Improving the Border Agency Cooperation
Among the OIC Member States for Facilitating Trade
51
corresponding authorities.
 Comprehensive risk management that aims to reduce physical intervention by improving
and using risk analysis involving the participation and cooperation of all the customs control
institutions and the private sector.
 Reliable operators have the objective of reducing the fiscal risk and increasing supply chain
security by certifying reliable operators and mutually recognising their AEOs.
 Quarantine control that reduces time and cost at borders and increases commercial flow
through the region.
 Integration procedures and control aim to implement a border control process that defines
the sequence and mode of action and compulsory intervention of control institutions of both
countries, following a management based on risk profiles, advance electronic information and
joint inspection at the border.
 Infrastructure and equipment that respond to the operational demands of each border post.
 Border community and security , which would ensure that the areas surrounding border
crossings have an economic and social environment that facilitate proper functioning and
sustainability.
The latter pillars are accompanied by three cross-cutting activities. The first one is the creation of a
Central American Digital Trade Platform, which aims to integrate the information and process related
to customs, migration and single windows. The second activity is to diagnose and implement reforms
by pairs of countries and pairs of borders in order to efficiently develop the BAC with the available
resources. The third cross-cutting activity is the strengthening of the National Trade Facilitation
Committees.
In addition, five short-term measures were established: 1) through the anticipated transmission of
documents for cargo, the objective is to eliminate additional procedures in border crossings; 2) the one-
off processing of migration controls in the country of departure in order to accelerate driver clearance;
3) the development of an electronic system for the emission and transmission of phytosanitary and
zoosanitary certificates, with the objective of accelerating the management of sanitary controls; 4) the
development of a registry of cargo units with RFID devices in order to obtain reliable information about
border crossing times; and 5) the installation of cameras at border crossings to increase transparency
in border management.
According to SIECA, there are multiple benefits for governments, the private sector and citizens.
Governments will benefit from more efficient use of resources, an increase in tariff revenues, reduced
levels of smuggling, a higher level of compliance by merchants, increased security at border crossings
and their surrounding areas, and greater levels of integrity and transparency. The private sector will
undergo a reduction in the number of steps in border clearance procedures, resulting in lower costs
due to a more rapid response to their needs, the application of rules with consistency and
predictability, more efficient use of resources, greater transparency, and improved security in the
supply chain. As for the citizens, they will see a price reduction in goods, access to a wider array of
products, more job opportunities due to an increase in private investment, as well as faster border
rossing procedures. 77
77 SIECA. (2016b). Central American Strategy for Trade Facilitation and Competitiveness with Emphasis on Coordinated
Border Management. WTO Presentation