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The objective of the Meeting was to provide a forum for Governments, the trade and transport industry, and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to explore emerging issues in the areas of trade and transport facilitation and information and communication technologies (ICTs).
The substantive discussions were grouped under the following topics:
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ICTs in global trade and transport;
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Rules and standards and their implementation;
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ICTs in ports and international transport: practical applications;
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ICTs at Customs and border crossings: practical applications; and
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The way forward: key strategies for ICTs in transport and trade.
Experts came from trade, transport, telecommunications, finance and other ministries and agencies, including Customs, as well as from private sector organizations, business and specialized organizations dealing with trade, transport and ICTs.
The UNCTAD secretariat introduced the subject, highlighting major trends that have a bearing on the use of ICTs in trade and transport facilitation. These trends include globalized production and trade, logistics and supply chain developments, multimodal and door-to-door transport, expanded industry portals and e-commerce. These developments go hand-in-hand with an increased use of ICTs by traders and transport service providers and have a significant impact on Customs and other operations at border crossings and in ports. As a result, ICTs are playing an increasing role in the design and implementation of Customs modernization programmes and other trade and transport facilitation measures.
Trade facilitation aims at harmonizing and simplifying international trade documentation and procedures and is, to a large extent, an information system activity. A trade procedure encompasses information retrieval, storage, processing and transmittal. The feasibility and success of trade facilitation programmes depend on factors such as the quality of public administration, human, financial and institutional resources, the availability of international transport and logistics services, and readiness to use ICTs effectively. When both information technologies and adequate operating and legislative environments are available, trade facilitation usually becomes a success story.
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