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1、 i Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation in Pacific Island Developing Economies(PIDEs)The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific(ESCAP)is the most inclusive intergovernmental platform in the Asia-Pacific region.The Commission promotes cooperation among its 53 Member States and

2、nine associate members in pursuit of solutions to sustainable development challenges.ESCAP is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.The ESCAP Secretariat supports inclusive,resilient and sustainable development in the region by generating action-oriented knowledge,and by providi

3、ng technical assistance and capacity-building services in support of national development objectives,regional agreements and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat is the regions premier political and economic policy organisation with

4、a vision for a resilient Pacific region of peace,harmony,security,social inclusion and prosperity.Founded in 1971,the Forum comprises 18 members:Australia,Cook Islands,Federated States of Micronesia,Fiji,French Polynesia,Kiribati,Nauru,New Caledonia,New Zealand,Niue,Palau,Papua New Guinea,Republic o

5、f Marshall Islands,Samoa,Solomon Islands,Tonga,Tuvalu,and Vanuatu.To achieve its vision,the Forum Secretariat is focused on implementing the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent which sets out the long-term approach to working together as a region,and as countries and territories,communities

6、,and people of the Pacific.Emanating from the 2050 Strategy,the Secretariat has implemented a number of regional trade development initiatives which include,among others,the Pacific Quality Infrastructure Initiative,the Pacific E-commerce Initiative and the Pacific Trade Facilitation Initiative.The

7、World Banks Trade Facilitation Support Program(TFSP)was launched in June 2014 to support countries to improve their cross-border trade environments and align their trade practices with the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement(WTO TFA).TFSPs funding assists countriesparticularly deve

8、loping countriesachieve the full and effective implementation of the WTO TFA measures and related trade facilitation reforms.This includes identifying existing constraints and bottlenecks to cross-border trade;designing and planning practical reform strategies;and increasing the predictability,trans

9、parency,and harmonization of systems and procedures in line with international standards covering import,export,and transit activities.In recent years,TFSP has also expanded into cross-cutting topics,such as gender,digitalization,public health,food security,climate/the environment,and emergency resp

10、onse.The program currently partners with 58 countries worldwide,with the largest share in Sub-Saharan Africa.UNCTAD possesses long-standing expertise and experience in trade facilitation on which basis it provides technical assistance and capacity-building support to developing countries,including i

11、n the establishment of national trade and transport facilitation committees,needs assessments,trade facilitation implementation plans,transit agreements and customs automation through its Automated System for Customs Data(ASYCUDA)programme.It also undertakes a number of activities in the framework o

12、f its port management training programme and its e-regulation and e-registration systems.Through their impact on trade facilitation stakeholders(such as port authorities and small and medium-sized enterprises in particular),these programmes also contribute to enhancing trade facilitation in benefici

13、ary countries.UNCTAD assistance and expertise encompass many aspects of trade facilitation that can be addressed by several programmes,to be articulated and tailored according to each countrys needs.Copyright United Nations 2024 All rights reserved The report is available at:https:/www.untfsurvey.or

14、g/report Disclaimers:The designation employed and the presentation of the material in the Report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country,territory,city or area or of its authorities,or conce

15、rning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.The United Nations bears no responsibility for the availability or functionality of URLs.Opinion,figures and estimates set forth in this publication are the responsibility of the authors and should not necessarily be considered as reflecting the

16、views or carrying the endorsement of the United Nations.Any errors are the responsibility of the authors.Mention of firm names and commercial products does not imply the endorsement of the United Nations.The report has been issued without formal editing.i Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation i

17、n Pacific Island Developing Economies(PIDEs)Based on the United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2023 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Pacific Island Developing Economies(PIDEs)report is part of a global survey effort on the implementation of trade facilitation and paperless

18、 trade measures,undertaken jointly by the five United Nations Regional Commissions for Africa(ECA),Europe(ECE),Asia and the Pacific(ESCAP),Latin America and the Caribbean(ECLAC)and West Asia(ESCWA)as well as the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development(UNCTAD).The report was jointly prepar

19、ed by ESCAP,UNCTAD,Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat(PIFS)and World Bank(WB).Silvre Dernouh,Chorthip Utoktham,Lang Sun and Kexin Chen,under the guidance of Soo Hyun Kim and the overall supervision of Yann Duval,all from the Trade,Investment and Innovation Division(TIID)of ESCAP.Collected as part of

20、the United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2023,the data analysis for PIDEs was provided by ESCAP.Julian Fraga-Campos from UNCTAD supported data collection and validation and also reviewed the report.Stephen Muller and Andrea Giacomelli from PIFS reviewed and cont

21、ributed to the report.Alina Antoci and William Gain from the WB provided inputs and also reviewed the report.Sanjesh Naidu from the ESCAP Subregional Office for the Pacific reviewed the report.Nichapat Saropala formatted the report.Arom Sanguanyuang created the cover design.The United Nations Networ

22、k of Experts for Paperless Trade and Transport in Asia and the Pacific(UNNExT),acknowledge community supported by ESCAP and ECE,also greatly facilitated data collection.Preparation of the report benefited from the support of the Republic of Korea as well as from the Government of France and the Worl

23、d Banks TFSP donors(Australia,Canada,the European Commission,the Netherlands,Norway,Sweden,Switzerland,the United Kingdom,and the United States of America).ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Reducing trade costs is crucial for enabling economies to effectively participate in regional and global value chains and p

24、romote growth and sustainable development.However,the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis continues to impede international trade,with geopolitical conflicts creating new supply chain disruptions and high inflation,increasing trade costs and uncertainties.This has added further pressure to already high

25、 trade costs worldwide.Given this situation,trade facilitation assumes a pivotal role,facilitating more efficient and transparent trade procedures,thus reducing the vulnerability of global supply chains and overall trade costs.Consequently,the World Trade Organizations(WTO)Trade Facilitation Agreeme

26、nt(TFA)and regional initiatives have focused on trade digitalization,such as the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific,offering guidance on measures that should be considered for implementation.This report unveils the findings of the 2023 United

27、Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,focusing on the progress made in trade facilitation across the 11 Pacific Island Developing Economies(PIDEs).The report offers a comprehensive analysis of 60 trade facilitation measures,categorized into four groups “General Trade Fa

28、cilitation”,“Digital Trade Facilitation”,“Sustainable Trade Facilitation”,“Other Trade Facilitation”and“Pilot-Tested.”Furthermore,these groups of measures encompass 11 sub-groups,including both binding and non-binding measures of the WTO TFA.They also include measures related to digital and sustaina

29、ble trade.The report brings to light the following key findings:Based on the set of 31 general and digital trade facilitation measures,PIDEs achieved an average implementation rate of 42%,which is 25 percentage points lower than the Asia-Pacific regions average implementation rate of 67%.The impleme

30、ntation of general and digital trade facilitation measures differs significantly among PIDEs.Vanuatu is leading the subregion with implementation rates of 71%.On the other hand,there is still room for improvement for Kiribati,Samoa,Palau,Micronesia and Nauru falling behind the regional and subregion

31、al averages.Between 2021 and 2023,the average implementation rate increased from 39%to 42%.The country with the biggest growth is Kiribati,with an implementation rate going from 23%to 39%in 2023(16 percentage points increase).iii PIDEs made the most significant progress in implementing measures rela

32、ted to trade facilitation in times of crisis and women in trade facilitation between 2021 and 2023,with increases of 10 percentage points and 9 percentage points,respectively.“Digital Trade Facilitation”related measures have shown small improvement in implementation between 2021 and 2023,with paperl

33、ess trade facilitation measures implementation level increasing from 31%to 35%and cross-border paperless trade rising from 8%to 11%.However,the PIDEs average implementation rate of the paperless trade facilitation measures is 31 percentage points lower than the Asia-Pacifics average.Also,Cross-borde

34、r paperless trade is one of the two least implemented sub-groups in the PIDEs.This leaves ample space for policy intervention on continuous and further advancement in the area of“Digital Trade Facilitation.”The adoption of measures under the“Sustainable Trade Facilitation”group remains limited,parti

35、cularly those target SMEs and Women,which stand at 12%and 24%,respectively,much lower than those of global and regional averages,indicating that there is much space for improvement.The implementation of measures related to trade facilitation in times of crisis is relatively low,with an implementatio

36、n rate of 28%,far below the average in the Asia-Pacific region standing at 60%,despite progress made.This demonstrates the urgency to improve relevant measures,including coordination between agencies and countries as well as planning for future crises.The report highlights that significant trade cos

37、t reductions could be achieved through the implementation of paperless and cross-border paperless trade measures,surpassing the impact of conventional trade facilitation measures.Full implementation of binding and non-binding measures outlined in the WTO TFA could lead to a reduction in trade costs

38、to about 13%.Going Beyond,the adoption of digital trade facilitation measures,facilitating seamless electronic exchange of trade data and documents across borders,has the potential to significantly reduce trade costs by nearly 26%for PIDEs in a full implementation scenario.The Framework Agreement on

39、 Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific offers further opportunities for PIDEs to promote their own initiatives and solutions as well as support the further advancement of their national Single Windows and ensure interoperability across borders.iv Moving up the trade fa

40、cilitation ladder towards seamless international supply chains Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Note:This figure shows global cumulative trade facilitation implementation scores for different regions for five sub-groups of tra

41、de facilitation measures included in the Survey.The scores are based on the equally weighted implementation of 31 trade facilitation measures,but the number of measures varies in each of the five sub-groups.Full implementation of all measures=100.This report should be read in conjunction with the Gl

42、obal and the Asia-Pacific regional report on the results of the UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2023,available at https:/www.untfsurvey.org/.020406080100Performance AreaFrontier(full implementation)Asia-PacificEast and North-East AsiaPacific Island Developing Economies

