NEWSLETTER SUMMER 2020

German Alliance for Trade Facilitation                                       

Dear readers, 

we are pleased to present you the Summer Newsletter of the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation, with many interesting updates from our collective trade facilitation efforts from around the globe. This newsletter covers the main activities of the Alliance and recent developments in our projects.

For questions and reactions, please get in touch with us via tradefacilitation@giz.de.
We wish you an informative read and are looking forward to hearing from you!

Have a safe and healthy summer and all the best,


Philipp Kruschel
Head of the Alliance Secretariat
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH

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News from the Secretariat


CORONA UPDATE CALL
Virtual exchange of the Alliance continues

    The interest in more frequent virtual exchanges of the Alliance increased with the global corona pandemic. On 21 July 2020, the Alliance met virtually for the second time. During the update call members exchanged about challenges, good practices and opportunities of the trade facilitation projects. The new series of update calls of the German network are now part and parcel of the Alliance activities. The next update call is scheduled for end of September. We are looking forward to the next fruitful exchange.










    CORONA RESPONSE
    Call for applications from African partner countries

      With the global corona pandemic digitization of customs procedures is now more urgent than ever before. The Alliance has therefore kick-started the new project "Digitizing Global Trade". It will lead to more efficient trade through pre-arrival and pre-departure processing. Businesses provide digital cargo information on goods prior to arrival and departure to border agencies. This allows for an early risk assessment by customs and more targeted controls. For this new project we are looking for interested partner countries.






      News from Projects


      SERBIA
      Pre-arrival customs clearance system successfully introduced

      In Serbia, the pre-arrival processing (PAP) system officially went into regular operation in June 2020. This is the successful result of an Alliance project launched in 2016. The PAP system allows companies to submit customs declarations electronically to the customs authority before goods arrive at the border. This PAP procedure supports the customs administration in classifying consignments according to their risk and thereby in deciding which shipments should be checked by customs. Customs clearance processes are thereby accelerated and thus the goods reach their destination faster.



      BRAZIL
      Improving the efficiency of product safety regulations

      The Brazilian government is working on an innovative regulatory approach to increase the efficiency of product safety regulation. It will simplify the process of certification for import licenses. The new cooperation project of the Alliance will support the “National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology” (INMETRO) in Brazil. The objective of the project is to increase regulatory efficiency with respect to two trade-relevant sectors.


      THAILAND

      Alliance and Thai customs work together in a new project

      The Alliance project in Thailand is taking shape. Thai Customs Administration and the Alliance will cooperate to reform the Thai customs valuation system. In the current inception phase of the project, public and private partners focus on defining precise objectives as well as joint activities.

      CAMBODIA / SRI LANKA
      New Project "Digitizing Global Maritime Trade" launched

      The “Digitizing Global Maritime Trade” (DGMT) project has been launched on 15 June 2020 after being approved by the develoPPP program of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 

      The DGMT project will implement a specialized data integration solution called ASYHUB, currently being developed by UNCTAD’s customs reform and automation program (ASYCUDA) and aims at increasing efficiencies in the international transport documentation process as well as reducing the time and cost of maritime trade for importers and exporters. Designated countries are Cambodia and Sri Lanka. ASYHUB helps to create a seamless exchange of cargo data between a country’s customs system and multiple trade data providers.




      INDONESIA
      Preparing the roll-out of a risk management pilot program

      Together with the Indonesian Ministry of Trade (MoT) we are finalizing a Risk Catalogue and preparing the roll-out of a risk management pilot program with ‘trusted traders’ – these are multinational companies with AEO/MITA status. Our next virtual working sessions will be dedicated to developing risk profiles, conducting interviews with potential pilot companies and sharing experiences on risk management with other agencies.

      The project in Indonesia focuses on distinguishing between high risk and low risk traders to simplify trade procedures for two core processes: issuing import and export licenses; and controlling goods post-border after customs release. This activity supports the Government of Indonesia strategy for accelerating an integrated risk management system amongst relevant agencies, contributing to ensure a speedy economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.






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      Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
      Philipp Kruschel
      Köthener Straße 2-3
      10963 Berlin
      Germany

      +49 30 338 424 834
      philipp.kruschel@giz.de