Welcome to our International Forum on Trade Facilitation Carol Cosgrove-Sacks Director Trade Development & Timber Division United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Trade Facilitation - key tool in economic development  Trade as engine of growth  Globalization - dominant feature of today’s economy  Trade Facilitation supports this goal  Millennium Development Goal United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Trade Facilitation - Regional / international approach  Trade Facilitation at national and regional level - based on international standards  UN regional commissions United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

UNECE’s approach  Standards development and trade facilitation – at global level  Implementation in member States  Facilitating debate and policy development – at regional and global level United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Enhancing economic potential of our member States  Increasing market access  Reducing costs  Improving trade infrastructures and competitiveness  Improving integration in the global market  Economic impact of trade facilitation  Enhancing security United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Some of our Trade Facilitation tools  UN Layout Key for trade documents  UN/EDIFACT standards for electronic commerce  30 Recommendations  Agricultural quality standards – approx. 100  Technical harmonization & standardization policies  New e-business standards (UN/CEFACT)  Current survey (baseline) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

New areas in Trade Facilitation  Security – need for collaboration  Enhancement of International Supply Chain Reference Model  “Single Window” Recommendation and Guide  Benchmarking Guide and Recommendation  Flow of information  Policy papers United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Capacity Building  Focus on member States  Project on Trade Facilitation and electronic business in Mediterranean (e-Med)  UN electronic trade documents (UNeDocs)  Project to improve trade finance and investment prospects for Russian timber sector  POLITICAL WILL United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Capacity Building (other examples)  Electronic Data Interchange (UN/EDIFACT) in eastern Europe  Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI)  Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA)  Collaboration with WTO in Doha Development Agenda  Seminars on quality control for perishable produce  Implementation of UNECE Recommendation on International Model for Technical Harmonization United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Regional Dimension  UN Development Account project,  Regional commissions and the Doha Development Agenda  Commitment to common actions United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Promotion  International Forum on Trade Facilitation  Strengthening UNECE Trade Multiplier Point programme  Developing additional promotional & information material, - electronic and paper versions  Wide range of publications (selection available in and outside Conference room) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Cooperation  UN regional commissions  UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)  World Trade Organization (WTO)  International Trade Centre (ITC)  European Union (EU)  Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

Cooperation (cont’d)  International Organization for Standardization (ISO)  UN ICT Task Force  Business community and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)  High-level trade coordination meetings United Nations Economic Commission for Europe