43、FijiKiribatiMicronesiaNauruPalauPapua New GuineaSamoaSolomon IslandsTongaTuvaluVanuatuInstitutional arrangement and cooperationTransparencyFormalitiesPaperless tradeCross-border paperless trade v CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.ii LIST OF TABLES.vi LIST OF FIGURES.vi LIST OF BOXES.vii

44、ABBREVIATIONS.viii 1.Introduction.9 1.1.Background and objective.9 1.2.Survey instrument and methodology.10 2.Trade facilitation implementation:Overview.12 2.1.Most and least implemented trade facilitation measures.14 2.2.Progress in implementation between 2021-2023.17 3.Implementation of trade faci

45、litation measures:A closer look.19 3.1.Transparency.19 3.2.Formalities.21 3.3.Institutional arrangement and cooperation.22 3.4.Paperless trade.24 3.5.Cross-border paperless trade.25 3.6.Trade facilitation for SMEs.28 3.7.Agricultural Trade Facilitation.30 3.8.Women in Trade Facilitation.32 3.9.Trade

46、 finance facilitation.33 3.10.Trade facilitation in times of crisis.35 4.Assessing the impact of trade facilitation in PIDEs.36 5.Conclusion and the way forward.38 Annexes.43 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1.Intra-and extra-regional comprehensive trade costs in the Asia-Pacific region.10 Table 2.Most and l

47、east implemented measures in each sub-group of trade facilitation measures by Pacific Island Developing Economies.15 Table 3.Expected trade cost reduction from alternative trade facilitation reforms.37 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.Overall implementation of trade facilitation measures in Pacific Island D

48、eveloping Economies.12 Figure 2.Paper saved by TRBR Type Approval module over 6 months.13 Figure 3.Trade facilitation implementation in Asia-Pacific subregions including PIDEs.13 Figure 4.Implementation of different sub-groups of trade facilitation measures in Pacific Island Developing Economies.14

49、Figure 5.Level of implementation of WTO TFA-related measures(excluding transit)in Pacific Island Developing Economies.17 Figure 6.Trade facilitation implementation in Pacific Island Developing Economies between 2021 and 2023.18 Figure 7.Average implementation of different sub-groups of trade facilit

50、ation measures in Pacific Island Developing Economies between 2019 and 2023 .19 Figure 8.State of implementation of transparency by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific.20 Figure 9.State of implementation of transparency in Pacific Island Developing Economies.20 Figure 10.St

51、ate of implementation of formalities by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific.22 Figure 11.State of implementation of trade formalities in Pacific Island Developing Economies.22 Figure 12.State of implementation of institutional arrangement and cooperation by Pacific Island D

52、eveloping Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific.23 Figure 13.State of implementation of institutional arrangement and cooperation measures for trade facilitation in Pacific Island Developing Economies.24 Figure 14.State of implementation of paperless trade by PIDEs benchmarking Asia-Pacific.25 Figure

53、15.State of implementation of paperless trade in Pacific Island Developing Economies .25 Figure 16.State of implementation of cross-border paperless trade by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific.26 vii Figure 17.State of implementation of cross-border paperless trade in Paci

54、fic Island Developing Economies.27 Figure 18.State of implementation of trade facilitation and wildlife protection in Pacific Island Developing Economies.28 Figure 19.State of implementation of trade facilitation for SMEs by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific.29 Figure 20.

55、State of implementation of trade facilitation for SMEs in Pacific Island Developing Economies .29 Figure 21.State of implementation of trade facilitation for e-commerce in Pacific Island Developing Economies.30 Figure 22.State of implementation of agricultural trade facilitation by Pacific Island De

56、veloping Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific.31 Figure 23.State of implementation of agricultural trade facilitation in Pacific Island Developing Economies .31 Figure 24.State of implementation of women in trade facilitation by Pacific Island Developing Economies.33 Figure 25.State of implementation

57、 of women in trade facilitation in Pacific Island Developing Economies.33 Figure 26.State of implementation of trade finance facilitation by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific.34 Figure 27.State of implementation of trade finance facilitation in Pacific Island Developing E

58、conomies .34 Figure 28.State of implementation of trade facilitation in times of crisis by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific.35 Figure 29.State of implementation of trade facilitation in times of crisis in Pacific Island Developing Economies.36 Figure 30.Impact of trade f

59、acilitation implementation on trade costs of Pacific Island Developing Economies.38 Figure 31.Trade facilitation implementation and trade costs of Asia-Pacific economies.39 Figure 32.Moving up the trade facilitation ladder towards seamless international supply chains.41 LIST OF BOXES Box 1.Vanuatu E

60、lectronic Single Window.12 Box 2.Kiribati Trade and Investment Portal.18 Box 3.Climate-smart trade facilitation 27 Box 4.Trade facilitation for e-commerce and SMEs 30 viii ABBREVIATIONS ADB Asian Development Bank AEO Authorized economic operator ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations ECA Unite

61、d Nations Economic Commission for Africa ECE United Nations Economic Commission for Europe ECLAC United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ENEA East and North-East Asia ESCAP United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ESCWA United Nations Econ

62、omic and Social Commission for Western Asia ICT Information and Communications Technology ITC International Trade Centre LDC Least developed country LLDC Landlocked developing country NCA North and Central Asia NTFC National Trade Facilitation Committee OCO Oceania Customs Organization OECD Organiza

63、tion for Economic Co-operation and Development PIDE Pacific Island Developing Economies SAARC South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SEA South-East Asia SELA Latin American and Caribbean Economic System SIDS Small Island Developing States SPC The Pacific Community SSWA South and South-West

64、 Asia TFA Trade Facilitation Agreement UN/CEFACT United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development UNNExT United Nations Network of Experts for Paperless Trade and Transport for Asia and the Pacific UNRC United Nations Regi

65、onal Commission VeSW Vanuatu Single Window WTO World Trade Organization 9 1.Introduction 1.1.Background and objective It is commonly acknowledged that reducing trade barriers plays an essential role in facilitating the active engagement of economies in regional and global value chains,thereby guaran

66、teeing that trade remains as a main engine of growth and sustainable development.As shown in table 1,based on the latest data from the ESCAP-World Bank Trade Cost Database,comprehensive non-tariff trade costs between the Pacific Island Developing Economies(PIDEs)(90%tariff-equivalent)are significant

67、ly higher than the costs of trading goods among the three largest economies in the European Union(42%tariff-equivalent)or those between China,the Republic of Korea,and Japan(58%tariff equivalent).The aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis continues to impede international trade,with geopolitical conflicts

68、 creating new supply chain disruptions,and inflation increasing trade costs and uncertainties.Although global merchandise trade volumes exhibited a rebound following the pandemic,trade growth faltered in 2022,with slow growth expected to persist throughout 2023,at 0.8%according to the latest WTO est

69、imate.1 However,trade facilitation measures play a crucial role in mitigating these challenges by enhancing efficiency through streamlined and digitalized processes.By implementing effective trade facilitation strategies,unnecessary costs can be reduced,helping to counter the trend of increasing tra

70、de costs.In general,significant progress has been made in reducing trade costs by eliminating or lowering tariffs during the past few decades.Studies indicate that non-tariff measures can contribute up to twice as much to trade costs compared with ordinary Customs tariffs.Hence,to achieve additional

71、 trade cost reductions,it is imperative to tackle non-tariff barriers,such as inadequate transportation and logistics infrastructure and services,as well as complex regulatory procedures and documentation.In this context,this report presents a comprehensive overview of the results from the UN Global

72、 Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2023 pertaining to the PIDEs.Furthermore,potential impacts of implementing trade facilitation measures in PIDEs are assessed based on a trade cost model.1 World Trade Organization,Global Trade Outlook and Statistics,October 2023.https:/www.wto.or

73、g/english/res_e/booksp_e/gtos_updt_oct23_e.pdf 10 Table 1.Intra-and extra-regional comprehensive trade costs in the Asia-Pacific region Region ASEAN-4 East Asia-3 North and CentralAsia-4 PIDEs SAARC-3 AUS-NZL Europe-3 ASEAN-4 74.9%78.6%305.9%298.8%129.6%104.0%105.3%(-0.6%)(3.2%)(-5.1%)(8.0%)(2.9%)(4

74、.7%)(-0.2%)East Asia-3 78.6%58.0%167.1%201.2%129.3%89.6%85.6%(3.2%)(10.0%)(-0.2%)(-21.5%)(5.4%)(4.4%)(1.0%)North and 305.9%167.1%108.8%427.5%265.7%310.0%146.2%Central Asia-4 (-5.1%)(-0.2%)(-6.2%)(29.1%)(3.8%)(-13.3%)(-2.8%)PIDEs 298.8%201.2%427.5%89.6%361.4%102.3%312.1%Developing Economies (8.0%)(-2

75、1.5%)(29.1%)(-19.9%)(6.8%)(7.1%)(0.2%)SAARC-3 129.6%129.3%265.7%361.4%160.7%139.2%117.4%(2.9%)(5.4%)(3.8%)(6.8%)(37.6%)(2.3%)(3.6%)AUS-NZL 104.0%89.6%310.0%102.3%139.2%52.8%103.0%(4.7%)(4.4%)(-13.3%)(7.1%)(2.3%)(0.8%)(-3.5%)Europe-3 105.3%85.6%146.2%312.1%117.4%103.0%41.8%(-0.2%)(1.0%)(-2.8%)(0.2%)(

76、3.6%)(-3.5%)(-2.7%)USA 84.4%66.3%190.7%183.0%111.7%97.7%65.6%(-2.1%)(3.9%)(8.0%)(-6.4%)(-0.2%)(-1.6%)(-2.0%)Source:ESCAP-World Bank Trade Cost Database,updated May 2023.Available at https:/www.unescap.org/resources/escap-world-bank-trade-cost-database or https:/artnet.unescap.org/databases#tradecost

