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Fifth Southeast European Regional Seminar on
TRADE FACILITATION, THE SINGLE WINDOW AND
DATA HARMONIZATION Organized by the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and
Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina
in cooperation with the
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development,
United Nations Development Programme and
Regional Cooperation Council
Preliminary programme
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
10-11 October 2011
Venue: Regional Cooperation Council
Trg Bosne i Hercegovine 1; 5th floor
71000 Sarajevo
Bosna i Hercegovina
for contact: Ms Maja Taylor, Phone +387 33 561 726
Accommodation in Sarajevo for the international participants:
Hotel Evropa: Vladislava Skarica 5, Sarajevo 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina, tel. +387 33 580400
Website: http://www.unece.org/tradewelcome/trademeetings/trade-workshops/workshops/2011/fifth-southeast-european-regional-seminar-on-trade-facilitation-the-single-window-and-data-harmonization/docs.html
For more information, please contact:
Mario Apostolov, Regional Adviser, UNECE Trade, tel. +41 22 9171134, fax: +41 22 9170037, e-mail:
The Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), working with the UNDP office in Sarajevo and the Regional Cooperation Council are organizing the fifth regional conference on trade facilitation, the Single Window and data harmonization in Sarajevo, in October 2011. The Conference will promote the use of international standards and codes in international trade, Single Window and paperless trade projects.
A Single Window for export and import clearance, as defined in the UNECE / UNCEFACT Recommendation 33, is a facility that allows all participants in foreign trade transactions to lodge all required information in one place, simultaneously, and in a standard format. The Single Window is a political and organizational tool, which requires high level of interagency collaboration, in order to achieve better governance and more efficiency in international trade. Building a Single Window typically is a step-by-step process, first focusing on interagency collaboration, then on building an interoperable data exchange technical system. The recently adopted Recommendation 34 provides a general guideline on how to build an enabling legal environment for a functioning Single Window system. A first step in setting up the technical system is data harmonization, as defined in the recent UNECE Recommendation 34. Data harmonization will allow various agencies and the private sector to “speak the same language” – use the same codes and definitions of trade elements. Data harmonization focuses on alignment with such international standards as the UN Trade Data Elements Directory; the WCO Data Model; the UNCEFACT Core Components Library, etc.
Some countries in Southeast Europe have already made significant progress in building a Single Window system. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia has implemented a first stage of a Single Window (focused on the pre-declaration process); Serbia is implementing a Single Window project; and Albania is dedicated to developing one (related to the One UN programme), after having signed two bilateral data exchange agreements last year.
The objectives of the Seminar are:
· In Bosnia and Herzegovina: Review the feasibility of a Single Window for export, import and transit in the specific administrative and business climate in the country. Take stock of the current situation in data exchange among agencies and across borders; best practice in the region and the EU. Explore the possibilities offered by ASYCUDA;
· Regional and corridor-based approach: Examine problems and opportunities for exchange of trade data in the region and/or along corridors involving Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discuss the benefits of possible bilateral and multilateral agreements on cross-border data exchange. Share information on the challenges of building interagency and public-private cooperation for Single Window solutions in the SE European setting;
· Further the practical work on data harmonization and alignment with international standards. Provide capacity-building on the use of the latest UNECE, WCO and other tools. Identify the next steps in building an enabling environment for interoperable Single Window systems in Southeast Europe, from the perspective of European integration.
Representatives of various Bosnian agencies - stakeholders in a possible Single Window system, the neighbouring countries, experts from EU Member States, the UNECE, the World Customs Organization (WCO), the European Commission and others will present their best practice experience. The meeting will further the regional initiative on the Single Window and data harmonization. Governmental and private organizations dealing with international trade, the information society, Customs, trade, freight forwarding and other business operators are invited to contribute further to this initiative.
