Institutional Strengthening Expert, ARISE The ATR Interface and the Work Ahead to Operationalize the ATR/NTRs System Paolo R. Vergano Institutional Strengthening Expert, ARISE 18th CCA Meeting, 20-22 May 2015 Siem Reap, Cambodia

AWP2 (May 2014 – April 2015) Recent Achievements May 2015 Two-day national workshops on ATR/NTR/NTMs conducted in 6 AMSs (Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos PDR, Cambodia and Malaysia) to train AMSs’ relevant authorities; ATR’s IT interface and software for the ATR have been developed; One-day Regional Workshop held in Bangkok, Thailand (10/4) to show the functioning of the ATR interface and engage in some simulations to populate the ATR with information from AMSs’ NTRs; and Improvements brought to ATR’s IT interface on the basis of initial feedback by ASEC’s TFD and AMSs. May 2015 18th CCA Meeting attended in Siem Reap, Cambodia (21/5). Status report given by ARISE to AMSs on progress towards implementation of the ATR/NTRs system.

Upcoming Activities AWP3 (May 2015 – October 2016) May 2015 Two-day National Workshop on ATR/NTR/NTMs to be held in Indonesia (25-26/5); Presentation to SEOM in Manila on the Concept Paper for a revamped ACT system (SOLVIT-like), possibly to be called ASSIST, to be parked on the ATR (30/5); and IT work to design the ATR interface and software to be completed by IT expert on the basis of AMSs’ feedback and submitted to ARISE. June-July 2015 Two-day National Workshop on ATR/NTR/NTMs to be held in Viet Nam (6-7/7); Second day of two-day National Workshop on ATR/NTR/NTMs to be held in the Philippines (9/7); Possible two-day National Workshop held in Brunei or Singapore, depending on AMSs’ availability (exact dates T.B.D, upon request).

Prospective Work August – October 2015 Development of training materials for intensive five-day National Workshops on NTM identification and classification to be held in AMSs (upon request); Meaningful progress by AMSs in populating the ATR with linkages to information available on their respective NTRs. If needed, remote assistance can be provided by ARISE; and If requested, up to 3 five-day National Workshops held in selected AMSs on NTM identification, classification and insertion on the NTR for linkage with the ATR (dates T.B.D. between 14/9 and 16/10). This technical assistance will require the previous compilation by each AMS requesting support of the measures to be reviewed, the use of the UNCTAD 2012 NTM Classification, and the availability of the AMS’s inter-agency coordination committee for the ATR. Cooperation with relevant donors, such as the World Bank and USAid, will be sought and encouraged.

Prospective Work October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 19th CCA Meeting attended in Vietnam. Status report given to AMSs on progress towards implementation of the ATR/NTRs system. Decision on ATR’s formal launch at ASEAN Summit in November 2015. November 2015 Possible regional stock-taking workshop held to review AMSs’ progresses towards the establishment and operationalization of the NTRs and their linkages to the ATR (weeks of 26-30/10 or 2-6/11, date T.B.D.); If requested, technical assistance could be mobilized to assist selected AMSs in populating their NTRs and establishing the linkages to the ATR; and Possible formal launch of the ATR at ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur (20-22/11). December 2015 ATR linked to all 10 AMSs and as many categories and sub-categories as possible web-linked to AMSs’ NTRs. Plan for continued T.A. agreed with AMSs.

Prospective Work 2016 Up to 7 more five-day National Workshops held in remaining AMSs on NTM identification, classification and insertion on the NTR for linkage with the ATR (dates T.B.D. between January and July 2016). This technical assistance will require the previous compilation by each AMS requesting support of the measures to be reviewed, the use of the UNCTAD 2012 NTM Classification, and the availability of the AMS’s inter-agency coordination committee for the ATR. Cooperation with relevant donors, such as the World Bank and USAid, will be sought and encouraged; ARISE participation in CCA meetings (upon invitation) for progress reports; Possible socialization events in each AMS to launch the ATR/NTRs system and build awareness about ASEAN transparency, especially within business circles and ‘civil society’; and Outlook to ARISE +. EU project formulation mission.

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Navigating the ATR ASEAN TRADE REPOSITORY Initial Simulations http://atr.mnconcept.eu/ Initial Simulations These initial simulations have been prepared in order to introduce AMSs to the structure and mechanics of the ATR’s interface and the linkages that need to be established with each AMS’s National Trade Repository (NTR) in order to ‘populate’ the ATR with the trade-related information mandated under Article 13 of the ATIGA. The ATR linkages established with existing AMSs’ NTRs and/or trade portals, databases or repositories are merely indicative and not necessarily representative of all AMSs or of all ATR categories or subcategories.

Populating the ATR ATR Access for Information Upload: http://atr.mnconcept.eu/admin Country Log-Ins: Password: atr2015

Final Considerations Urgency of feedback on ATR’s IT structure, if any; Need to get clear commitment from AMSs on domestic NTR processes and progressive ‘population’ of ATR ahead of ASEAN Summit; Recommendation that all AMSs fully populate ATR’s categories 1, 2, 3 and 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 before the ASEAN Summit. Category 4 (NTMs) should be fully populated with respect to 3 Priority Integration Sectors of choice by the ASEAN Summit, with the other 8 PISs being fully populated by mid-2016; Need for early agreements on dates for five-day National Workshops and ARISE funding constraints (revolving participation by domestic authorities); Focal Points for re-vamped ACT system (i.e., ASEAN Solutions and Settlements for Investments, Services and Trade - ASSIST) on the ATR; and Indication of T.A. needs post-2016 (ARISE+) and trade facilitation / regional integration priorities.