77、 Note:Trade costs may be interpreted as tariff equivalents.Percentage changes in trade costs between 2010-2015 and 2016-2021 are shown in parentheses.ASEAN-4:Indonesia,Malaysia,Philippines,Thailand;East Asia-3:China,Japan,Republic of Korea;Europe-3:Germany,France,United Kingdom;SAARC-3:Bangladesh,In

78、dia,Pakistan,Sri Lanka;Pacific Island developing economies:Fiji,Samoa;North and Central Asia:Georgia,Kazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan,Russian Federation.1.2.Survey instrument and methodology The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2023(hereinafter called“the Survey”)builds upon the o

79、riginal instrument(formerly known as the Global Survey on Trade Facilitation and Paperless Trade Implementation).It was prepared according to the final list of commitments included in the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement(TFA)and supplemented by forward-looking measures that are sought to be implemen

80、ted under the United Nations treaty the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific(CPTA)and those supporting inclusive and sustainable trade.11 The 2023 Survey covers 60 trade facilitation measures commonly used by five United Nations Regional Commiss

81、ions(UNRCs).The 60 measures are classified into four groups and 11 sub-groups(annex 2).The first group,“General Trade Facilitation”,includes many WTO TFA measures with subgroups of transparency,formalities,institutional arrangement and cooperation,and transit facilitation.The second group,“Digital T

82、rade Facilitation”,includes paperless trade and cross-border paperless trade.The third group of“Sustainable Trade Facilitation”measures includes trade facilitation for SMEs,agricultural trade facilitation,and women in trade facilitation sub-groups.The fourth group,“Other Trade Facilitation”,comes wi

83、th two sub-groups:trade finance facilitation and trade facilitation in times of crisis.In addition,two measures are pilot-tested in 2023,namely trade facilitation for e-commerce and trade facilitation and wildlife protection.The overall scope of the Survey goes beyond the measures included in the WT

84、O TFA.Most paperless trade measures,particularly for cross-border paperless trade,are not specifically featured in the WTO TFA.However,their inclusion in many cases would support better implementation of the TFA in digital form.Most“Sustainable Trade Facilitation”group measures are not specifically

85、included in the WTO TFA,except for some of the agricultural trade facilitation measures.The“Other Trade Facilitation”group is added in consideration of trade finances role in facilitating trade flows,as well as the challenges posed by crisis situations to global trade and the supply chain(especially

86、 COVID-19),with the rising importance of cross-border e-commerce and the increasing need to combat illegal wildlife trade.ESCAP adopted a three-step approach to developing the dataset(annex 3).Data was collected between January and July 2023.Based on this data,each of the trade facilitation measures

87、 included in the Survey was rated as“fully implemented”,“partially implemented”,“on a pilot basis”,“not implemented”,or“dont know”.Definitions for each stage are provided in annex 4.A score of 3,2,1,or zero was assigned to each of the four implementation stages to calculate implementation rates for

88、individual measures across countries,regions,or groupings.All PIDEs are included in this report,namely:Fiji,Kiribati,Micronesia,Nauru,Palau,Papua New Guinea,Samoa,Solomon Islands,Tonga,Tuvalu,and Vanuatu.Country groupings used in the analysis are detailed in annex 1 and shown in figure 3.Further det

89、ails and examples on the calculation of implementation rates are available online.12 2.Trade facilitation implementation:Overview When it comes to 31 trade facilitation measures from 5 sub-groups under“General”and“Digital Trade Facilitation”(figure 1),the average rate stands at 42%in PIDEs,significa

90、ntly lower than the Asia-Pacific regional average of 67%.PIDEs also show varying levels of implementation.Vanuatu has the highest achievement rate,with 71%,far ahead of the other countries,and the only country to surpass the Asia-Pacific regions average implementation rate.Behind Vanuatu,Tonga and F

91、iji have achieved commendable implementation rates at 55%and 52%,respectively.In contrast,Micronesia and Palau still have relatively low implementation rates,standing at 27%and 29%respectively,indicating significant room for improvement in these countries.Figure 1.Overall implementation of trade fac

92、ilitation measures in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Box 1.Vanuatu Electronic Single Window Implementation of the Vanuatu Electronic Single Window(VeSW)project commenced in 2016 and is cur

93、rently in phase III of its implementation.Thirteen regulatory agencies are connected to VeSW providing over eighty private sector entities the ability to transact digitally 24/7.Thirty-four of these private entities are shipping agents,airline agents and Customs Brokers.Potentially,users of the VeSW

94、 can submit applications to all regulatory authorities concerning the movement of goods across borders online,in a paperless environment.Moreover,certificates,licences and permits,various other approvals and clearances can be issued online.Finally,VeSW has established transparency and accountability

95、 in the entire regulatory process ensuring integrity of the process while minimizing opportunities for non-complaint activities.It is reported that connecting the 52%39%27%19%29%46%38%45%55%45%71%42%67%0%20%40%60%80%100%FijiKiribatiMicronesiaNauruPalauPapua NewGuineaSamoaSolomonIslandsTongaTuvaluVan

96、uatuPacific IslandsDevelopingEconomiesAsia-PacificTransparencyFormalitiesInstitutional arrangement and cooperationPaperless tradeCross-border paperless trade 13 Vanuatu Telecommunication Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator(TRBR)led to a reduction of 80.64%in paper used between February an

97、d July 2023 equivalent to over 300kg saved from carbon emissions.Figure 2.Paper saved by TRBR Type Approval module over 6 months Source:Vanuatu Electronic Single Window Project Monthly newsletter.Issue 31.30th September 2023.https:/singlewindow.gov.vu/content.jsf?c=newsletter When comparing PIDEs av

98、erage implementation rate for these 31 trade facilitation measures with other subregions from Asia and the Pacific,the data reveals that the subregion is lagging behind(figure 3).PIDEs level of implementation ranks at the bottom among Asia-Pacific subregions,after Australia and New Zealand(97%),East

99、 and North-East Asia(83%),South-East Asia(76%),North and Central Asia(74%),and South and South-West Asia(65%).Figure 3.Trade facilitation implementation in Asia-Pacific subregions including PIDEs Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.o

100、rg 14 Figure 4 introduces five additional sub-groups from the“Sustainable Trade Facilitation”and“Other Trade Facilitation”groups,with implementation rates all lower than the average of 42%observed for“General”and“Digital Trade Facilitation”groups.While Transparency is the most implemented sub-group,

101、standing at 61%,followed by Formalities(58%)and Institutional Arrangement and Cooperation(55%),there is still significant room for improvement among other sub-groups.This is especially true for trade finance facilitation and cross-border paperless trade,which are the least implemented sub-groups at

102、11%.In addition,particular attention should be paid to trade facilitation targeting SMEs,that only stands at 12%,in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.Figure 4.Implementation of different sub-groups of trade facilitation measures in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:

103、The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 2.1.Most and least implemented trade facilitation measures Table 2 offers insights into the implementation status of trade facilitation measures within each sub-group evaluated in the Survey.In the in

104、stitutional arrangement and cooperation sub-group,National Trade Facilitation Committee or similar body stands out as the most implemented measure.On the other hand,there are measures that have not been implemented by any of the countries,even on a pilot basis.These are:electronic application for Cu

105、stoms refunds from the paperless trade sub-group;recognized certification authority from the cross-border paperless trade sub-group;SMEs access single window from the trade facilitation for SMEs sub-group;and authorities engaged in blockchain-based supply chain projects covering trade finance from t

106、he trade finance facilitation sub-group.61%58%55%35%11%0%12%33%24%11%28%0%20%40%60%80%100%TransparencyFormalitiesInstitutionalarrangement andcooperationPaperless tradeCross-borderpaperless tradeTransit facilitation Trade facilitation forSMEsAgricultural tradefacilitationWomen in tradefacilitationTra

107、de financefacilitationTrade facilitation intimes of crisis61%58%55%35%11%0%12%33%24%11%28%0%20%40%60%80%100%TransparencyFormalitiesInstitutionalarrangement andcooperationPaperless tradeCross-borderpaperless tradeTransit facilitation Trade facilitation forSMEsAgricultural tradefacilitationWomen in tr

108、adefacilitationTrade financefacilitationTrade facilitation intimes of crisis 15 Table 2.Most and least implemented measures in each sub-group of trade facilitation measures by Pacific Island Developing Economies Category Most implemented(%of countries)Least implemented(%of countries)Measure Implemen

109、ted fully,partially,or on a pilot basis(%)/Full implementation(%)Measure Implemented fully,partially,or on a pilot basis(%)/Full implementation(%)Transparency Publication of existing import-export regulations on the internet 90.9/27.3 Independent appeal mechanism and online lodging 72.7/9.1 Formalit

110、ies Separation of release from final determination of Customs duties,taxes,fees and charges 100.0/36.4 TF measures for authorized operators 54.5/0.0 Institutional arrangement and cooperation National Trade Facilitation Committee or similar body 90.9/54.5 Government agencies delegating border control

111、s to Customs authorities 45.5/18.2 Paperless trade Automated Customs System 100.0/36.4 Electronic Application for Customs Refunds 0.0/0.0 Cross-border paperless trade Laws and regulations for electronic transactions 54.5/0.0 Recognised certification authority 0.0/0.0 Transit facilitation Cooperation

112、 between agencies of countries involved in transit 0.0/0.0 Transit facilitation agreement(s)0.0/0.0 Trade facilitation for SMEs SMEs in National Trade Facilitation Committee 54.5/0.0 SMEs access Single Window 0.0/0.0 SMEs in AEO scheme Agricultural trade facilitation Special treatment for perishable

113、 goods 81.8/27.3 Testing and laboratory facilities available to meet SPS of main trading partners 27.3/9.1 Women in trade facilitation Women membership in the National Trade Facilitation Committee or similar bodies 54.5/0.0 TF policy/strategy to increase womens participation in trade 36.4/9.1 Trade

