Greater Mekong Subregion

Opening Session:

Under this agenda item, the TFWG will revisit the issues identified in Dali – including: (i) acceleration of present pilot border sites through testing by learning approach to facilitate cross-border movement of goods, (ii) areas of training for customs officials, (iii) IT application in customs and impact on trade facilitation, (iv) awareness raising of new customs procedures with private sector, (v) mechanisms to improve involvement of private sector and other issues related to enhancing the competitiveness of the economic corridors. The TFWG will also review the work programs of the previous working group meetings to identify ongoing priorities.

The TFWG will review the status of implementation of the ADB-supported RETA 6020. Two important activities under this RETA, which originated from the TFWG, are: (i) the pilot-testing of single-stop customs inspection procedures in selected border sites; (ii) the establishment of a cross-border trade and investment database. The consultant for the single-stop customs inspection (SSCI) procedures will discuss the status of implementation in selected SSCI border sites as well as review the proposed framework of implementation by Cambodia to be used as a model by other jurisdictions, with the view to expediting implementation in accordance with the directives of the 12th Ministerial Conference. A side meeting is proposed between Cambodia and Vietnam to facilitate institutional coordination to support fast-track implementation at Bavet-Moc Bai pilot site.

The outstanding information on cross-border trade and investment data bases will also be reviewed.

Issues facing the exporter such as access to inputs, foreign exchange, pre-shipment finance, contract of sales, procedures to negotiate a documentary credit (including appropriate bill of lading), access and cost to transportation of goods will be reviewed to determine areas where private sector and government sector service delivery may be improved in the context of economic cooperation in the GMS. The presentation will also review other regional trade facilitation models, to assess the phasing and sequencing of trade facilitation reform in the GMS following SSCI implementation, namely: implementation of single-window customs inspection; industrial standards upgrading and harmonization; freight forwarding, ASYCUDA, TIR-CARNET, trade finance.

ADB will make a presentation on the Trade Finance and Facilitation Program.

The TFWG will also discuss how to operationalize the decision of the GMS Ministers to involve development partners including the private sector in meetings of the GMS working groups and forums.

Session V

A. Trade Facilitation Issues: Recap of Discussions in Day 1

B. Review of Trade Facilitation Projects in the Development Matrix and Modalities for Updating

C. Proposed New Project Concepts for Consideration in ADB Pipeline

The presentation will review issues discussed in Day 1 and will also introduce the new Trade Finance Facilitation Program to be implemented by the Private Sector Operations Department and introduced in the DMCs, including the GMS.

Participants will then be requested to review the development matrix on Facilitating Cross-Border Trade and Investment to update project information and determine the focus of future areas of cooperation. Based on the discussions at the meeting, the TFWG will agree on the elements of its work plan for the next three years to guide the operations of the working group.