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2010/SOM3/CTI/WKSP/003

Breakout Discussion Questions

Submitted by: Singapore and Hong Kong, China

/ Ease of Doing Business Workshop on Trading Across Borders
Sendai, Japan
18-19 September 2010

Breakout Discussion Questions

FORMAT:

  • Each speaker/participant will be assigned to 1 of the 3 breakout discussion groups
  • Facilitators will steer a 2-hour discussion session
  • Aim:
  • To seek updates from participants on what their economy/agency is doing or intends to doto improve their economies’ Trading Across Borders performance
  • To encourage participants to make a preliminary identification ofareas for improvement in their existing systems/processesand possible solutions that would suit the circumstances of their economy
  • To elicit feedback from participants on the key obstacles they face that are preventing them from embarking on or making progress in reforms, and correspondingly, for participants to explain what specific areas/types of assistance their economies need.
  • Facilitators will provide a short 10 to 15-minute presentationto all participants on the outcomes of their breakout discussions

General discussion question for all breakout groups

  • Economies that rank among the best for Trading Across Borders tend to have: (i) Electronic based systems (i.e. were not paper based); (ii) “Single windows” or were in the process of implementing “single windows”; (iii) Risk management systems; (iv) Post clearance audits; (v) Effective customs appeals mechanisms; (vi) Electronic cargo tracking systems; and (vii) A competitive trucking industry.
  • Which of these are already being implemented in your economy?
  • What reforms does your agency/economy intend to embark on in the next 2 years to improve your economy’s performance in Trading Across Borders? What about in the next 5 years? Next 10 years?
  • What are the key elements for success in implementing reforms towards these good practices?
  • Conversely, what are the key obstacles faced by your economy in pushing ahead with reforms towards such practices?
  • What kind of capacity building does your economy require to be able to proceed with reforms in these areas?
  • How can economies avoid reform fatigue?

Breakout Discussion 1: CHAMPIONING AND MOTIVATING REFORMS

Facilitator: Ms Ms Mikiko Imai Ollison, World Bank Doing Business Team Lead for “Trading Across Borders”

  • Taking a whole-of-government approach: Trading Across Borders reforms tend to cut across multiple agencies (e.g. Customs, Finance, Trade/Commerce, Transport, Health, Agriculture, Security).
  • Who are the public sector stakeholders in your economy that oversee areas relating to Trading Across Borders? What processes are there in place that help your agencies work with each other to design and implement reforms?
  • Is there a ‘champion’ in your economy for Trading Across Borders? How did your economy identify this champion? Why was it chosen? What is its role? What are some of the key obstacles faced by this agency in pushing ahead with reforms?
  • For economies with state/provincial/municipal level agencies involved in the Trading Across Borders regulatory process, how does your federal government work with these subnational regulatory agencies?
  • Motivating reform: What gets measured gets improved
  • How can governments use the World Bank’s Doing Business and other indicators to motivate and benchmark reforms?
  • Does your economy/government have any indicators that you measure yourself?
  • Does your government’s statistics department have your own set of sub-national rankings or other ways to make inter-state/inter-city comparisons? Do you think such rankings would be helpful in your economy?

Breakout Discussion 2: DEEPENING AND PRIORITISING REFORMS IN A SUSTAINABLE MANNER – PUBLIC SECTOR INITIATIVES

Facilitator: Ms Elley Mao, Principal Economist, Economic Analysis and Business Facilitation Unit, Financial Secretary’s Office, Hong Kong, China

  • How can your economy/agency identify areas for improvement?
  • Is there currently any process in your economy to help your government systematically identify areas for improvement in Trading Across Borders (e.g. use of tools such as the Time Release Study)? Are there any approaches used in your economy to systematically eliminate unnecessary regulations or assess the net benefits of a regulation before it is introduced?
  • Choosing reforms that will have the greatest impact: How can economies better understand the relationship between reforms and economic gains? What kinds of analysis do your economies currently rely on?
  • Feedback from private stakeholders as a motivator for reform: What feedback has your agency/economy received from importers/exporters on how easy/fast/cheap it is to trade across borders in your economy? What areas are they most concerned about?

Breakout Discussion 3: INVOLVING PRIVATE SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS IN REFORM - FINANCING AND OPERATING TRADING ACROSS BORDERS SOLUTIONS

Facilitator: Mr Jonathan Koh, Director, Trade Facilitation Centre of Excellence, Crimson Logic, Singapore

A number of APEC economies are considering establishing a “Single Window” to facilitate the electronic exchange of information between trading community and the government.

The APEC Single Window Guidelines 2009 includes in its recommendation the need for strong stakeholder involvement from both the government as well as the private sector for the introduction of the Single Window (SW). The Guidelines also emphasize the need for a strong business case to be established so that the various benefits, funding levels and sources can be identified.

There are various schools of thoughts. In some economies, the prevalent thinking is to have the government to establish the SW, as a public facility for the good of the public. Whereas in others, the private sector may perceive that the government would be much slower in pushing for a SW, and feel that a SW is best left to the private sector to operate under a government mandate. Still many others, are of the view that the SW facility is best developed and operated as public-private venture.

  • Buy-in for SW
  • What efforts have been made in your economy to obtain a strong and formal commitment from both the government and private sectors for a SW? Which sector presents a stronger challenge in obtainment the commitment? What are fears and concerns expressed?
  • Method for financing the SW
  • Which school of thought is prevailing in your economy –

a)SW should be a public funded facility?

b)Private sector feels that government is slower, and expresses the desire for the SW to be privately initiated but with government mandate?

c)SW is best done as a public-private partnership (PPP)

  • Who is the best private sector representative to work with government?
  • Who are the likely private sector organisations that are best able to organise the private sector for the development of the SW -

a)Shippers / Manufacturers body (e.g. Chambers of Commerce)

b)Logistics Body (e.g. Shipping Association / Council)

c)Services Body (e.g. Customs Brokers Association, Banking Association)

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