Improving Transnational Transport Corridors
In the OIC Member Countries: Concepts and Cases
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Appendix 1: Non Physical Barriers to Trade
Most countries are bound by all WTO Agreements, Ministerial Decisions and Understandings,
adopted as a Single Undertaking. Through the WTO, corridor members will have participated
in successive multilateral trade negotiations aimed at progressive liberalization of trade. WTO
Agreements cover trade issues such as border control, trade in services, intellectual property
rights, product standards, investment policy, trade defense measures and agricultural policy.
National policies are required to be consistent with WTO obligations related to Agreements on
Agriculture, Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMS), Trade Related Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPS), the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), and the General
Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Compliance with WTO rules is assessed through the
Understanding on the Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM). There are a large number of
transport related Non-Tariff Barriers or NTBs that need to be addressed if integrated regional
markets are to be established.
WTO list of NTBs that will be tackled during the next 10 years
1. Documentation Requirements at Customs for Export of Botswana Goods:
2. Parking List and Invoice
3. Weighbridge procedures and fees
4. Certificate of Rules of Origin; Some not recognized by Other Countries and interstate
or international livestock movement permit is issued only by headquarters of the
relevant ministries
5. Sector Specific and Trade Certificates e.g. Phytosanitary Certificate
6. Entry Form and Delivery Note
7. Bill of Lading
8. Import Declaration Form from the Importing Country
9. Use and abuse of Clearing Agents
10. Vehicle Registration and Licensing
11. Incompatible Technical Standards
12. Traffic Management Law enforcement variable
13. National standards not recognized by other countries
14. Many technical standards; some un-harmonized
15. Driver hours unregulated or not enforced
16. Some goods do not/said not to meet required standards;
17. Inspection capacity of national standards bureaus is limited and focuses on finding
faults
18. Standards/codes for some goods are not available
19. Quality control is weak in certain countries e.g. No animal feed policy, regulation and
compliance
20. Lack of equipment for testing and examination at the border
21. Road Blocks Mounted By local governments
22. Lack of through railways services, need to change trains and crews at borders
23. Technical standards of railways equipment