WTO’s best practices for national TFA committees

The World Trade Organization has recently published guidance for its member states, which are currently setting up national bodies to coordinate the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement.    The World Trade Organization (WTO) has recently published guidance for its member states, which are currently setting up national bodies to coordinate the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
   The WTO recently surveyed more than 100 of its member states and found that 63 percent have already established their national committees since November 2016. Another 27 percent of those with an established National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) said they require assistance, while 42 percent are still establishing their NCTF and have asked for the WTO’s help.
   The TFA, which will help improve the movement, release and clearance of goods across borders, entered into force on Feb. 22. It requires WTO members to establish a national committee to facilitate domestic coordination for implementing the agreement. However, it does not provide guidance on how these committees are set up, the WTO said.
   The WTO said its publication, National Committees on Trade Facilitation: Current Practices and Challenges, provides information “on national experiences, best practices and recommendations with respect to the establishment and functioning of NCTFs.”
   Specifically, the publication “offers details on how to define an NCTF’s mandate and institutional framework, including its composition, participation of the private sector, and the role of the chairperson,” the WTO said.