Single Window in the Context of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement

Abstract

This paper is based on the findings of a research project that was designed to support the Australian government’s trade facilitation agenda by providing a trade stakeholder position on the development of an effective Australian single window for trade. Among other things, the Australian report examined the standards and best practices promulgated by recognised international authorities on this subject, including the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). As this was possibly the first study on single window driven by the private sector of a major developed trading country since implementation of the TFA, certain aspects of the study would seem to be relevant in the larger global context of that agreement and it is these aspects which are discussed in this paper. The paper concludes that all TFA signatories need to carefully consider their implementation priorities under the agreement. In doing so, it presents a series of conclusions from the original research that has relevance to all TFA signatory countries, regardless of their development status.