ecowas regional trade & transport facilitation initiatives
DESCRIPTION
ECOWAS REGIONAL TRADE & TRANSPORT FACILITATION INITIATIVES. November, 2012. Content. Regional Context Protocols & Decisions Relevant International Perspectives ECOWAS Regional Interventions Trade & Customs Transport & Trade Facilitation Programmes and Interventions Conclusion. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
November, 2012
Regional Context Protocols & Decisions
Relevant International Perspectives
ECOWAS Regional Interventions Trade & Customs Transport & Trade Facilitation Programmes and Interventions
Conclusion
Some Related ECOWAS PROTOCOLS ECOWAS Revised Treaty Article 3 para. 2(d): Establishment of a common
market ECOWAS Trade liberalization Scheme, Customs Co-operation
and Administration towards the Customs Union Article 32: Transport & Communications
Member States resolve to develop transport infrastructure and policies to promote physical cohesion among member states and the facilitate the movement of persons, goods and services within the Community special emphasis on increased access to island and land-locked countries
Article 35: Liberalization of Trade Article 36: Customs Duties Article 37: Common External Tariff Article 45: Re-Exportation of Goods and Transit
Facilities Article 46: Customs Cooperation and Administration
The WCO’s SAFE Framework of Standards, June 2007 – Aims, amongst others, to facilitate legitimate trade through concepts of ‘Customs-to-Customs’ and ‘Customs-to-Business’ partnerships.
Risk management to focus attention on high risk traders and goods, Automation to enable traders and intermediaries to submit
documentation electronically, Single Window Systems Integrated/Coordinated Border Management Accreditation for “trusted traders”, AEO, etc
UN Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Controls of Goods, Geneva 1982
Reduce requirements for completing formalities, No./duration of controls by national and international coordination of controls
WTO International Trade Principles (National, Regional & International
Harmonization Simplification Standardization Transparency
Ensuring Trade Facilitation - Obligation or Prerogative?
The ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) to promote the Free Trade Area within the regionFree movement (tariff and non-tariff ) of
regional originating products Rules of OriginAgreed list of products (www.etls.ecowas.int )
ECOWAS Customs UnionThe Common External Tariff (CET) (in 2013)ECOWAS Customs Computer Interconectivity
Program (ALISA) – designed, pilot
Harmonization of the Community Customs Code and the customs procedure code (still in progress) Harmonization and simplification of trade procedure (processing of customs documents or declarations, collection of data…)Positive Results: Reduction of Customs barriers in Member
States (Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso) Bilateral agreement on harmonization of
customs documents and free movement of customs officers in some Countries
Signature of MOU for the movement of some specific goods within the region
Increasing & Unpredictable Customs Barriers on Corridors increasing the time to export goods
Non-uniform harmonization of customs instruments.
Lack of will of authorities in the implementation of legal text on trade facilitation.
absence of comprehensive data at customs check points at the borders.
Lack of cooperation and confidence between the countries
Trade Infrastructure and Transport Infrastructure
Milestones Infrastructure – 3 being
constructed, several plannedLegal Framework – operating
hours, management, security coordination, flow of traffic types, Information sharing, etc…
Operational Manuals – develop a compendium of operating manuals to guide agencies
ICT Interconnection & Info Excahnge
Management – facilities, security, etc
Sensitization and Training
Extraterritorial jurisdiction;
Hosting officials of adjoining States in UEMOA/ECOWAS land within the State of location to perform functions in terms of their own national laws
Niger
Benin
Extraterritorial jurisdiction;
Hosting officials of adjoining States in UEMOA/ECOWAS land within the State of location to perform functions in terms of their own national laws
Burundi
Rwanda
Extraterritorial jurisdiction;
Hosting officials of adjoining States in UEMOA/ECOWAS land within the State of location to perform functions in terms of their own national laws
Ghana
Côte d’Ivoire
Architectural and engineering designs completed for the initial seven (7) JBP sites (Sèmè-Kraké Plage, Hillacondji-Sanveekondji, Noépé, Malanville, Paga, Noé-Elubo and Kouremalé,)
Construction ongoing on three (3) sites: Sèmè-Kraké Plage (Nigeria/Benin border) (25%), Noépé (Togo – Ghana border) (45%) and Malanville (Benin – Niger border) – 65%.
Consistent Consultation and Dialogue with States (all levels)
Completion of harmonized Legal Framework and Operations Manual
Development of Bilateral Agreements between border countries regarding the haulage/trucking modalities
Study on the Management options for sustainability and maintenance of facilities
Equipment Needs assessment and procurement Training, Sensitization and traveler Education
Ensure the smooth flow of Inter-State Road Transport, Trade & Persons
Chairperson – Director of Road Transport
NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT AND NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT AND TRANSIT FACILITATION C’TTEESTRANSIT FACILITATION C’TTEESRoad Transport Dir
Gendarmerie NationaleNational PoliceTrade DirectorateOrganized Road Transport UnionsNational GuarantorsForwarding AgentsCustomsPort AuthoritiesECOWAS/UEMOA National UnitsECOWAS Brown Card Sec.Chamber of CommerceANY OTHER INSTITUTION or STRUCTURE
COMPOSITION
A corridor is a set of transport infrastructures and transport services supporting an international trade route.
Formation (Corridor Countries) Reps from Public Sector and Private Sector
Monitor and Coordinate activities relating to the implementation of the RRTTFP and Inter-State Transit
Identify obstacles hampering the smooth flow of traffic along the corridor and seek their removal
CORRIDOR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEESCORRIDOR MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES
Establishment of a permanent Corridor Management and Development Agency - Pilot (Corridor/Proof of Concept Approach) - MOU among Corridor countries
Experiences – Southern and Eastern African Corridor Groups and Agencies
Smart & Multi-Modal Corridor programmes (feasibility studies) – off AU PIDA-PAP projects. Single window, cargo tracking, commercial vehicle tracking,
container tracking, and high-visibility corridor efficiency monitoring.
Corridor Management Committees Improve maritime transport and the connection between
island and mainland countries New maritime service between regional ports and facilitating
this with modern information system that links the maritime service with ports and road corridor – Praia – Dakar – Abidjan
Monitoring process (two levels): ECOWAS STRATEGY monitoring corridor efficiency - indicators linked to transport
services demand, offer and delivery monitoring actual programme implementation aimed at
improving the efficiency of the corridor USAID West Africa Trade Hub & Abidjan-Lagos
Corridor Organization (ALCO) Coordinated Region-wide Transport Observatory off
the successes and lessons of earlier initiatives Expanded, Sustainable and Institutionalized
transport observatory initiatives Coordination – (RECs, EU, USAID-WATH, ALCO,
Agribusiness Trade Promotion, World Bank, AfDB, etc)
Supports Advocacy, transparency, Name & Shame...
Implementation of the Inter State Road Transit (ISRT) Scheme National Guarantee System being phased out for a Regional
system Road Haulage Transport Industry Reforms
1 - Reforms in the Road transport industry (Professionalization)Liberalization – suppress cargo sharing to ensure
competition to improve efficiencyCapacity building on sound management practices Incentives to strictly respect rules and regulation such as
axle load, road safety2 - Vehicle fleet modernization (assess existing fleet conditions
& obstacles to fleet modernization; explore financing options)
Axle Load Control Harmonization – Supplementary Act adopted by Summit of HoS&G in 2012. Implementation Sensitization Equipment Enforcement