Trade Facilitation Committees:

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Alicia Stephen, OECS Secretariat

• Trade Facilitation Committees
• A Perspective from the OECS

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About the OECS

• Came into being in June 1981
• 9 Member States
• 6 of which are WTO members
• Functional cooperation and policy coordination

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Drivers of the OECS TF Agenda
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Perceived benefits

• enhanced competitiveness
• increased FDI
• increased government collections

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Trade Facilitation has been the purview of
Customs Departments
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A multi-agency approach
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Based on the Needs Assessments
Country Measure Level of Compliance TA/CB Negotiating Position/ Instructions Regional Approach
Consolidated Regional negotiating positions
Regional Implementation Programme
Regional TA/CB Programme
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some key functions were identified

• Participation in Trade Facilitation Negotiations
• Development Implementation of TA/CB Programme
• Implementation of future TF obligations

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• Re-conduct assessment of implementation capacity
  status of compliance periodically
• Monitor implementation incl. planning,
  negotiations with donors
• Undertake public awareness
• Ensure coherence

Also see JOB(09)11
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Getting buy-in

• link committee to the TFNA exercise
• link to existing programmes
• link negotiations-domestic situation

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Secure political mandate/authority
APPROVED!!
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Engage the private sector strategically

• give stakeholders the information that is
  relevant
• guard against overload!!!!

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Identify a champion
in each agency
nationally
regionally
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Pitfalls!!
Informal group
Too many meetings!!!
No plan
Working in isolation
Having the wrong person lead
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What have we achieved?

• One committee active in OECS and two are being
  established
• Draft TORs for committees developed
• Greater participation in TF negotiations

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• Able to source technical assistance for TF
• E.g. support for committees
• Increased communication exchange among related
  parties (coherence)
• OECS, CCLEC, CRNM/CARICOM

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astephen_at_oecs.org

• Thank You!