Latin America Enhances Trade with Crossborder Partnerships

The World Customs Organization supported a Trade Facilitation Committee meeting for Latin American countries, focusing on issues such as expedited customs clearance, transit, and cooperation among border agencies. The meeting emphasized strengthening collaboration between border agencies and the private sector, as well as monitoring the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) to ensure the sustainability and success of trade facilitation efforts. These discussions aim to streamline processes and foster a more efficient and collaborative trade environment within the region.

The World Customs Organization (WCO) and Switzerland's State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) have jointly supported the second meeting of National Trade Facilitation Committees (NTFCs) in Latin America through the Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP). This landmark event marks the beginning of a transformative era for regional commerce.

  The virtual conference, held from February 1-4, 2022, brought together over 100 public and private sector representatives from across Latin America to address critical trade barriers and implementation challenges of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA).
 

Key Conference Highlights

Digital Platform: The online format enabled unprecedented participation across the region
Strategic Partnerships: Collaboration between WTO and the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI)
Practical Focus: In-depth discussions on customs clearance, transit procedures, and inter-agency cooperation
Knowledge Sharing: Exchange of best practices among participating nations

Critical Areas of Discussion

Expedited Customs Clearance

Participants examined technological solutions to streamline documentation and inspection processes. Case studies demonstrated how electronic declarations, risk management systems, and advance rulings have reduced clearance times by up to 50% in some countries.

Transit Transportation

The conference emphasized regional cooperation to harmonize transit regulations and improve infrastructure. Successful models of information-sharing platforms were presented, showing significant efficiency gains in cross-border cargo movement.

Border Agency Coordination

Delegates shared experiences in establishing joint inspection mechanisms and data-sharing systems. Several countries reported 30% reductions in inspection times through improved inter-agency collaboration.

Conference Outcomes

The meeting produced consensus on three critical fronts:

Enhanced public-private sector cooperation to implement trade facilitation measures
Process optimization to reduce delays and lower trade costs
Establishment of monitoring systems to evaluate TFA implementation progress

The Road Ahead

This gathering has strengthened regional cooperation frameworks and provided concrete tools for TFA implementation. With continued collaboration, Latin America stands to significantly improve its position in global trade networks.

The WCO has reaffirmed its commitment through GTFP to support capacity-building initiatives that promote trade facilitation across developing regions, including Latin America.