APEC Project Proposal |
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| Project No. | CTI 12 2012T | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Title | Regional Workshop on Single Window | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Status | Completed Project | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Publication (if any) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Fund Account | TILF Special Account | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sub-fund | None | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Year | 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Session | Session 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| APEC Funding | 136,349 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Co-funding Amount | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Project Value | 136,349 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Sponsoring Forum | Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Topics | Customs | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Committee | Committee on Trade and Investment (CTI) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other Fora Involved | Not Applicable / Other | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Other Non-APEC Stakeholders Involved | Not Applicable
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| Proposing Economy(ies) | Japan;Chinese Taipei | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Co-Sponsoring Economies | Malaysia;Mexico;New Zealand;Peru | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Expected Start Date | 03/07/2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Expected Completion Date | 31/12/2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Proponent Name 1 | Mr. Toshihito TOMIYAMA | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Job Title 1 | Deputy Director for International Affairs | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Organization 1 | Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Postal Address 1 | 3-1-1 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8940 Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Telephone 1 | +81-3-3581-3825 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Fax 1 | +81-3-5251-2123 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Email 1 | mof.apec@mof.go.jp | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Proponent Name 2 | Not Applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Job Title 2 | Not Applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Organization 2 | Not Applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Postal Address 2 | Not Applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Telephone 2 | Not Applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Fax 2 | Not Applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Email 2 | Not Applicable | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Declaration | Toshihito TOMIYAMA | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Project Summary | For further enhancement of capacity to develop Single Window (SW) systems and promote international interoperability between SW systems in accordance with SW Collective Action Plan (CAP) which was agreed at SCCP responding to the 2010 Leaders’ commitment to implement the APEC Supply Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan and also ambitious target set out by the APEC Customs Director-Generals and Commissioners in 2010, Japan and Chinese Taipei propose to hold a SW Workshop in Malaysia.
The planned activities are to enhance capacity building of economies by: 1) providing the latest information and experience of the economies that already developed/are developing SW systems, 2) providing the good/bad practices and difficulties of international interoperability between SW systems, and 3) discussing how to support the economies that have not developed SW systems. Expected participants are customs officers from APEC economies, experts from World Customs Organization (WCO), members of other APEC fora, other international organization, and private sector. |
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| Relevance | The development of Single Window (SW) systems and the international interoperability between SW systems have been recognized as pivotal in furthering trade facilitation. Accordingly, there has been a strong demand from private sector to advance them. ABAC recommended APEC Economic Leaders in its 2010 Report to “reinvigorate the Single Window Initiative to ensure that economies that have not fully implemented single window systems make progress toward that end and place a priority on interoperability between systems to enhance the sharing of documents such as certificate of origin.”
The development of SW systems and the promotion of international interoperability between SW systems were prioritized, and received strong commitments at higher level. Firstly, the APEC Customs Directors-General and Commissioners upheld ambitious target of developing SW system in each economy by 2020, having recognized that the development of SW is important to achieve the Bogor Goal in all the APEC member economies, and asked SCCP to work on it.
In parallel, in 2010 the Economic Leaders and the Ministers committed to implement the APEC Supply-Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan, which prescribes concrete measures to address eight priority chokepoints in order to improve the flow of goods, services and business travellers within the region. Implementation of SW systems is one of the proposed action plans for the chokepoints: “inefficient clearance of goods at the border; Lack of coordination among border agencies, especially relating to clearance of regulated goods at the border”.
In responding to the instructions above, the SCCP endorsed a new Collective Action Plan (CAP) on SW at the first SCCP meeting in 2011 and the regional workshop on SW was held in Taipei in the same year as the first concrete action of CAP. It was evaluated that continuation of holding a relevant workshop in line with key findings arising from the Workshop is important for further development of SW systems and promotion of international interoperability between SW systems. |
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| Objectives | 1) To assist the economies in developing their SW systems. a) The proposed Workshop provides a place where the participants share their latest experience on development, implementation, and maintenance of SW systems. b) The participants share their experience respectively and concretely focusing on legal issues and IT issues. c) The expert from WCO provides knowledge on the development, implementation, and maintenance of SW systems in line with WCO SW Compendium.
