Single Window Systems
In the OIC Member States
15
In some cases, a Single Window started with a centralised system, but changed with time. It
either faced technological challenges to support the centralised architecture or agencies
developed their own IT system that cover end-to-end decision making processes. Such a de
facto move to a mixed IT architectural design becomes difficult to manage. Often it is easier
and more costs-effective to re-engineer the IT system and hence adopt a new generation Single
Window architecture.
A central feature of Single Windows is that they deliver a public service for a broad number of
users and in some cases cover all trade transactions. It is therefore necessary that the
operational data are handled with maximum security, confidentiality and privacy with
different levels of user access control.
The Single Window overall IT architecture must be protected by a fault tolerant system and
off-site data backup. Three international standards can be applied for business continuity sites;
mirror site, data and services are mirrored (copied) to another site and there is no need for
human intervention in case of and disaster recovery; hot / warm site, similar to mirrored site,
but in order to restore the operations, human intervention is needed to put the hot / warm site
online; and cold backup (offline) site that is just storing the data and identified critical services,
human intervention is needed in order to restore the data and services on the primary site.
The business continuity site keeps the data and services safe from human or natural disasters.
Business continuity is important as an incident can have vast implications for the SW services
and data.
1.3 Contribution of Single Window to Trade Facilitation
Governments implement Single Windows for domestic efficiency consideration, and in
response to international commitments. The main driver is to simplify trade formalities and
speed up and secure processing with the objective to reduce clearance time and costs.
1.3.1 Policy Drivers
Different policy objectives are associated with a Single Window; including cutting red tape,
eliminating waiting times, cutting border-crossing times, reducing transport costs, improving
freight management, and eliminating corruption.
In general, Single Windows are set up to change an environment where
 Traders and intermediaries have to contact separately multiple agencies and
stakeholders and transport documents back and forth to and between them;
 Government agencies operate in isolation and process sequentially without knowledge
and information from other government bodies;
 Processes are handled manually without consistent targeting and selectivity;
 Handling and processing varies from one location to the other.