FACILITATING INTRA-OIC TRADE:
Improving the Efficiency of the Customs Procedures in the OIC Member States
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within the agency. It will also support with background information the high level
representative participating in the meetings.
Task forces or working groups: Task forces or working groups to be established under
the Trade Facilitation Body should carry on the tasks, researches etc. and report to the
meetings. Without such task forces or working groups, the meetings of the Trade
Facilitation Body will be inadequate.
Time frame: The Trade Facilitation Body shall determine time frame for its work to
encourage the stakeholders and the agencies to take necessary action accordingly.
Specific action plans for the determined issues will put pressure on the relevant parties
to take timely actions.
Budget allocation: The work to be conducted by the Trade Facilitation Body by itself
and through its task forces or working groups shall be financed by the government. It
would be possible for almost all the countries to cover the expenses of the daily work of
the committee. The LDC’s may cooperate with the international institutions for getting
funding for conducting research and surveys to contribute to the work of the Trade
Facilitation Body.
Limited membership with the most relevant agencies: Participation of too many
agencies from government and private sector to the Trade Facilitation Body will create
additional problems such as long meetings, endless discussions etc. Some agencies may
be involved in the meetings if it deems necessary instead of involving these institutions
in all meetings.
National Trade Facilitation Bodies provide the opportunity for the governments in
coordination with the private sector to analyze the existing situation and how to react to
make trade easier while sustaining the security of the country.
It is important to note that, besides the national trade facilitation bodies, some countries
also have coordination committees for implementing the Single Windows. These kind
of practices will lead to contradictions. It is better for the countries who have such
practices to amalgamate them or coordinate the activities of these bodies.
1.4. I NTERNATIONAL COOPERATION FOR T RADE FACILITATION
Trade facilitation within a country reduces the time, cost and procedures. However, the
partner countries shall also take similar steps for increasing trade. In this context, trade
facilitation is considered as an important issue in bilateral, multilateral and regional
trade negotiations. According to UNCTAD (2011), since 1994, Regional Trade
Agreements containing trade facilitation measures increased dramatically and exceeded
120 by 2010.