2) To promote the international interoperability between SW systems. This Workshop provides good/bad practices, trials, and difficulties as well as countermeasures against them of the international interoperability between SW systems. The participants discuss the benefit and the way forward in exchanging trade-related data/documents electronically between the economies.
3) To find out next step forward At the last day of the Workshop, it provides a place where all the participants have discussions on the way forward based on all the presentations during the Workshop and advice by experts at round-table dialogue. |
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| Alignment | The principal purpose of this Workshop is to assist economies in the development and implementation of the SW systems and the promotion of international interoperability between the SW systems, which are proposed action plans for the chokepoint 4 under the APEC Supply-Chain Connectivity Framework. Therefore the project directly links to “Trade Facilitation, including projects related to implementing the supply chain connectivity framework action plan, …” under the Rank 1 in the Funding Criteria for all APEC-Funded Project and addresses APEC’s key priority of promoting regional economic integration.
This project also addresses a key priority issue tasked by the APEC Customs Directors-General and Commissioners Meeting in 2010; the statement of the chair of the Heads of Customs meeting states “we aim to develop a Single Window system in each economy by 2020 and promote international interoperability between the Single Window systems of interested economies in the region.” In responding to this, the SCCP agreed to create a new CAP on SW in 2010. This project constitutes the second component of this SCCP CAP. |
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| TILF/ASF Justification | This project will contribute to APEC trade and investment liberalization and facilitation by serving two collective actions specified under the area of customs procedures in the Osaka Action Agenda (Part 1, Section C, 6.). ü Computerization through UN/EDIFACT and Paperless Trading “APEC economies will enhance computerization of customs procedures by adopting and supporting the UN/EDIFACT standard and endeavor to reduce or eliminate the requirement for paper documents needed for customs to realize paperless trading.”
“APEC economies will apply information and communication technology including Internet for customs clearance, and where possible, provide one stop service for cargo clearance procedures.”
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| Beneficiaries and Outputs | The beneficiaries of this project will be the participants from APEC economies, especially from the economies that have not implemented SW systems. In addition, the economies that have already implemented SW systems will also obtain benefits, in relation to the achievement of international interoperability of the SW systems. In this workshop, it is planned that: (1) Selected representatives or experts from economies and international organizations such as the World Customs Organization (WCO) will make presentations on 1) the latest information and experience of the economies that have developed SW systems, 2) good/bad practices, difficulties and the countermeasures in implementing SW systems, and 3) good/bad practices, difficulties and the countermeasures in international interoperability between SW systems, and the other participants will have opportunities to exchange views after the presentations. Then all participants can share the above information that will be useful for each economy to implement a SW system or develop international interoperability between the SW systems.
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| Dissemination | The target audiences of this workshop will be officers from APEC customs administrations, representatives from the private sector and international organizations related to SW. The participants of this workshop will be expected to share the knowledge and information gained from the workshop in their home economies. To promote this effort, the result of the workshop will be made available on the APEC Website and presentation materials will be distributed to all participants. The report of the workshop will be submitted to the SCCP and the CTI respectively. |
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| Gender | When Japan and Chinese Taipei select resource persons, the participation and engagement of both men and women will be taken into consideration. Also, Japan and Chinese Taipei will request each economy to take account of gender balance in selecting its participants in the workshop. Development of SW systems and promotion of the international interoperability between the SW systems will contribute to trade facilitation in the APEC region. This will benefit the whole society in each economy; in other words both men and women can benefit from trade facilitation as the final outcome of this project. |
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| Work Plan | Customs authorities of Japan and Chinese Taipei, proposing economies, will cooperate closely with customs authority of Malaysia, which will host the workshop, in order to provide successful outcomes. The work plan is as follows.
Confirm date and venue At the SCCP 1 held in February in Moscow, Malaysia accepted to hold the workshop sometime in October to November, 2012 at Royal Malaysian Customs Academy in Melaka, Malaysia. As the APEC member economies did not object to the proposal, it was determined to hold the workshop in Melaka. Although the date has not been fixed yet, the timing is understood as appropriate since this allows sufficient time for the project organizers and member economies to consider and ensure participation of the most relevant persons to the workshop. Japan and Chinese Taipei will fix and confirm the dates in consideration for the availability of the venue.
