AN EXPLORATION OF THE NEED FOR AND COST OF SELECTED TRADE FACILITATION MEASURES IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WTO NEGOTIATIONS

38 An exploration of the need for and cost of selected trade facilitation measures in Asia and the Pacific in the context of the WTO negotiations

estimated 4-year implementation period in Bangladesh. Setting up an independent and
effective appeal mechanism was rated as a low cost TF measure, as was establishment of
a pre-arrival clearance system. While acknowledging the long-term savings potential of
electronic single windows and post-clearance audit, initial costs were perceived to be
highest among the measures considered.

As one of the international expert respondents’ noted, a difficulty with estimating
time and infrastructure costs is that much depends on how these measures are sequenced.
If too many are initiated simultaneously, implementation will likely take longer. Similarly,
some investments in equipment/infrastructure, as well as training, can be amortized over
more than one measure, thus reducing the cost for any one measure.

Many experts stressed the importance of sequencing the measures. However,
when asked to group the measures into three distinct sets (A, B, and C) to be implemented
sequentially, experts’ answers varied and no obvious agreement emerged on how to
sequence the measures. That said, most experts agreed that Adoption and implementation
of international standards for trade documents (e.g., United Nations Layout Key) and the
HS nomenclature was top priority for inclusion in the revised GATT Articles. Establishment
of enquiry points and single national focal points for trade facilitation as well as Online
publication of trade regulations and procedures in local language and English ranked, on
average second and third in terms of priority.

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