Single Window Systems
In the OIC Member States
2
Source: Authors’ compilation from OIC survey data
Diversity of Single Window Approaches
The term Single Window for Trade denotes a variety of platforms for the exchange of
electronic information between traders, government agencies, and commercial service
providers from the transport, logistics and banking sector. The objective is to offer a single
point of submission of trade relevant data and single point of contact, and to speed up
processing ideally in a paperless environment.
There are different ways to achieve this objective and the Single Windows in the OIC Member
States reflect the diversity of approaches.
OIC Member States chose amongst three different organisational models for the Single
Window. More than half are fully government owned; eight have a mixed public-private
ownership with public majority in four cases and private majority in four cases. The
organisational entities are either a departmental or non-departmental public body, namely the
custom services in seven countries, or a public benefit non-profit company in six countries, or
a for-profit company, with majority private or public ownership in seven countries.2
The core activities of the Single Windows are government licensing and permit approvals,
submission of documents to customs services, port and transport activities, and transit
movement control activities. The Single Windows predominantly focus on document filing and
submission services. Few cover collaboration services, such as risk management and
scheduling of joint inspection. The payment of customs duties and fees or port charges is
integrated into half of the Single Windows. In only six countries, paper has been removed from
2 For two countries this information was not available.