Create outline of the workshop including agenda and participants (June - July) Japan and Chinese Taipei started to consult with each other about the outline of the workshop. Participants will be selected in terms of maximizing benefits come out of this event. Expected participants at this stage are as follows. The number of participants will be no more than 40, which consist of (1) at most i) 2 customs officers from the each economy that has established SW systems and ii) 2 customs officers from each economy that is in the process of developing SW systems
The draft agenda is as follows.
Confirm agenda and select speakers (June – August) After the project proposal is approved by BMC, Japan and Chinese Taipei in collaboration with Malaysia will circulate the draft agenda to the SCCP member economies for comments and suggestions. With due reflection of comments from member economies, Japan and Chinese Taipei will finalize the agenda of the workshop. In parallel, speakers for each topic will be sought by consulting with the SCCP member economies, multilateral organizations, and private sector.
Confirm speakers and request participation from member economies (August – September) Japan and Chinese Taipei will decide speakers for each session while taking into consideration their expertise and regional balance. Then Japan and Chinese Taipei in collaboration with Malaysia will confirm a presentation topic of each speaker by consulting with speakers, and compile their presentation materials before the workshop. More concrete and detailed information on the workshop will be announced to the SCCP member economies and their participation will be requested.
Hold the Workshop (October or November) The workshop will be held at Royal Malaysian Customs Academy in Melaka, Malaysia.
Report to the SCCP (December) The result of the workshop will be made available through the APEC website and presentation materials will be distributed to all the participants. The report of the workshop will be submitted to the SCCP and the CTI. |
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| Risks | Following risks may be involved in implementing the project.
Risk1: Identified speakers might not be available to participate in the workshop. Risk management: Project overseers will take prompt action on the selection of the speakers and confirm the participation as early as possible.
Risk2: Duplication of work of other APEC fora Risk management: Project overseers will take into consideration of ongoing projects and activities which pose potential duplication with this project handled by other APEC fora and consult with their overseers to avoid the duplication of work when they select the topics or speakers. |
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| Monitoring and Evaluation | At the SCCP1 held in March 3-5, 2011, members provisionally endorsed a new Collective Action Plan (CAP) on SW. Then, based on the new CAP, Japan and Chinese Taipei successfully carried out the first regional workshop on SW. The proposed second regional workshop on SW share common objectives with the CAP: 1) to assist economies in introducing and implementing their SW systems and, 2) to promote the international interoperability between the SW systems. Therefore, outcome of the proposed workshop will be properly monitored and evaluated by the successful implementation of the CAP.
As for the object 1, with the successful identification of gaps and needs at the regional workshop, national workshop on SW in requesting economies will be held in the next year and individual capacity building plan will be implemented subsequently. As for the object 2, Good/Bad Practices on international interoperability between the SW systems will be developed in 2012 based on the shared experiences and rich discussions at the regional workshop.
In addition, Japan and Chinese Taipei plan to circulate a questionnaire to the all participants to collect their comments after the workshop. The collected comments will be reflected on the completion report to the BMC. Also, result of the workshop will be reported to the SCCP and the CTI for their evaluation. |
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| Linkages | Engagement of other organizations Experts from the WCO, a leading multilateral organization in the promotion of SW development, and Multilateral Development Banks, who have engaged in the SW development in developing economies, are the candidates to be invited as speakers.
Achievements at the SWWG and the previous workshop In September 2006, the Single Window Working Group (SWWG) was established under the SCCP. The SWWG developed the Single Window Strategic Plan which include 6 recommendations for the implementation of SW systems. At the second SCCP meeting held in Singapore in August 2009, the Final Report of SWWG was endorsed and the SWWG completed its work. At the first SCCP meeting in 2010, the SCCP members discussed future work on SW and agreed to conduct a stock-taking survey on implementation of a SW system in each economy. Japan and Chinese Taipei conducted its survey on SW and reported the result of the survey to the SCCP. The survey highlighted that 13 economies, currently 14 economies (as of June 2012), had introduced SW system and also identified areas of difficulty in the development of SW systems. Taking into account the situation that the survey showed, Japan and Chinese Taipei carried out the regional workshop on SW in October, 2011 to share experiences, especially the good practices, of economies that had already established SW system or exchanged trade-related documents electronically. The presentation and the discussion at the first regional workshop in 2011 were more focused on good practices of implementing the SW system. Then, Japan and Chinese Taipei as well as the participants realized the necessity of provisions against the difficulties of implementing SW systems and developing international interoperability. The proposed workshop deals with not only good practices, but also bad practices, difficulties, and the countermeasures against them.
