Trade Facilitation Agreement A

4.2 Each member designs and applies risk management in such a way as to avoid arbitrary or unjustified discrimination or disguised restrictions on international trade. In the two years since it came into force, 141 out of 164 countries have ratified the agreement, representing 86% of WTO membership (the TFA being applied on the basis of the most favoured nations). 12 of the other 22 countries are LDCs. Nine countries have not ratified the TFA and have not communicated the commitments of Categories A, B and C. This means that the level of development can have a direct impact on the complexity of legal systems and on countries` ability to assess what they have to do, prompting donors and development partners to assist in legal processes. 1.1 Each member offers merchants and other interested parties, where possible and in accordance with its domestic law and legal order, the opportunity for merchants and other interested parties to introduce or amend general laws and regulations, including goods in transit. to take a stand. Full implementation of FTAs is estimated to reduce trade costs by an average of 14.3% and boost world trade by up to $1 trillion per year, with the highest growth in the poorest countries. For the first time in the history of the WTO, the implementation of the agreement is directly linked to the country`s ability to do so.

A Trade Facilitation Mechanism (TFAF) has been set up to ensure that developing and least developed countries receive the assistance they need to take full advantage of the benefits of the TFA. Bureaucratic delays and “bureaucracy” weigh on traders for cross-border trade. Trade facilitation – the simplification, modernization and harmonization of export and import processes – has therefore become an important issue for the global trading system. 12.1 This article does not prevent a Member from concluding or maintaining a bilateral, multilateral or regional agreement on the exchange or exchange of customs information and data, even on a safe and fast basis, for example on an automatic basis. B or before the shipment arrives. It should be noted that the Democratic People`s Republic of Lao and Malawi are the only LDCs to have provided information on the operation of their single-desk systems (where distributors submit regulatory documents in one place).