Trade Facilitation Committees: A Perspective from the OECS Alicia Stephen, OECS Secretariat April 2009
About the OECS: § Came into being in June 1981 § 9 Member States • 6 of which are WTO members § Functional cooperation and policy coordination April 2009 2
Drivers of the OECS TF Agenda Regionals Domestic EPA WTO April 2009 3
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Perceived benefits § enhanced competitiveness § increased FDI § increased government collections April 2009 6
Trade Facilitation has been the purview of Customs Departments April 2009 7
A multi-agency approach April 2009 8
Identify national focal points Establish six (6) national task forces Establish OECS regional task force April 2009 9
Based on the Needs Assessments… Country Measure Consolidated Regional negotiating positions April 2009 Level of TA/CB Negotiating Regional Compliance Position/ Approach Instructions Regional TA/CB Programme Regional Implementation Programme 10
…some key functions were identified § Participation in Trade Facilitation Negotiations § Development & Implementation of TA/CB Programme § Implementation of future TF obligations April 2009 11
§ Re-conduct assessment of implementation capacity & status of compliance periodically § Monitor implementation incl. planning, negotiations with donors § Undertake public awareness § Ensure coherence April 2009 Also see JOB(09)11 12
Getting “buy-in” § link committee to the TFNA exercise § link to existing programmes § link negotiations-domestic situation April 2009 13
Secure political mandate/authority April 2009 14
Engage the private sector strategically § give stakeholders the information that is relevant § guard against overload!!!! April 2009 15
Identify a “champion” April 2009 16
Pitfalls!! Informal group Too many meetings!!! No plan Working in isolation Having the “wrong” person lead April 2009 17
What have we achieved? § One committee active in OECS and two are being established § Draft TORs for committees developed § Greater participation in TF negotiations April 2009 18
§ Able to source technical assistance for TF • E. g. support for committees § Increased communication exchange among related parties (coherence) • OECS, CCLEC, CRNM/CARICOM April 2009 19
Thank You! astephen@oecs. org April 2009