trends and developments in single window unece un/cefact new delhi, 29 october 2014 1

Trends and Developments in Single Window

UNECE UN/CEFACT

New Delhi, 29 October 2014

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In this presentation

UN/CEFACT’s Work in Single Window

Trends in Single Window

Multiple “Single Windows”

UN/CEFACT SWI Project – Rec 36

Next Steps

UNECE Recommendation 33 on Single Window

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Single Window Definition

• Single Window is a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfill all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements.

• If information is electronic, then individual data elements should only be submitted once. UN/CEFACT Recommendation and Guidelines

on establishing a Single Window, UNECE, 2005http://www.unece.org/cefact/recommendations/rec33/rec33_ecetrd352_e.pdf

Recommends Governments to establish Single Window for Cross Border Trade

Defines features: • … one time submission • ..of standardized information and documents

• sharing of information amongst government agencies;

• coordinated controls and inspections of the various governmental authorities;

• Allow payment of duties and other charges;

• Be a source of trade related government information.

Single Window UNECE Recommendation 33

UNECE’s Work for SWs UNECEPolicy

Recommend-ations

UN/CEFACT

UNECEStandardsUN/CEFACT

UNECE / UNNExT

Guidelines, Briefs, Case

Studies

Capacity B

uilding & Tech

nical assistance

Single Window Success Story

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2005: in about 20 economies

2010: in 49 economies

2013: in 71 economies

2015: in 100 economies & some regions (ASEAN)?

“ Single Windows (SWs) are important drivers for the simplification, harmonization and automation of trade procedures”

WTO Bali Agreement Article 10.4: “Members shall endeavor to establish or maintain a single window ..”

Source: WB Doing Business Report 2012/2013, UNECE-UN/CEFACT 2005/2011

After 10 years, some observations

• SWs have become a strategic national instruments to facilitate trade, enhance collaboration between trade related government agencies, and increase export competitiveness

• More common in developing economies than developed economies

• Goal of SW is not the SW itself!

• Interoperability a major challenge

More observations

• One size does not fit all- there are many different Regulatory SW models & approaches, e.g.

e-Customs, Customs-oriented Single Window Trade (and Cargo) oriented regulatory Single

Window Transport-oriented regulatory Single Window,

e.g. EU e-Maritime or Maritime SW

• And ..different models other than regulatory-oriented SWs

Port Community Systems (PCSs) eFreight eCommerce/eTrade, etc.

• Possibility of many “Single” Windows in one country Interoperability a major challenge –both within country and especially between countries

Emergence of Multiple “Single” Windows

MaritimeSW

TradeSW

e-Freight

PortCommunity

System (PCS)

e-Trade

Buyers/Importers

MarineDepartment

Ship Piloting

Vessel TrafficSafety

Ship Agents

Sellers/Exporters

Importer’sBanks Exporter’s

Banks

Port Authority

Terminal Operator

VesselOperator

FreightForwarders

HaulerOperators

Warehouses

TerminalOperators

RegulatoryAgents

Port-equipmentOperators

CustomsDepartment

Quarantine &SPS Agency

Other governmentagencies

HealthDepartment

CustomsBrokers

Traders

Freight ForwardersTraders

Haulers

Vessels Air lines

So what is a Single Window?

One question, many answers: «our e-Customs system, our e-logistics system, our Port Community System, our national electronic trade platform, our eMaritime SW, ..»

Single Window Architecture:

How do stakeholders collaborate?

How is the information exchange organized?

What are the objectives, business models, …

Three Single Window Architectures :

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Looking ahead: A Network of IOS for efficient cross-border trade

MaritimeSW

TradeSW

e-Freight

PortCommunity

System (PCS)

e-Trade

Networking of IOS in cross border trade

Buyers/Importers

MarineDepartment

Ship Piloting

Vessel TrafficSafety

Ship Agents

Sellers/Exporters

Importer’sBanks Exporter’s

Banks

Port Authority

Terminal Operator

VesselOperator

FreightForwarders

HaulerOperators

Warehouses

TerminalOperators

RegulatoryAgents

Port-equipmentOperators

CustomsDepartment

Quarantine &SPS Agency

Other governmentagencies

HealthDepartment

CustomsBrokers

Traders

Freight ForwardersTraders

Haulers

Vessels Air lines

Inter Organizational Information Systems (IOSs)

IOS: A system for collaboration and information exchange among

independent stakeholders in international trade

IOS Characteristic: focussed, limited number of stakeholders, fast implementation, dynamic, supra-national,..

Next Steps at UN/CEFACT

• UN/CEFACT is working on the development of UNECE Recommendation 36 on Single Window Interoperability – we would welcome your input on this

• This will focus on regulatory requirements (G2G)

• Currently preparing four papers on SWI:• Business Needs• Semantic Interoperability• Governance• Legal Model

Legal Framework for SWI in Rec 36

• SWI entails laws and regulatory requirements of two or more states - which may be in conflict

• Rec 36 - legal section on how to reconcile the differing legal frameworks – for SWI. Concept of ‘legal interoperability’

Legal Framework for SWI in Rec 36• Rec 36 SWI Legal Framework focuses on

regulatory aspects – e.g. declarations and other communications between and with Customs administrations and other import & export regulatory bodies.

• So SWI in Rec 36 focuses on G2G issue - regulation.

• The most difficult legal issues of SWI fall under B2G (or even B2B). Rec 36 will not address these.

Authentication - Recommendation14

• Introduction of methods (other than signature) to authenticate documents

• Creation of a legal framework that permits and gives equal status to authentication methods other than manual-ink signature

• Efforts should be made to avoid creating electronic solutions which are more cumbersome or costly than the manual process.

Next Steps for SWI

• Likely to be a workshop of SW implementers to discuss these papers in Geneva early next year – you are all welcome to participate

• This will be followed by a global SW conference on SW Interoperability in late 2015 or early 2016.

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Single Window Recommendations and Standards

UNECE TF Implementation Guide(tfig.unece.org)

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Single Windows and Supply Chains in the Next Decade:

http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trade/Publications/ECE-TRADE-402.pdf

See also UNECE SW Repository:

http://www.unece.org/cefact/single_window/welcome.html

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Thank You

Tom Butterly, UNECE

tom.butterly@unece.org