Clarification and Improvement of GATT Articles V, VIII and X:

Proposals Made by Delegations. G/C/W/434, 15 November 2002.

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Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO:

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Dissemination of information and knowledge on critical developmental issues continues to

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO: Implications for

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 1

As a result, trade facilitation negotiations could be launched if WTO members reach an

Bangladesh is an important LDC member in the WTO. However, in the course of

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 2

facilitation discussions. It provides an overview of WTO provisions that are relevant to

2. Defining Trade Facilitation

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 3

3. Trade Facilitation in International Organizations

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 4

3.1 World Customs Organization

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 5

3.2 The United Nations

In 1994, the Columbus Declaration was adopted at the UN-hosted International

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 6

3.3 Regional and Bilateral Initiatives

Members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) have made commitments to

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 7

4. Trade Facilitation in the WTO

4.1 From Singapore to Doha to Cancun

Along with investment, competition policy, and transparency in government

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 8

• Overview of the World Customs Organization International Convention on the

• Physical requirements which affect the cross-border movement of goods in

• Electronic facilities and their importance for facilitating international trade;

• Technical cooperation and development issues relating to simplification of trade

• Consideration of WTO Agreements relating to, or including provisions on trade

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 9

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 10

4.2 State of Play in DDA Negotiations on Trade Facilitation

4.2.1 GATT Article V (Freedom of Transit)

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 11

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 12

In its submission relating to Article V, Korea proposes that negotiations focus on

Canada’s submission on Article V also recommends adoption of the use of international

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 13

decreasing and simplifying documentation requirements. The Agreement on Import

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 14

4.2.3 GATT Article X (Publication and Administration of Trade Regulations)

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 15

Developing Countries in the Area of Trade Facilitation

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 16

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 17

5. Trade Facilitation Implementation Issues

Many trade facilitation programs emphasize automation of customs administrations. An

Automation of customs administrations can allow for increased security information

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 18

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 19

benefit an economy by increasing trade in goods and services, promoting competition

6. Trade Facilitation Initiatives in Bangladesh

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 20

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 21

A selectivity system is also being implemented at the port of Chittagong, where

Trade Facilitation Negotiations in the WTO 22

7. Implications for Bangladesh and Other Least Developed and Developing