Supply-Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan In order to improve the flow of goods within the APEC region, the Ministers endorsed the APEC Supply-Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan in 2010, which prescribes concrete measures to address eight priority chokepoints and committed to implement the Action Plan with a view to achieve an APEC-wide target of a ten percent improvement by 2015 in supply-chain performance, in terms of reduction of time, cost, and uncertainly of moving goods. Implementation of SW systems is a key component of the action plan for the choke point 4, inefficient clearance of goods at the border. The SCCP was tasked as the leading sub-fora for this action.
Commitment by the Heads of APEC Customs administrations In September 2010, the Directors-General/Commissioners of the Customs administration in the APEC region agreed that they aimed to develop a SW system in each economy by 2020 and promote international interoperability between the SW systems of interested economies in the region.
Recommendation by ABAC ABAC also stresses the significance of SW development to facilitate trade in the region. ABAC recommended APEC Economic Leaders in its 2010 Report to “reinvigorate the Single Window Initiative to ensure that economies that have not fully implemented single window systems make progress toward that end and place a priority on interoperability between systems to enhance the sharing of documents such as certificate of origin.”
APEC’s comparative advantage As listed in the “Previous work” mentioned above, SCCP has experiences in taking lead in developing SW systems and promoting international interoperability through the intensive work at the SWWG and at the SCCP itself since the successful conclusion of the SWWG. Development of SW systems is now identified as a priority agenda of APEC with the inclusion in the Supply-Chain Connectivity Framework Action Plan and also with the commitment of the heads of APEC Customs. Accordingly, we can conclude the project proposal handled by the SCCP aiming at developing SW systems is pertinent and deserves funding by the TILF Fund. |
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| Sustainability | At the first SCCP meeting in 2011, the SCCP endorsed a new Collective Action Plan (CAP) item on SW proposed by Japan. This regional workshop is included in the CAP and incorporated as the first concrete action of CAP in 2011. According to the CAP on SW agreed in 2011, scope and deliverables are as follows.
1. Assist the development of SW systems
Although “National Workshop on SW” is targeted in 2012, in accordance with the new CAP endorsed at the first SCCP in 2011, the SCCP members agreed to carry out another regional workshop for further enhancement on implementing the SW systems. The proposed workshop more focuses on the bad practices and the difficulties for implementing the SW systems as well as the countermeasures taken by the economies which already introduced the systems.
2. Promote international interoperability between SW systems
As agreed in the CAP item on SW, the SCCP will continue to assist the development of SW systems and promote international interoperability between SW systems after this project. The proposed workshop deals with the bad practices and the difficulties for achieving international interoperability between SW systems as well as the possible countermeasures. |
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| Project Overseers | Mr. Tomiyama has developed his expertise of both international supply chain management and project management from 2004. Then he started his carrier as Deputy Director for International Affaiars at Office of Counselor for International Affairs and Cooperation, Customs and Tariff Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Japan from April, 2012. |
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| Cost Efficiency | Many developing countries, which are in the process of developing their SW systems, do not have enough chance to acquire necessary information and clues to address difficulties they have faced in developing SW.
Regional workshop is the most efficient and effective manner to share useful information and experiences and exchange views among the stakeholders of SW development among APEC economies. It may take significant time and cost if a member economy try to obtain the same level of information and experiences by themselves. Value and efficiency in deepening understanding of participants by providing opportunities to have in-depth discussions face to face during the workshop should be stressed. |
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| Drawdown Timetable | Not Applicable
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| Direct Labour | We will contract one person of the private company as a note taker for three days. |
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| Waivers | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Are there any supporting document attached? | No | ||||||||||||||||||||