Improving the Border Agency Cooperation
Among the OIC Member States for Facilitating Trade
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1.2. Conceptual framework on Border Agency Cooperation
1.2.1. Overview
The conceptual framework presented in this section captures the essential dimensions of
Border Agency Cooperation: three levels of collaboration, four areas of integration and four
objects for sharing. This framework helps the customs and other border agency communities
to see all the main levels of Border Agency Cooperation (BAC) – so that they can move from
isolated coexistence towards more active cooperation at the borders. Higher levels of
cooperation are likely to simultaneously translate into higher levels of trade facilitation,
control over cross-border cargo flows and resource efficiency.
Figure 2. CBRA conceptual framework for Border Agency Cooperation
Source: Männistö, T., and Hintsa J., 2015; inspired by Polner, 2011 and by Institute of Policy Studies, 2008
1.2.2. Levels of cooperation
Intra-agency cooperation is about aligning goals and work within one organisation, either
horizontally between departments or vertically between headquarters and local branches, in
particular border-crossing posts.
Inter-agency cooperation, at the operational level, concerns relationships among a broad
range of border agencies that play a role in controlling cross-border trade and travel.
Governmental inter-agency cooperation occurs between border control agencies and