Trade facilitation concerns how procedures and controls governing the movement of goods across national borders can be improved to reduce cost and shipment time while also improving revenue collection and regulatory enforcement.

Two multilateral agreements set forth trade facilitation “best practices” – the World Customs Organization’s Revised Kyoto Convention, and the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement. In addition, the WCO’s SAFE Framework of Standards policy statement sets forth trade facilitation measures. Myanmar is not a signatory to the Revised Kyoto Convention. However, Myanmar has indicated intent to implement WCO SAFE and as a WTO member, the provisions of the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement will bind Myanmar when that agreement becomes effective. For information about the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, click here.

ASEAN’s ATIGA also has trade facilitation provisions set forth in Articles 45 –50. In addition to improving regulatory transparency, simplification of procedures, non-discrimination of regulations, the use of new technologies, and improved cooperation between border agencies, Article 50 requires the development of national single windows, which will then be linked to an ASEAN single window. Myanmar Customs is now implementing a new IT system, MACCS, which will be the basis for a national single window.