114、finance facilitation Variety of trade finance services available 54.5/9.1 Authorities engaged in blockchain-based supply chain project 0.0/0.0 16 covering trade finance Single window facilitates traders access to finance Trade facilitation in times of crisis Online publication of emergency TF measur

115、es 63.6/9.1 Plan in place to facilitate trade during future crises 9.1/0.0 Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Figure 5 illustrates the extent of implementation of measures directly aligned with the requirements of the WTO TFA,as

116、 indicated by the data gathered during the Survey.These findings closely align with the information conveyed by countries through official notifications to the WTO.Among PIDEs,the measure which has been fully implemented by the highest number of countries is acceptance of copies of original supporti

117、ng documents required for import,export,or transit formalities(Art.10.2.1).It is noteworthy that 73%of PIDEs have fully implemented this measure.The electronic single window system(Article 10.4)is the least implemented,with none of the PIDEs having fully adopted this measure.Meanwhile,9%of the count

118、ries have partially implemented it and 64%have yet to implement it.17 Figure 5.Level of implementation of WTO TFA-related measures(excluding transit)in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 2.2.P

119、rogress in implementation between 2021-2023 Some progress has been made in the implementation of trade facilitation measures within PIDEs from 2021 to 2023.2 The average implementation rate has witnessed a rise,climbing from 39%in 2021 to 42%in 2023(figure 6).Notably,Kiribati has achieved the highes

120、t progress,increasing its implementation rate from 23%in 2021 to 39%in 2023,a gain of roughly 16 percentage points followed by Tonga,growing from 45%in 2021 to 55%in 2023.However,except for these two countries,other nations either showed modest progress or maintained their 2021 levels.2 A total of 7

121、 PIDEs participated in the 2023 Survey,of which 6 countries also participated in the 2021 Survey.Only countries covered in both Surveys are analyzed to assess progress in the implementation of trade facilitation measures over the previous two years in order to make the samples comparable.0%10%20%30%

122、40%50%60%70%80%90%100%Art.10.4:Electronic Single Window SystemArt.7.7:TF measures for authorized operatorsArt.7.6:Establishment and publication of average release timesArt.8:National legislative framework and/or institutional arrangements for borderagencies cooperationArt.4:Independent appeal mechan

123、ism and online lodgingArt.7.2:E-Payment of Customs Duties and FeesArt.7.4:Risk managementArt.7.9:Special treatment for perishable goodsArt.1.2:Publication of existing import-export regulations on the internetArt.3:Advance ruling on tariff classification and origin of imported goodsArt.7.8:Expedited

124、shipmentsArt.7.5:Post-clearance auditsArt.2.1:Advance publication/notification of new trade-related regulations beforetheir implementationArt.7.3:Separation of release from final determination of customs duties,taxes,feesand chargesArt.2.2:Stakeholders consultation on new draft regulations(prior to

125、theirfinalization)Art.7.1:Pre-arrival processingArt.23:National Trade Facilitation Committee or similar bodyArt.10.2.1:Acceptance of copies of original supporting documents required forimport,export or transit formalitiesFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implemen

126、tedDont knowNot applicable 18 Figure 6.Trade facilitation implementation in Pacific Island Developing Economies between 2021 and 2023 Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Box 2.Kiribati Trade and Investment Portal Kiribati Trade a

127、nd Investment Portal has brought in the much-needed element of transparency into the trading environment by providing online access to stakeholders to all legislations and procedures relating to trade.The portal has a search facility which enables users to use search criteria such as trading across

128、borders,services to investors,tariff,starting and operating a business,coupled with the ability to filter the search according to the information needed by the user.The Portal also provides forms,links,and contact points of the regulatory agencies involved in trade procedures including business hour

129、s,required documentation,estimated costs,procedures duration,and related laws.As Kiribati is part of the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations(PACER)Plus,information specific to the PACER Plus Agreement is also available on the Portal.Source:Kiribati Trade and Investment Portal,available at

130、:https:/digitalgovernment.world/assets/documents/pdf/Flyer_Trade-Information%20Portal-6.pdf Figure 7 illustrates improvements in the implementation of trade facilitation measures by sub-group for PIDEs between 2019 and 2023.While the incremental increase between 2021 and 2023 might be driven by the

131、two best performing countries,a rather substantial increase in overall implementation rates can be observed over the longer run from 2019.This increase in implementation rates is found for all categories,with a particularly remarkable improvement on Trade facilitation in times of crisis of 10 percen

132、tage points since 2021,and 28%over 4 years.Women in trade facilitation measures also display an acceleration with a 9 percentage points increase since 2021,while it only rose by 2 points between 2019 and 2021.49%23%27%19%29%44%37%44%45%43%71%39%64%52%39%27%19%29%46%38%45%55%45%71%42%67%0%20%40%60%80

133、%100%FijiKiribatiMicronesiaNauruPalauPapua NewGuineaSamoaSolomonIslandsTongaTuvaluVanuatuPacific IslandDevelopingEconomiesAsia-Pacific20212023 19 Figure 7.Average implementation of different sub-groups of trade facilitation measures in Pacific Island Developing Economies between 2019 and 2023 Source

134、:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 3.Implementation of trade facilitation measures:A closer look 3.1.Transparency Transparency comprises five measures related to Articles 1 to 5 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement(TFA)and GATT Art

135、icle X on“Publication and Administration of Trade Regulations”.In this sub-group,the PIDEs achieve an average implementation level of 61%,which is far behind the average implementation rate of 83%achieved by the Asia-Pacific countries in this sub-group.Within this sub-group,the subregional implement

136、ation rates related to stakeholders consultations on new draft regulations(prior to their finalization)and to the publication of existing import-export regulations on the internet are the highest,both standing at an impressive implementation rate of 70%.Conversely,the measure with the lowest impleme

137、ntation rate,independent appeal mechanism and online lodging,is only 45%(figure 8).In addition,figure 9 illustrates that measures under transparency are implemented to various degrees in the PIDEs.Across all measures,at least 73%of PIDEs have advanced their implementation to at least a pilot stage.W

138、ithin this sub-group,the most implemented measure,at least partially,is publication of existing import-export regulations on the internet,by 91%of PIDEs.At the subregional level,a notable achievement is the development of the web portal of the PACER Plus Implementation unit which includes Trade Info

139、rmation Portals developed 53%51%44%25%7%6%24%13%5%59%56%48%31%8%8%30%15%8%18%61%58%55%35%11%12%33%24%11%28%0%20%40%60%80%100%TransparencyFormalitiesInstitutionalarrangement andcooperationPaperless tradefacilitationCross-borderpaperless tradeTrade facilitationfor SMEsAgricultural tradefacilitationWom

140、en in tradefacilitationTrade financefacilitationTrade facilitationin times of crisis201920212023 20 by UNCTAD for eight PIDEs with comprehensive information3.Following that,stakeholders consultation on new draft regulations(prior to their finalization)and advance publication/notification of new trad

141、e-related regulations before their implementation demonstrate high levels of full or partial implementation at around 82%of PIDEs.Conversely,the measure independent appeal mechanism and online lodging requires further efforts as only one country has fully implemented it,with three countries yet to s

142、tart the implementation.Figure 8.State of implementation of transparency by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Figure 9.State of implementation of transparency in Pac

143、ific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 3 PACER Plus Implementation Unit Web Portal:https:/pacerplus.org/Trade Information Portals:https:/digitalgovernment.world/trade-information-portals/0%10%20%30%4

144、0%50%60%70%80%90%100%Independent appeal mechanism and online lodgingPublication of existing import-export regulations on the internetAdvance ruling on tariff classification and origin of imported goodsAdvance publication/notification of new trade-related regulations before theirimplementationStakeho

145、lders consultation on new draft regulations(prior to their finalization)Fully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable0%20%40%60%80%100%Publication of existing import-exportregulations on the internetStakeholders consultation on new draftreg

146、ulations(prior to their finalization)Advance publication/notification of newtrade-related regulations before theirimplementationAdvance ruling on tariff classification andorigin of imported goodsIndependent appeal mechanism andonline lodgingAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing Economies 21 3.2.Form

147、alities The formalities sub-group encompasses eight general trade facilitation measures that aim to streamline trade procedures,aligning with the requirements outlined in Articles 6-10 of the WTO TFA and GATT Article VIII on“Release and Clearance of Goods”.In 2023,the implementation rate for all mea

148、sures within the formalities stands at 58%,lagging behind the regional average of Asia and the Pacific,which is 76%.The measure with the highest implementation rate in the subregion is the acceptance of copies of original supporting documents required for import,export,or transit formalities,reachin

149、g a commendable implementation rate of 82%,followed by pre-arrival processing and separation of release from final determination of customs duties,taxes,fees and charges with 76%.However,when it comes to TF measures for authorized operators and establishment and publication of average release times,

150、there is a lot of room for improvement,with implementation rates of 21%and 24%,respectively(figure 10).As shown in figure 11,there is a notable imbalance of implementation within this sub-group.Among all the measures,the measure acceptance of copies of original supporting documents required for impo

151、rt,export,or transit formalities exhibits the highest fully implemented rate at 73%.The measure risk management has been implemented by all PIDEs,either fully or partially.Additionally,the measures pre-arrival processing and separation of release from the final determination of Customs duties,taxes,

152、fees,and charges have been fully or partially implemented by 91%of PIDEs.Conversely,none of these countries has fully implemented the measures establishment and publication of average release times or Trade facilitation(TF)measures for authorized operators,and 45%of PIDEs havent even started to impl

153、ement these two measures yet.22 Figure 10.State of implementation of formalities by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Figure 11.State of implementation of trade form

154、alities in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 3.3.Institutional arrangement and cooperation The institutional arrangement and cooperation category comprises three trade facilitation measures h

