Improving the Border Agency Cooperation

Among the OIC Member States for Facilitating Trade

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

International Border Agency Cooperation (iBAC) is a key element of the modern trade

facilitation philosophy that seeks to make cross-border trade and logistics faster, cheaper and

more predictable while ensuring adequate compliance and regulatory control over the traffic.

This report studies international Border Agency Cooperation from the perspective of the fifty-

seven member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The goal of this

research is to raise awareness of international Border Agency Cooperation, and to highlight

practical recommendations for advancing cross-border Border Agency Cooperation and trade

facilitation, among the OIC members and their trading partners. To achieve this goal, this

report provides a generic six-step roadmap that proposes and prioritises activities for

simplifying, harmonising, rationalising, and standardising border management. This study is

mandated by the OIC Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation

(COMCEC) and executed by the Cross-border Research Association (CBRA).

This study builds on multiple research methods. The authors have conducted a comprehensive

review of academic and practitioner literature on Border Agency Cooperation and trade

facilitation. The review also covered the most relevant international agreements, regulations,

and projects. Seven case studies provide complementary evidence to support the review

findings. Four comprehensive field-visit cases elaborate international Border Agency

Cooperation activities in the OIC countries: Uganda, Abu Dhabi (as a part of the United Arab

Emirates), Malaysia and Albania. The remaining cases illustrate innovative international

Border Agency Cooperation activities in three non-OIC countries worldwide. To ensure high

quality of research findings and recommendations, several external experts have reviewed the

research done for this report.

Our research findings strongly suggest that international Border Agency Cooperation has

already had a substantial positive impact on trade facilitation worldwide. Thanks to the

ongoing efforts border control agencies are realising many benefits of inter-agency and

international cooperation on border management matters. However, the research discovered

several innovative activities that have not yet been exploited to there fullest potential,

especially in the less developed parts of the world and the OIC community.

For example, One-Stop Border Posts (OSBPs) seem a promising solution for facilitating cross-

border traffic at a local level between two neighbouring countries. Investments in training and

education are suitable ways for increasing general awareness of the benefits of Border Agency

Cooperation. Pursuing regional recognition of border controls (e.g., aviation security) and

trusted trade programs (e.g., Authorised Economic Operators) and developing regional

harmonisation of trade regulations were found to be the most powerful tools for advanced

economies to pursue trade facilitation. Also the establishment of common e-customs

declaration systems and legal frameworks were found to be promising ways to strengthen

Border Agency Cooperation at the regional level.

There are several ongoing international Border Agency Cooperation initiatives. The

international cooperation takes place at the bilateral, regional, and global levels. The research

suggests that the regional (multi-lateral) cooperation has the biggest trade facilitation

potential, over ad hoc bilateral arrangements and rather generic global initiatives. In any case,

there is no best solution for promoting international Border Agency Cooperation: any national

or regional strategy for BAC should consider the special characteristics and needs of the target

contexts.