Supporting the development of national transport and logistics strategies, including support to the work of LIFFA and a national transport and logistics development strategy in Lao PDR based on enhanced public-private partnership. Institutional strengthening Organising a high-level workshop with the GMS countries to discuss the strategic orientation relevance, ownership and implementing arrangements of the CBTA and TTF-AP (and TA-7851) based on a multi-partite review of the current status in terms of accomplishments and challenges, with recommendations for action by: i) streamlining the current list of activities; and/or ii) establishing the political momentum, implementation mechanisms and resources needed (nationally, subregionally and within the development community) for its realisation (in updated form) including but not limited to (re-)establishment of a Trade and Investment Working Group – and Senior Officials’ Meeting for Customs Co-ordination; Organising at least 3 meetings annually of a multi-partite, multi-agency forum at DG level (or above) to address implementation issues and serve as a steering committee for TA-7851 and to ensure effective ownership and management of the TTF-AP; Convening sub-workshops or round tables (e.g. in the context of the ECF) to discuss specific issues as required to secure a common vision and understanding of the ways forward on the designation of transport corridors, frontier formalities (including use of SSI and alternative mechanisms – including split arrangements, performance in foreign territory, MRAs, etc. agreed under Article 5 – of Annex 4 to reduce costs for business operators and border clearance times), and customs transit (including use of e-Customs, improvements to the current guarantee system, provision for resealing of cargo/containers to allow for LCL operations etc.); and Support for trade regulatory reform i.e. advocacy and legal advice as required to advance the TTF process. Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Finally, it is recommended that SPS issues be handled under the dedicated TA grants and loans linked to the Facilitation: Improved Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Handling in Greater “Trade Mekong Subregion Trade Project” in close co-operation with TA-7851 for purposes of – consistency, complementarity and co-ordination and with explicit links to the TTF-AP.
Supporting the development of national transport and logistics strategies, including support to the work of LIFFA and a national transport and logistics development strategy in Lao PDR based on enhanced public-private partnership. Institutional strengthening Organising a high-level workshop with the GMS countries to discuss the strategic orientation relevance, ownership and implementing arrangements of the CBTA and TTF-AP (and TA-7851) based on a multi-partite review of the current status in terms of accomplishments and challenges, with recommendations for action by: i) streamlining the current list of activities; and/or ii) establishing the political momentum, implementation mechanisms and resources needed (nationally, subregionally and within the development community) for its realisation (in updated form) – including but not limited to (re-)establishment of a Trade and Investment Working Group and Senior Officials’ Meeting for Customs Co-ordination; Organising at least 3 meetings annually of a multi-partite, multi-agency forum at DG level (or above) to address implementation issues and serve as a steering committee for TA-7851 and to ensure effective ownership and management of the TTF-AP; Convening sub-workshops or round tables (e.g. in the context of the ECF) to discuss specific issues as required to secure a common vision and understanding of the ways forward on the designation of transport corridors, frontier formalities (including use of SSI and alternative mechanisms – including split arrangements, performance in foreign territory, MRAs, etc. – agreed under Article 5 of Annex 4 to reduce costs for business operators and border clearance times), and customs transit (including use of e-Customs, improvements to the current guarantee system, provision for resealing of cargo/containers to allow for LCL operations etc.); and Support for trade regulatory reform i.e. advocacy and legal advice as required to advance the TTF process. Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Finally, it is recommended that SPS issues be handled under the dedicated TA grants and loans linked to the “Trade Facilitation: Improved Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Handling in Greater Mekong Subregion Trade Project” – in close co-operation with TA-7851 for purposes of consistency, complementarity and co-ordination and with explicit links to the TTF-AP.
ttf-mtr-summary-report-2014.docx