155、ighlighted in the Survey.These measures revolve around the longstanding recommendation to establish a national trade facilitation body that promotes coordination and cooperation among government agencies and other stakeholders involved in trade facilitation 0%20%40%60%80%100%Risk managementPre-arriv

156、al processingPost-clearance auditsSeparation of release from finaldetermination of customs duties,taxes,fees and chargesEstablishment and publication of averagerelease timesTF measures for authorized operatorsExpedited shipmentsAcceptance of copies of originalsupporting documents required forimport,

157、export or transit formalitiesAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing Economies0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%TF measures for authorized operatorsEstablishment and publication of average release timesRisk managementExpedited shipmentsPost-clearance auditsSeparation of release from final determination

158、 of customs duties,taxes,fees andchargesPre-arrival processingAcceptance of copies of original supporting documents required for import,exportor transit formalitiesFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable 23 activities.In addition,all

159、three measures are specified in various articles of the WTO TFA.In PIDEs,the implementation rate of these measures stands at 55%,far below the Asia-Pacific regions average of 68%.Noting this status quo and recognizing the imperative of establishing sound cooperation between PIDEs,the Pacific Islands

160、 Forum(PIF)Secretariat in partnership with the World Bank has developed a Pacific Regional Trade Facilitation Strategy(PRTFS)in which the establishment of a regional Trade Facilitation Committee is envisaged.The strategy was endorsed by the Forum Trade Ministers in October 2023.Figure 12 illustrates

161、 the varying state of implementation for each measure within this sub-group.The measure with the highest implementation rate is the National Trade Facilitation Committee or similar body,with a commendable implementation rate of 76%.The implementation rate for the national legislative framework and/o

162、r institutional arrangements for border agencies cooperation is 55%,which is the same as the regional average in PIDEs.On the other hand,the measure government agencies delegating border controls to Customs authorities only has an implementation rate of 33%.Nearly 55%of countries in this subregion h

163、ave yet to implement this measure,making it the least implemented measure within this sub-group(figure 13).Figure 12.State of implementation of institutional arrangement and cooperation by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustai

164、nable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 0%20%40%60%80%100%National Trade Facilitation Committee orsimilar bodyNational legislative framework and/orinstitutional arrangements for borderagencies cooperationGovernment agencies delegating bordercontrols to Customs authoritiesAsia-Pacif

165、icPacific Island Developing Economies 24 Figure 13.State of implementation of institutional arrangement and cooperation measures for trade facilitation in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 3.

166、4.Paperless trade Nine trade facilitation measures are categorized under the paperless trade sub-group.These measures involve the utilization of modern information and communications technologies(ICT)in trade procedures,ranging from basic internet connectivity at border crossings to comprehensive el

167、ectronic Single Window systems.Many of these measures align with the provisions outlined in the WTO TFA.In the subregion,the implementation level of paperless trade stands at 35%,far lower than the Asia-Pacific regional average of 66%.It is important to note that while the TFA encourages economies t

168、o implement such measures,it does not impose them as mandatory requirements.Consequently,there is a significant disparity in the implementation rates of the paperless trade measures,ranging from 0%to 79%.As depicted in figure 14,Automated Customs System reaches 79%,the highest level in this sub-grou

169、p.It is followed by the measure Internet connection available to Customs and other trade control agencies,which achieved a commendable implementation rate of 64%.However,the measures with the lowest implementation rate are Electronic application and issuance of Preferential Certificate of Origin and

170、 Electronic Application for Customs Refunds,with implementation rates of 6%and 0%,respectively.None of the countries in PIDEs have fully or partially implemented either of these two measures,and none have even piloted the measure Electronic Application for Customs Refunds(figure 15).These low implem

171、entation rates are largely due to the absence of an electronic single window and the still widespread use of paper for submitting certificates of origin and customs refunds.Furthermore,when ASYCUDA World Customs data processing system is implemented,as recently in Kiribati,electronic application of

172、Certificates of Origin and Customs refunds are planned,but often not considered a priority.0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%National legislative framework and/or institutional arrangements for borderagencies cooperationGovernment agencies delegating border controls to Customs authoritiesNational Tra

173、de Facilitation Committee or similar bodyFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable 25 Figure 14.State of implementation of paperless trade by PIDEs benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade F

174、acilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Figure 15.State of implementation of paperless trade in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 3.5.Cross-border paperless trade The category of cross-b

175、order paperless trade encompasses six measures with the goal of facilitating the exchange and recognition of trade-related data and documents.Two fundamental measures in this category include the establishment of laws and regulations for electronic transactions and recognized certification authority

176、.These measures serve as essential foundations for enabling the secure exchange of trade-related information within a 0%20%40%60%80%100%Automated Customs SystemInternet connection available to Customsand other trade control agenciesElectronic Single Window SystemElectronic submission of Customsdecla

177、rationsElectronic application and issuance ofimport and export permitElectronic Submission of Air CargoManifestsElectronic application and issuance ofPreferential Certificate of OriginE-Payment of Customs Duties and FeesElectronic Application for CustomsRefundsAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing E

178、conomies0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%Electronic Application for Customs RefundsElectronic application and issuance of Preferential Certificate of OriginElectronic Single Window SystemElectronic application and issuance of import and export permitElectronic submission of Customs declarationsElect

179、ronic Submission of Air Cargo ManifestsE-Payment of Customs Duties and FeesInternet connection available to Customs and other trade control agenciesAutomated Customs SystemFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable 26 country and across

180、the entire international supply chain.In PIDEs,the average implementation rates of these two measures stand at 27%and 0%,respectively.The remaining four measures focus on implementing systems that facilitate the actual exchange of trade-related data and documents across borders,eliminating the need

181、for physical paper documents.In PIDEs,the implementation rate of cross-border paperless trade stands at 11%,31 percentage points below the Asia-Pacific regional average of 42%,indicating a great deal of room for improvement(figure 16).Figure 17 illustrates that none of the PIDEs has fully implemente

182、d any measure within this sub-group.The measure laws and regulations for electronic transactions has been implemented partially or on a pilot basis by 55%of the PIDEs,making it the most implemented measure in this category.Moreover,measures such as electronic exchange of Certificate of Origin,electr

183、onic exchange of Sanitary&Phyto-Sanitary Certificate,and paperless collection of payment from a documentary letter of credit are only being implemented partially or at a pilot stage by 18%of the PIDEs.Additionally,none of the PIDEs have started putting the recognized certification authority provisio

184、n into practice.Figure 16.State of implementation of cross-border paperless trade by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 0%20%40%60%80%100%Laws and regulations for ele

185、ctronictransactionsRecognised certification authorityElectronic exchange of CustomsDeclarationElectronic exchange of Certificate ofOriginElectronic exchange of Sanitary&Phyto-Sanitary CertificatePaperless collection of payment from adocumentary letter of creditAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing E

186、conomies 27 Figure 17.State of implementation of cross-border paperless trade in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org In addition to the need to advance paperless and cross-border paperless trad

187、e in PIDEs overall,with the greater emphasis on sustainable trade,implementation of paperless and cross-border paperless trade facilitation measures could lead to making trade more sustainable and climate-smart(box 3).Box 3.Climate-smart trade facilitation Climate-smart trade facilitation refers to

188、trade facilitation measures that aim to make trade greener,in line with Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)on climate action.Digitalization is one key element in the green trade transition.The 2021 Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report highlighted the need for an acceleration of cl

189、imate-smart trade solutions.4 Paperless and cross-border paperless trade measures can have positive impacts on protecting the environment and making trade more sustainable by reducing GHG emissions,both from embodied carbon emissions in paper production,and in the emissions from transporting physica

190、l documents.An ESCAP study undertaken in May 2021 estimated that by fully digitalizing regulatory procedures around trade,between 32 and 86 kg of CO2 equivalents could be saved per end-to-end transaction.5 One example of climate-smart trade facilitation utilizing trade digitalization is the electron

191、ic permits of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,known as CITES.It is an agreement between Governments that aims to ensure that international trade in wild animals and plant specimens are regulated for the protection of those species.Electronic permit

192、s(eCITES)are an emerging digital solution for improving the implementation of the CITES Convention by simplifying the compliance procedure for trade in these goods.It is also being used as a means of combatting illegal trade.In the 2023 Survey,the pilot-tested measures,trade facilitation and wildlif

193、e protection,addressed the implementation of the CITES electronic permit system(eCITES).Notably,none of the PIDEs nations have begun to adopt eCITES permits,indicating a low degree of implementation rate for the policy(figure 18).4 Asia-Pacific Trade and investment Report 2021:Accelerating Climate-S

194、mart Trade and Investment for Sustainable Development,available at https:/www.unescap.org/kp/APTIR2021 5 ESCAP,2023,Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation:Global Report 2023 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%Recognised certification authorityElectronic exchange of Customs DeclarationElectronic ex

195、change of Certificate of OriginElectronic exchange of Sanitary&Phyto-Sanitary CertificatePaperless collection of payment from a documentary letter of creditLaws and regulations for electronic transactionsFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot a

196、pplicable 28 Figure 18.State of implementation of trade facilitation and wildlife protection in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 3.6.Trade facilitation for SMEs Regarding PIDEs,there is cons

197、iderable variation in the level of implementation of all five measures in trade facilitation for SMEs,as indicated by figure 19.The average implementation rate of these measures in PIDEs is 12%,which is far below the Asia-Pacific regional average rate of 43%.Moreover,PIDEs exhibit a lower level of i

198、mplementation on each one of the five measures studied compared to the Asia-Pacific region.Figure 20 reveals the overall low implementation of trade facilitation for SMEs within PIDEs.None of the PIDEs has fully implemented any measure in this sub-group.In terms of SMEs access Single Window and SMEs

