Later the SECI Model of trade

Later: the « SECI Model » of trade facilitation • Upon request from US (after Dayton Accords) UNECE helped develop the SECI programme - 40 years of experience in TF – standards and recommendations -Trade facilitation in the centre – PRO committee network based on UNECE Recommendation 4 – PPP and the other TF recommendations (www. unece. org/cefact/rec 04 en. htm) • World Bank requested to support the TTF work – WB TTFSE programme Border crossings, advice for Customs reform, web site with information for traders, etc. - • Cooperation with the Stability Pact for SEE • Building a self-sustainable network; promoting new automated systems for TF

Pre-1997 Trade Facilitation committees in SEE • BULPRO - Chamber of Commerce • ROMPRO - Ministry of Industry & Trade • HUNPRO - Interministerial EDI project • SLOVENIAPRO - Individual, EDI promotion

The « SECI Model » : Since 1997: Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI) - Border Crossing Facilitation • 11 countries, regular meetings (4 per year) Principal outcomes: - strong push to “PRO Committees” • SECIPRO (SECI regional trade facilitation network) - regional approach to World Bank loans: TTFSE (Trade and Transport Facilitation in Southeastern Europe) WB project - training (including in trade facilitation)

SECI Border Crossing Facilitation - - Activities leading to the borders – pressure to remove bottlenecks and improve management of border crossings 1999 Mo. U on Facilitating Road Transport (harmonized documents, int’l weight certificate, facilitating driver visas, etc. ) – SECI RRTC (Regional Road Transport Committee), Other projects… - Focus on the region and EU integration Simplify procedures before e-commerce

Guidelines for National Trade and Transport Facilitation Committees ("PRO Committees") Based on UNECE Recommendation 4 www. unece. org/cefact/rec 04 en. htm 1. 2. The PRO Committee shall be a forum in which representatives of public and private sector bodies concerned with a primary focus on international trade transactions meet to discuss issues concerning the cross-border movement of goods and services, vehicles or persons that call for concerted action and shall take into account regional implications of such issues. Related issues shall be considered as appropriate. Each PRO Committee should have a governing Council comprised of a small number of members from the public and private sectors. Direct liaison with the SECI National Coordinator should be maintained. The National Coordinator and PRO Committee shall exchange the minutes and reports of all relevant meetings and …

2004 - SECI “PRO Committees” ALBAPRO Bi. HPRO BULPRO CROATIAPRO HELLASPRO MAKPRO ROMPRO TURKPRO SCGPRO support from EUROPRO SITPRO FITPRO SLOVENIAPRO HUNPRO ITALYPRO AUSTRIAPRO

“PRO Committees” in SEE • No two structured the same • No structure inherently better • Gradual development process • Financing a common concern Border operations, not e-business • Bilateral meetings • Combine facilitation with promotion • Links to projects (e. g. TTFSE) •

Where did the PRO Committees look for information when they started? UNECE Trade Facilitation Recommendations: • Recommendation 4: National Trade Facilitation Bodies How to establish a PRO Committee, what it should do. • Recommendation 1: UN Layout Key for Trade Documents (cut red tape, harmonize outlook, possible to fill in data only once) • Most recommendations are on codes: for locations (LOCODE), data elements (UN/TDED), types of cargo, transport, etc. • e-Business: EDIFACT, legal aspects of e-commerce/agreements, new – UNe. Docs, Single Window

Trade Facilitation in SE Europe SECI-SP Coordinator SECI Mo. U RRTC BAC Stability Pact for SEE SECIPRO WG-TLF World Bank Mo. U TTFSE RSC e-SEE

UN Economic Commission for Europe Related SEE websites UNECE SECIPRO SECI RRTC TTFSE Stability Pact World Bank / EC EBRD EIB www. unece. org/cefact -> recommendations www. secinet. org www. secipro. net www. unece. org/trans/old_new_tir/seci/intro. htm www. ttfse. org www. stabilitypact. org www. seerecon. org www. ebrd. org www. eib. org

Lessons from the SEE experience: What can be used elsewhere ? • Regional approach – build a TF network • Gradual approach – build: network; political will; link to well-financed projects • Broader approach to trade facilitation (not just Customs) – link issues (trade, transport, etc. ), include TF in national development strategies • Build synergies among international organizations – UNECE (standards), UNCTAD & WB (technical assistance, infrastructure), regional initiatives, IFI projects • Gradually transfer coordination to the region

Lessons from the SEE experience: Examples of problems • Despite improvements, key problems persist, such as (recent study on NTBs for SEE): • • long waiting times at border crossings kickbacks lack of timely exchange of information across borders lack of adequate infrastructure plus little success on such projects as drivers’ visa facilitation and international vehicle weight certificate • Very difficult to build political will • • vested interests against trade facilitation no direct profit/return on investments in TF • Self-sustainability of TF efforts - difficult to achieve

UNECE – Chech Republic Technical assistance project for PRO Committees • Support for PRO committees: Czech- UNECE technical assistance project: internship in CZ, TF seminars in the region • Contact: mario. apostolov@unece. org

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Thank you ! www. unece. org mario. apostolov@unece. org