APEC: Ideal model for single window implementation

Delegates join the discussion in APEC Workshop on Single Window. Photo: Thanh Thuy

Deputy Director General - General Department of Vietnam Customs Vu Ngoc Anh has welcome speech to open the workshop.

He profoundly stated: “It is indeed an honor for Viet Nam Customs to co-sponsor this important workshop, with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the assistance from the APEC Secretariat.”

In the context of regional economic integration and the need for further facilitation of international trade, all economies acknowledge that different administrative procedures and trade management requirements among government agencies lead to duplication of trade data and information submitted to governmental agencies, that takes time and costs, affecting the business efficiency of the trading community. In such context, together with other economies, APEC economies agreed to apply electronic processing of trade documents, aiming to ease this burden, not only for the trading community but also for the management agencies as well. In such direction, the Single window approach is one of the effective tools that we need to resort to. Implementation of Single Window could foster the flow of goods, enhance supply chain security, reduce costs and provide quality and timely information on trade across borders.

Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Vu Ngoc Anh made the welcome speech.

However, the establishment of the single window mechanism is not an easy task, that requires a lot of factors: strong political backing, devotion, and determination of related parties, especially governmental entities, close supervision and coordination among all stakeholders ... to ensure the process a success.

This workshop is expected to be a good forum for the core participants in the process: government agencies – as the main engine; the private sector: an important partner; and also the IT developers to exchange experience on the implementation of Single Window and to explore ways that we can work more effectively to accelerate the establishment and implementation of the Single Window.

Besides that, with the participation of colleagues from the APEC Customs Administrations, international organizations and private sectors to share your experiences in term of the following topics: Building Blocks of Single Window Systems, Data Quality and Security, Single Window to Facilitate Trade and Economic Competitiveness, Streamlining Processes: Addressing Challenges from the Private Sector.

Additionally, representative of Vietnam Customs, Vu Van Thanh – Deputy Head of Division, National and ASEAN Single Window Operation and Management Division, IT and Statistic, presented the experience in implementation single window, achievements as well as a target for the period in 2016-2020. Accordingly, in order to build successful single window system, it consist those factors: Political will from the highest level of the Government to the executive level;Efficient and effective Steering Committee with the direct involvement of leaders of the Government and leaders of line ministers; Lead agency with strong commitment; Positive involvement of ministries; Adequate financial resources and flexible investment mechanism; Training and communication activities

Moreover, Customs Automation System is core component need to focus more and development; Staging approach in implementation should be followed up. In particular single window, a system should be piloted at places with the medium volume of import-export in order to improve import – export activities.

Thus, Vietnam Customs has achieved some significant results in training cross borers rank of Vietnam improved 15 ranks from 108 to 93 in 2016 compared to the year of 2015; Ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the state management; Simplified and paperless administrative procedures for cross border trade.

Agreement on Vietnam’s single window system, Mr. Sangwon Lim, Economic Affair Officer, United Nation, Economic, and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) introduced an ideal model for single window system implementation. Accordingly, there are 5 core elements including a Political will, Stakeholder coordination, Legal framework, Business Model and Techincal Issues (data, connection,…). Hence, it could ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of single window implementation.

Besides that, there are challenges in the process of single window implementation. Mr. Sangwon Lim indicated that there are 6 reasons needed to improve which are a political commitment, planning, interagency coordination, legal framework, change management and technical issues. Thus, in order to overcome those challenges, Mr. Lim suggested some Single window implementation toolkits for trade facilitation published by UNNEXT such as a Legal guide for electronic single windows and paperless trade, data harmonization and modeling guide, Business process analysis guide, etc.

Therefore, the workshop is expected to bring out the outcomes and provide significant inputs for APEC Members Economies to effectively implement the National Single Window, towards to regional Single Window subsequently.