199、 in AEO scheme,it is worth noting that no PIDEs have yet implemented these measures even at a pilot stage.When it comes to measures for SMEs in National Trade Facilitation Committee,apart from an implementation rate above the regional average with 30%,it is noticeable that 55%of PIDEs have implement

200、ed this measure but only partially or at a pilot stage.The least implemented measures are SMEs access to Single Window and SMEs in AEO scheme,which have not been implemented by any of the PIDEs.The upward trend in the use of e-commerce in the global economy could present opportunities for SMEs to co

201、nnect to global supply chains,but measures specifically supporting SMEs as well as e-commerce would need to be further enhanced(box 4).0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%Electronic application,issuance and exchange of eCITESFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot impleme

202、ntedDont knowNot applicable 29 Figure 19.State of implementation of trade facilitation for SMEs by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Figure 20.State of implementatio

203、n of trade facilitation for SMEs in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 0%20%40%60%80%100%Trade-related information measures for SMEsSMEs in AEO schemeSMEs access Single WindowSMEs in National

204、Trade Facilitation CommitteeOther special measures for SMEsAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing Economies0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%SMEs access Single WindowSMEs in AEO schemeOther special measures for SMEsTrade-related information measures for SMEsSMEs in National Trade Facilitation Committe

205、eFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable 30 Box 4.Trade facilitation for e-commerce and SMEs Electronic commerce(e-commerce)accounts for a significant proportion of business transactions among Asia-Pacific countries and is an increasi

206、ngly important element in international trade.An ongoing challenge in this space is to harmonize regulations governing e-commerce across nations;although progress has been made,regulations governing e-commerce have not kept pace with the rapid expansion of e-commerce transactions.In the 2023 Survey,

207、the pilot-tested trade facilitation for e-commerce measure reflects whether countries have implemented a national strategy on cross-border e-commerce and a de minimis regime.It is observed that 64%of PIDEs have partially implemented it,with 18%at a pilot stage(figure 21).This highlights the need for

208、 significant improvements,not only for the areas indicated in the measure,but also in a broader context for the overall e-commerce environment.These improvements are crucial for enhancing overall“Digital Trade Facilitation”and ensuring its positive impact on sustainable trade.Figure 21.State of impl

209、ementation of trade facilitation for e-commerce in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org The implementation of trade facilitation for e-commerce is also well captured in the Pacific E-commerce Po

210、rtal.For the Measure 1.1.1 of the Pacific Regional E-commerce Strategy and Road Map,which refers to the level of development of the national E-commerce strategies in all Forum Island Countries(FICs)built on the model of the regional E-commerce Strategy and Roadmap6,FICs showed a 53.13%degree of impl

211、ementation.3.7.Agricultural Trade Facilitation The implementation rate of agricultural trade facilitation in the PIDEs stands at 33%,much lower than the Asia-Pacific average of 62%.The measure special treatment for perishable goods has the highest implementation rate at 61%.6 For further information

212、 visit https:/pacificecommerce.org/Measures/?mainFilter=Measures&strategicOutput=1.1&measures=1.1.1 and https:/pacificecommerce.org/projects/?_measures=c7c76a715b4f588dac78ea939e5c5bc8 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%TF measures for cross-border e-commerceFully implementedPartially implementedPilot

213、 stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable 31 Apart from this measure,the implementation rates of other measures in this sub-group are all less than or equal to 30%.Indeed,following far behind,the second measure with the highest implementation rate is national standards and accre

214、ditation bodies to facilitate compliance with SPS which stands at 30%(figure 22).The measures with the lowest implementation rates in this sub-group are the testing and laboratory facilities available to meet SPS of main trading partners and electronic application and issuance of SPS certificates,wh

215、ich both have the same implementation rate of 21%.Implementation of these measures is often incomplete,and only 9%of PIDEs have fully implemented them,while 55%of the PIDEs havent started to implement these two measures at all(figure 23).Figure 22.State of implementation of agricultural trade facili

216、tation by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Figure 23.State of implementation of agricultural trade facilitation in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN

217、 Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%Electronic application and issuance of SPS certificatesTesting and laboratory facilities available to meet SPS of main trading partnersNational standards and accreditation b

218、odies to facilitate compliance with SPSSpecial treatment for perishable goodsFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable0%20%40%60%80%100%Testing and laboratory facilities available tomeet SPS of main trading partnersNational standards an

219、d accreditation bodiesto facilitate compliance with SPSElectronic application and issuance of SPScertificatesSpecial treatment for perishable goodsAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing Economies 32 3.8.Women in Trade Facilitation The average implementation level of the three women in trade facilitat

220、ion measures in PIDEs currently stands at 24%.This is lower than the average rate in the Asia-Pacific region(42%),demonstrating that gender equality needs further integration into various policy initiatives and the specific concerns of female traders regarding trade facilitation needs to be paid mor

221、e attention in PIDEs.The measure with the highest implementation rate is the women membership in the National Trade Facilitation Committee or similar bodies,which stands at 30%.Moreover,the implementation rate for the measure TF policy/strategy to increase womens participation in trade also follows

222、relatively close with an implementation rate of 24%,with 36%of PIDEs having implemented it at least at a pilot stage.In contrast,the measure TF measures to benefit women involved in trade lags behind with an implementation rate of only 18%.Moreover,this measure has not been implemented at all in 55%

223、of PIDEs(figure 25).33 Figure 24.State of implementation of women in trade facilitation by Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Figure 25.State of implementation of women in trade facilitation i

224、n Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 3.9.Trade finance facilitation Among the sub-group of measures in PIDEs,trade finance facilitation has the lowest implementation rate of 11%,far below the

225、average rate in the Asia-Pacific region(30%).The most widely implemented measure is variety of trade finance services available,which has an average implementation rate of 33%,with 55%of PIDEs reporting at least a pilot stage of implementation.In contrast,the rates of implementation of single window

226、 facilitating trader access to finance and authorities engaged in blockchain-based supply chain projects covering trade finance have not been implemented by any PIDEs,even at a pilot stage(figures 26 and 27).0%20%40%60%80%100%TF policy/strategy to increase womens participation in tradeTF measures to

227、 benefit women involved intradeWomen membership in the National TradeFacilitation Committee or similar bodiesAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing Economies0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%TF measures to benefit women involved in tradeWomen membership in the National Trade Facilitation Committee or

228、similar bodiesTF policy/strategy to increase womens participation in tradeFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable 34 It is worth noting that data collection on this topic during the Survey proved to be challenging.For example,there wa

229、s a lack of evidence regarding the implementation of Single Window features that facilitate traders access to finance,as indicated by trade facilitation experts and officials who provided or validated the Survey responses.This suggests a general unfamiliarity with trade finance among these stakehold

230、ers.Traditional trade facilitation actors,including Customs and government ministries responsible for trade,may perceive financing and payment procedures in international trade transactions as beyond their scope of work.However,considering the interconnectedness of goods and financial flows,the resu

231、lts highlight the necessity for enhanced coordination and cooperation with stakeholders involved in developing financial and payment services.Figure 26.State of implementation of trade finance facilitation by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey o

232、n Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org Figure 27.State of implementation of trade finance facilitation in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 0%20%40%60%8

233、0%100%Single window facilitates traders access tofinanceAuthorities engaged in blockchain-basedsupply chain project covering trade financeVariety of trade finance services availableAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing Economies0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%Authorities engaged in blockchain-based

234、 supply chain project covering trade financeSingle window facilitates traders access to financeVariety of trade finance services availableFully implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable 35 3.10.Trade facilitation in times of crisis In the 202

235、1 Survey,a new category called trade facilitation measures in times of crisis was introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,and the 2023 Survey continued to include measures addressing both immediate crisis responses and long-term resilient strategies.PIDEs have achieved an implementation leve

236、l of 28%in this sub-group,below the average in the Asia-Pacific region(60%).Among all measures in this sub-group,the measures agency in place to manage TF in times of crises and emergencies and online publication of emergency TF measures have the highest implementation rate at 39%and have been fully

237、 or partially implemented by 55%and 45%of the PIDEs,respectively(figures 28 and 29).To address the challenges posed by restrictive measures,it is crucial to enhance cooperation between countries to prevent trade tensions from escalating and ensure the uninterrupted flow of essential goods in supply

238、chains.For the coordination between countries on emergency TF measures and plan in place to facilitate trade during future crises,PIDEs have implementation rates of 33%and 6%,respectively,both being lower than the average implementation rates of the Asia-Pacific region,indicating PIDEs still have op

239、portunities to grow within this sub-group(figure 28).Figure 28.State of implementation of trade facilitation in times of crisis by Pacific Island Developing Economies benchmarking Asia-Pacific Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org

240、0%20%40%60%80%100%Agency in place to manage TF in times ofcrises and emergenciesOnline publication of emergency TFmeasuresCoordination between countries onemergency TF measuresAdditional trade facilitation measures tofacilitate trade in times of emergenciesPlan in place to facilitate trade duringfut

241、ure crisesAsia-PacificPacific Island Developing Economies 36 Figure 29.State of implementation of trade facilitation in times of crisis in Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsurvey.org 4.Assessing the im

242、pact of trade facilitation in PIDEs To assess the potential impact of the implementation of trade facilitation measures in PIDEs,a trade cost model was formulated as a function of trade facilitation implementation rates based on the Survey data.This is in addition to other traditional trade cost fac

243、tors such as natural geographic factors(distance,“landlockedness”,and contiguity),cultural and historical distance(e.g.,common official language and/or former colonial relationships),the presence of regional trade agreements,and maritime connectivity.The model is based on ESCAP(2023)7 by capturing t

244、he changes in trade costs resulting from the implementation of trade facilitation measures by each country.The overall trade cost reductions expected in PIDEs from the implementation of three sets of trade facilitation measures are shown in table 3.The first set of trade facilitation measures is lim

