Cross-Border Transport Agreement

Initial Implementation of the Cross-Border Transport Agreement

At the Eighth Meeting of the GMS Transport Forum held in Phnom Penh (3-4 August 2004), the GMS countries agreed to preempt the ratification of the annexes and protocols by undertaking the initial implementation of the CBTA (IICBTA), on a pilot basis, at key border crossing points, i.e., Lao Bao-Dansavanh, Poipet-Aranyaprathet, Mukdahan-Savannakhet, Bavet-Moc Bai, Mae Sot-Myawaddy, Mae Sai-Tachilek, and Hekou-Lao Cai.

The objective of this initiative is to accelerate the implementation of the CBTA by allowing the early identification of key issues and the early realization of benefits from improved transport facilitation. The IICBTA, which is designed to take place while the more difficult annexes and protocols are being negotiated, is to focus on the self-executing CBTA articles as well as annexes and protocols that have been finalized or are about to be finalized, including those pertaining to single-stop inspection (SSI) and single-window inspection (SWI). The IICBTA involves interim measures that will utilize existing bilateral agreements, e.g., exchange of traffic rights, until such time that the relevant annexes or protocols are entered into force.

Time-bound Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) have been prepared to operationalize the IICBTA, including the implementation of SSI and SWI, for the pilot border crossing points.