Day One, 10 October 2011:
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9:30 Registration
10:00 – 10:20 Opening
Svjetlana Perkovic, IT Director, Indirect Taxation Authority, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sanjin Arifagic, Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)
Mario Apostolov, Regional Adviser, UNECE
A. Umut Ergezer, Technical Adviser, CEFTA2006
Chairpersons (t.b.c.):
Indirect Taxation Authority and UNECE
10:20 – 12:30 Session I: The Single Window Concept in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Agenda and objectives of the seminar
Mario Apostolov, UNECE
Trade facilitation and the Single Window concept in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ms Svjetlana Perkovic & Mr Dzakula Indirect Taxation Authority
The Single Window: a tool to help buisiness
Mr.Zijad Sinanovic, Chamber of Commerce and Industry
e-Government and the Single Window
Ms Ivana Simic, Chief of Department for Developing and Maintenance of Electronic Administration and e-Government System, Secretariat of Council of Ministry B&H
The Single Window prospects in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ministry of Transport and Communications
11:15 – 11:30 coffee break
ASYCUDA: opportunities for interagency data exchange in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the region
Nicolae Popa, UNCTAD
Discussion
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Session II: Progress in other projects in the region
Data harmonization and standardization as a possible way to SEW and NCTS
Dragan Dragovic, Customs Administration of Serbia
Tour-de-table
Progress in the European Union
Eva Kanovska, DG TAXUD, European Commission
Prerequisites for building a Single Window / elements of a Master Plan
Mario Apostolov, Regional Adviser, UNECE Trade Division
The Electronic Southeast European Initiative and the Single Window
Nera Nazecic, UNDP, eSEE initiative
Discussion
15:30 – 15:45 coffee break
15:45 – 18:00 Session II: Multi-agency risk assessment and management
Multi-agency risk analysis module of the ASYCUDA World application
Constantin Ciuta, UNCTAD
Demonstration of the module
Discussion on issues and challenges for
SEE
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Day Two, 11 October 2011:
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9:00 – 13:00 Session III: Practical steps in data harmonization
Data harmonization: Developments in the European Union; EU Modernized Customs Code; and perspectives for Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jean-Luc Delcourt, DG TAXUD, European Commission
Corridor and regional agreements
Albania, Montenegro, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Tools for data harmonization and the Single Window
UNECE Trade
10:20 – 10:30 coffee break
10:30 – 13:00 Session III: Practical exercise in data harmonization: SAD and the Phytosanitary and Veterinary Certificates
Control process on the BIP and electronic data processing
Mr. Slaviša Krestalica (Chief of the Border veterinary inspection)
Data Harmonization in the EU Single Window Project: SAD, Phytosanitary and the Common Veterinary Entry Document
Eva Kanovska, DG TAXUD, European Commission
Practical Exercise
Constantin Ciuta, UNCTAD; WCO expert; UNECE expert
Plant protection and veterinary agencies of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Discussion
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Session IV: The way forward for interoperable systems in SE Europe: Agreements on data harmonization
Panel discussion on: Possible Next Steps on Data Harmonization and the Single Window in Southeast Europe
Discussion
15:30 – 16:00 Conclusions
16:00 - end of the Conference
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Abbreviations:
ASYCUDA – Automated System for Customs Data processing (managed by UNCTAD)
CBP – United States Customs and Border Protection Agency
CEFTA2006 – Central European Free Trade Agreement (in the version signed in 2006 in SEE)
DG TAXUD – Directorate General of the European Commission on Taxation and Customs Union
DM – Data Model
EC – European Commission
eSEE – e-Southeast European initiative (on the information society in SEE)
EU – European Union
RCC – Regional Cooperation Council for Southeast Europe
SDS – Standard Data Set
SECIPRO – regional network of the national trade facilitation bodies of the SEE countries
SEE – Southeast Europe
SEETO - Southeast European Transport Observatory
TTFSE - Trade and Transport Facilitation in South-eastern Europe project of the World Bank
UN/CEFACT – United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business
UNCTAD – United Nations Conference for Trade and Development
UNDP – United Nations Development Programme
UNECE - United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
UN/TDED – United Nations Trade Data Elements Directory
WCO – World Customs Organization