245、ited to the implementation of WTO TFA binding measures only.The second set of measures includes all binding and non-binding WTO TFA measures included in the Survey.The final and most ambitious set is a WTO TFA+set of measures including digital implementation of TFA measures and cross-border paperles

246、s trade.For each set of measures,the average changes in trade cost achieved if all PIDEs at least partially implement all measures,or if they all fully implement all measures,are calculated.7 ESCAP,2023,Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation:Global Report 2023 0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%Pl

247、an in place to facilitate trade during future crisesAdditional trade facilitation measures to facilitate trade in times of emergenciesCoordination between countries on emergency TF measuresOnline publication of emergency TF measuresAgency in place to manage TF in times of crises and emergenciesFully

248、 implementedPartially implementedPilot stage of implementationNot implementedDont knowNot applicable 37 Table 3.Expected trade cost reduction from alternative trade facilitation reforms Pacific Island Developing Economies:trade costs model WTO TFA(binding only)WTO TFA(binding+nonbinding)WTO TFA+(bin

249、ding+nonbinding+other paperless and cross-border paperless trade)Partially implemented Fully implemented Partially implemented Fully implemented Partially implemented Fully implemented Model 1 Overall trade facilitation-2.69%-7.06%-5.36%-12.85%-17.05%-25.55%Model 2 General trade facilitation measure

250、s-1.77%-4.62%-2.54%-6.97%-3.50%-8.02%Digital trade facilitation measures-2.53%-4.47%-14.00%-17.88%Source:United Nations ESCAP,based on data from www.untfsurvey.org and ESCAP/World Bank Trade Cost database.Note:There are no digital trade facilitation measures that are classified as WTO TFA binding me

251、asures.WTO TFA=World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement.Two main findings emerge from this impact analysis.First,complying with WTO TFA by implementing binding measures can only slightly reduce trade costs.Full implementation of binding measures in the overall trade facilitation model r

252、esults in a decrease in trade costs of about 7%,while full implementation of all measures(both binding and non-binding)results in nearly a 13%reduction.Second,the paperless implementation of the TFA measures,together with enabling the seamless electronic exchange of trade data and documents across b

253、orders,will help to significantly reduce trade costs by nearly 26%for PIDEs as a whole.The results of model 2 also suggest that most of trade cost reductions are associated with digital trade facilitation measures rather than conventional trade facilitation measures.The WTO TFA is supplemented in th

254、is regard by the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific.Additionally,it provides a supportive platform for ESCAP member States to facilitate the electronic exchange of trade-related data and documents relating to cross-border trade for those who h

255、ave not yet implemented such mechanisms.Therefore,all PIDEs are encouraged to become a party to the treaty as soon as possible and promote harmonization of trade facilitation measures across the Asia-Pacific region.38 PIDEs will gain a great deal from accelerating the implementation of trade facilit

256、ation.As shown in figure 30,the full implementation of the three different sets of trade facilitation measures results in trade cost reductions for two PIDEs:Fiji and Samoa.As expected,the trade cost reductions are much larger when cross-border paperless trade is achieved.However,achieving such trad

257、e cost reductions will require closer cooperation between economies on developing interoperable paperless trade systems,as envisaged in the CPTA.Figure 30.Impact of trade facilitation implementation on trade costs of Pacific Island Developing Economies Source:United Nations ESCAP,based on data from

258、www.untfsurvey.org and ESCAP/World Bank Trade Cost database 5.Conclusion and the way forward This report presents the implementation data of a set of 60 trade facilitation measures collected from the 11 PIDEs and other economies across the Asia-Pacific region.The Survey,serving as the fundamental so

259、urce of the report,covers the implementation of general trade facilitation measures,including most of those featured in the WTO TFA,but also digital and sustainable trade facilitation measures and beyond.Figure 31 confirms the correlation between trade costs of Asia-Pacific economies and the level o

260、f trade facilitation implementation in the region.39 Figure 31.Trade facilitation implementation and trade costs of Asia-Pacific economies Source:UN Trade Facilitation Survey and ESCAP/World Bank Trade Cost.Based on a set of 31 general and digital trade facilitation measures included in the survey,t

261、he average trade facilitation implementation in PIDEs is found to be 42%which is far behind the Asia-Pacific regional average implementation rate of 67%.This represents an increase of 3 percentage points compared to the last Survey results,suggesting significant room for improvement,as progress was

262、observed only among a limited number of PIDEs.Although some countries such as Vanuatu,Fiji,and Tonga lead the rest overall,most trade facilitation systems remain at the pilot stage with very limited implementation,pointing the need for more targeted interventions.Many countries still struggle with i

263、mplementing even basic facilities for trade facilitation,facing challenges like lack of consistent political will,absence of a clearly designated lead agency,and shortage of human and financial resources,which have possibly contributed to the slow implementation of some trade facilitation measures.F

264、urthermore,progress is not homogeneous among the different groups of measures but also within each group of measures.Although several projects were implemented including the Transparency in Trade Regulation and Facilitation project by UNCTAD,the group of measures related to transparency in trade fac

265、ilitation have only slightly progressed in PIDEs.Within the WTO-TFA relevant“General”measures,the assessment reveals that most efforts have focused on measures strengthening the coordination and cooperation among government agencies.y=-283.37x+351.19R=0.63320501001502002503003500%20%40%60%80%100%Tra

266、de cost,excl.tariff(percent,ad-valorem equivalent)Trade facilitation implementation:2021 40 It is noted that continued efforts are put in“Digital Trade Facilitation”including through projects supported by development partners,such as the ASYCUDA World project for 6 Pacific Island economies to access

267、 and leverage technology.However,it is noticeable that“Digital Trade Facilitation”is still lagging far behind,especially regarding cross-border paperless trade.Moreover,improvements observed in trade digitalization since the last Survey remain limited and show significant disparity among measures.On

268、 positive note,PIDEs show commendable performance in electronic transactions for Customs procedures towards paperless trade,but still showing very limited progress with several electronic certificates in cross-border paperless trade(namely Certificate of Origin and Sanitary&Phyto-Sanitary Certificat

269、e),which is an area that calls for further attention and improvement.Figure 32 combines seamless international supply chains to illustrate the implementation of trade facilitation as a step-by-step process,based on the five core groups of measures included in the Survey.Trade facilitation begins wit

270、h establishing the institutional arrangement to prioritize and coordinate trade facilitation measures.The next step is to enhance transparency by widely sharing information on existing laws,regulations,and procedures,and engaging in negotiations with stakeholders when developing new ones.The third s

271、tep involves designing and implementing simplified and efficient trade formalities.Initially,these re-engineered and streamlined processes may rely on paper documents,but they can be further improved through the use of ICT and paperless trade systems.The ultimate step is to enable the exchange of el

272、ectronic trade data and documents among traders,governments,and service providers within national systems such as the Single Window,allowing stakeholders in partner countries to access the necessary information to expedite the movement of goods and reduce overall trade costs.The graph shows the cumu

273、lative implementation level of trade facilitation measures in PIDEs.It reveals the similarities in implementation patterns across countries,with paperless and cross-border paperless trade facilitation are the least implemented of all groups of measures.Countries have significant room to make progres

274、s in all areas of trade facilitation,starting with transparency and formalities sub-groups of measures.41 Figure 32.Moving up the trade facilitation ladder towards seamless international supply chains Source:The UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation,2023.Available at untfsur

275、vey.org Note:Figure 32 shows global cumulative trade facilitation implementation scores for different regions for five sub-groups of trade facilitation measures included in the Survey.The scores are based on the equally weighted implementation of 31 trade facilitation measures,but the number of meas

276、ures varies in each of the five sub-groups.Full implementation of all measures=100.In terms of“Sustainable Trade Facilitation”,the implementation of inclusive measures to promote SMEs,key participants in the global economy,remains low.Although SMEs play an important role in digitalized trade,trade f

277、acilitation measures tailored to SMEs are insufficient.It is noticeable that SMEs are now more included in NTFCs and that some trade facilitation measures specifically target this typology of companies,but systematically at a pilot stage level.During the same period,no progress was observed in facil

278、itating the access of SMEs to the AEO scheme and to the Single Window whereas recommendation 33 of UN/CEFACT recognizes its significance for general trade and SMEs specifically.Therefore,building the capacity of SMEs and taking them into account in trade facilitation policies remains of critical imp

279、ortance.Conversely,PIDEs have recognized the importance of gender mainstreaming in trade facilitation by implementing policies and strategies to increase womens participation;promoting their representation in decision-making committees;and developing measures to 020406080100Performance AreaFrontier(

280、full implementation)Asia-PacificEast and North-East AsiaPacific Island Developing EconomiesFijiKiribatiMicronesiaNauruPalauPapua New GuineaSamoaSolomon IslandsTongaTuvaluVanuatuInstitutional arrangement and cooperationTransparencyFormalitiesPaperless tradeCross-border paperless trade 42 specifically

281、 benefit women involved in trade.This demonstrates the efforts developed by PIDEs to ensure a more balanced representation of the interests of women and men in trade,which could have an impact on increasing exports and enabling women to access higher income opportunities.Nevertheless,the implementat

282、ion rate of trade facilitation measures targeting women still lags far behind the average in Asia-Pacific region and therefore,PIDEs still need to pursue furthering their efforts to consolidate gender balanced role,involvement and representation.Facilitating trade finance and the associated payment

283、instruments play a strategic role in developing and securing the entire international trade transaction system.Implementing trade finance is particularly important for developing economies,including PIDEs and SMEs seeking to benefit from trade opportunities.Although PIDEs have made available a wider

284、 variety of trade finance services since the last Survey,trade finance is still very limited considering Single Windows do not facilitate traders access to finance and the absence of integration of emerging technologies applied to trade finance into supply chain projects developed by national author

285、ities.Therefore,trade facilitation policymakers and enforcers need to work together with stakeholders in the financial sectors to study how to promote trade finance and incorporate it into trade facilitation implementation strategies,including single window development plans.Considering the results

286、of the trade facilitation in times of crisis sub-group,they demonstrate the growing importance given by PIDEs to the implementation of long-term measures able to build resiliency to pandemics and other crises.Nevertheless,the results show that the implementation level of PIDEs remains the lowest wit

287、hin the Asia-Pacific sub-regions and exposes the weaknesses in international trade supply chains in this sub-region.Therefore,the necessity remains for PIDEs to learn from the experience of other subregions and improve the emergency response capacity to meet future challenges.As countries move towar

288、ds inclusive and sustainable development,it is crucial for PIDEs to prioritize sustainable and resilient trade facilitation measures and foster collaborative efforts to embrace forward-looking trade facilitation policies that benefit all stakeholders.By doing so,PIDEs can pave the way for a sustaina

289、ble and prosperous future in the subregion,while simultaneously working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.This includes the current climate crisis,in which trade facilitation certainly has a mitigating role to play.8 8 United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the

290、Pacific,(2021.Asia-Pacific trade and investment report 2021:accelerating climate-smart trade and investment for sustainable development.Available at https:/www.unescap.org/kp/APTIR2021.43 Annexes Annex 1.List of participating countries Country Subregion Afghanistan South and South-West Asia Armenia

291、North and Central Asia Australia Australia-New Zealand Azerbaijan North and Central Asia Bangladesh South and South-West Asia Bhutan South and South-West Asia Brunei Darussalam South-East Asia Cambodia South-East Asia China East and North-East Asia Fiji Pacific Islands Developing Economies Georgia N

292、orth and Central Asia India South and South-West Asia Indonesia South-East Asia Islamic Republic of Iran South and South-West Asia Japan East and North-East Asia Kazakhstan North and Central Asia Kiribati Pacific Islands Developing Economies Kyrgyzstan North and Central Asia Lao PDR South-East Asia

293、Malaysia South-East Asia Maldives South and South-West Asia Micronesia Pacific Islands Developing Economies Mongolia East and North-East Asia Myanmar South-East Asia Nauru Pacific Islands Developing Economies Nepal South and South-West Asia New Zealand Australia-New Zealand Pakistan South and South-

294、West Asia Palau Pacific Islands Developing Economies Papua New Guinea Pacific Islands Developing Economies Philippines South-East Asia Republic of Korea East and North-East Asia Russian Federation North and Central Asia Samoa Pacific Islands Developing Economies Singapore South-East Asia Solomon Isl

295、ands Pacific Islands Developing Economies Sri Lanka South and South-West Asia 44 Tajikistan North and Central Asia Thailand South-East Asia Timor Leste South-East Asia Tonga Pacific Islands Developing Economies Turkey South and South-West Asia Turkmenistan North and Central Asia Tuvalu Pacific Islan

296、ds Developing Economies Uzbekistan North and Central Asia Vanuatu Pacific Islands Developing Economies Viet Nam South-East Asia Note:PIDEs are highlighted.45 Annex 2.Grouping of trade facilitation measures and correspondence with TFA articles Groups Subgroups Measures Relevant TFA Articles General T

297、rade Facilitation Transparency Publication of existing import-export regulations on the Internet 1.2 Stakeholders consultation on new draft regulations(prior to their finalization)2.2 Advance publication/notification of new trade-related regulations before their implementation 2.1 Advance ruling on

298、tariff classification and origin of imported goods 3 Independent appeal mechanism 4 Formalities Risk management 7.4 Pre-arrival processing 7.1 Post-clearance audits 7.5 Separation of Release from final determination of Customs duties,taxes,fees and charges 7.3 Establishment and publication of averag

299、e release times 7.6 TF measures for authorized operators 7.7 Expedited shipments 7.8 Acceptance of copies of original supporting documents required for import,export or transit formalities 10.2.1 Institutional arrangement and cooperation National Trade Facilitation Committee or similar body 23 Natio

300、nal legislative framework and/or institutional arrangements for border agencies cooperation 8 Government agencies delegating border controls to Customs authorities Alignment of working days and hours with neighbouring countries at border crossings 8.2(a)Alignment of formalities and procedures with n

301、eighbouring countries at border crossings 8.2(b)Transit Transit facilitation agreement(s)Limit the physical inspections of transit goods and use risk assessment 10.5 Supporting pre-arrival processing for transit facilitation 11.9 46 Cooperation between agencies of countries involved in transit 11.16

302、 Digital Trade Facilitation Paperless trade Automated Customs System Internet connection available to Customs and other trade control agencies Electronic Single Window System 10.4 Electronic submission of Customs Declarations Electronic application and issuance of import and export permit Electronic

303、 submission of Sea Cargo Manifests Electronic Submission of Air Cargo Manifests Electronic application and issuance of Preferential Certificate of Origin E-Payment of Customs Duties and Fees 7.2 Electronic Application for Customs Refunds Cross-border paperless trade Laws and regulations for electron

304、ic transactions Recognised certification authority Electronic exchange of Customs Declaration Electronic exchange of Certificate of Origin Electronic exchange of Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Certificate Paperless collection of payment from a documentary letter of credit Sustainable Trade Facilitation

305、 Trade facilitation in SME policy framework Trade-related information measures for SMEs SMEs in AEO scheme SMEs access Single Window SMEs in National Trade Facilitation Committee Other special measures for SMEs Agricultural trade facilitation Testing and laboratory facilities available to meet SPS o

306、f main trading partners 7.9 National standards and accreditation bodies to facilitate compliance with SPS Electronic application and issuance of SPS certificates Special treatment for perishable goods 47 Women in trade facilitation TF policy/strategy to increase womens participation in trade TF meas

307、ures to benefit women involved in trade Womens membership in the National Trade Facilitation Committee or similar bodies Other Trade Facilitation Trade finance facilitation Single Window facilitates traders access to finance Authorities engaged in blockchain-based supply chain project covering trade

308、 finance Variety of trade finance services available Trade facilitation in times of crisis Agency in place to manage trade facilitation in times of crises and emergencies Online publication of emergency trade facilitation measures Coordination between countries on emergency trade facilitation measur

309、es Additional trade facilitation measures to facilitate trade in times of emergencies Plan in place to facilitate trade during future crises Pilot-tested Trade facilitation for e-commerce Trade facilitation measures for cross-border e-commerce Trade facilitation and wildlife protection Electronic ex

310、change of CITES permits/certificates 48 Annex 3.A three-step approach for data collection and validation Data submission by experts The Survey instrument was sent by the ESCAP Secretariat to trade facilitation experts(in Governments,the private sector and academia)in Asia-Pacific countries to gather

311、 preliminary information.The questionnaire was also made publicly available online and disseminated with the support of the International Chamber of Commerce(ICC)and the United Nations Network of Experts for Paperless Trade and Transport for Asia and the Pacific(UNNExT).In some cases,the questionnai

312、re was also sent to relevant national trade facilitation authorities or agencies as well as regional trade facilitation partners or organizations,such as the Asia Development Bank(ADB),the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN),the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation(CAREC)Institute,th

313、e Oceania Customs Organization(OCO)and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development(UNCTAD).This first step took place essentially between January and May 2023.Data verification by the UNRCs Secretariat The ESCAP Secretariat cross-checked the data collected in Step 1.Desk research and data

314、 sharing among UNRCs and Survey partners were carried out to further check the accuracy of data.Face-to-face or telephone interviews with key informants were arranged to gather additional information when needed.The outcome of Step 2 was a consistent set of responses per country.Step 2 took place be

315、tween January and May 2023.Data validation by national Governments Step 3 took place between May and July 2023.The ESCAP Secretariat sent the completed questionnaire to each national Government to ensure that each country had the opportunity to review the dataset and provide any additional informati

316、on.The feedback results from national Governments were incorporated in order to finalize the dataset.49 Annex 4:Definition of each stage of implementation Stage of implementation Coding/Scoring Full Implementation:The trade facilitation measure implemented is in full compliance with commonly-accepte

317、d international standards,recommendations and conventions such as the Revised Kyoto Convention,UN/CEFACT Recommendations or the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement(TFA);it is implemented in law and in practice;it is available to essentially all relevant stakeholders nationwide,and supported by adequate

318、 legal and institutional frameworks as well as adequate infrastructure and financial and human resources.A TFA provision included in the commitments given under Notifications of Category A may generally be considered as a measure,which is fully implemented by the country,with a caveat that the provi

319、sion will be implemented by a Least-Developed Country(LDC)member within one year of the TFA agreement coming into force.If a country registers a positive response for all subquestions concerning a given trade facilitation measure,that measure should be considered fully implemented.3 Partial Implemen

320、tation:A measure is considered to be partially implemented if at least one of the following is true:(1)the trade facilitation measure is in partial-but not in full-compliance with commonly-accepted international standards,recommendations and conventions;(2)the country is still in the process of roll

321、ing out the implementation of the measure;(3)the measure is being used but on an unsustainable,short-term or ad-hoc basis;(4)the measure is implemented in some but not all targeted locations(such as key border crossing stations);or(5)some but not all targeted stakeholders are fully involved.2 Pilot

322、Stage of Implementation:A measure is considered to be at the pilot stage of implementation if,in addition to meeting the general attributes of partial implementation,it is available only to a very small portion of the intended stakeholder group(or at a certain location)and/or is being implemented on

323、 a trial basis.When a new trade facilitation measure is at the pilot stage of implementation,the old measure is often continuously used in parallel to ensure that the service is still provided even when there has been a disruption with the new measure.This stage of implementation also includes relev

324、ant rehearsals and preparation for the full implementation.1 Not implemented:A measure has not been implemented at this stage.However,this stage may still include initiatives or efforts towards implementation of the measure.For example,under this stage,(pre)feasibility studies or planning for the implementation can be carried out,and consultation with stakeholders on the implementation may be arranged.0