Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1696588649619.pdf (Vanuatu)
Vanuatu Electronic Single Window M I N I S T R Y O F T O U R I S M , T R A D E , C O M M E R C E A N D Project Monthly Newsletter N I - Santo Biosecurity Border Control automated!!

As of 26th August, Traders in Vanu- atu’s northern port of Espiritu Santo have experienced an improved facilita- tion in cargo processing by both Cus- toms and now, Biosecurity, using the Single Window System.
This means that for the first time ever, all Biosecurity Vanuatu border operations are now fully auto- mated.

This new development now wraps up the automation of all ports of entry for interna- tional cargo into Vanuatu for Customs and Biosecurity.

Prior to going live, the Single Win- dow team and the Bisoecurity Bor- der Manager conducted trainings to the Santo Biosecurity team in areas of ASYCUDA manifest module, Cus- toms Tariff and the ASYCUDA Ad- ministration Selectivity module itself.
I N T H I S E D I T I O N :  Santo Biosecurity Border control auto- mated  VeSW Project ex- tended to 2021  VeSW assisting with HS2022 consultations  Biosecurity SPS Mod- ule assisting Traders   114 trained SPS users Instant access to data  Vanuatu Trade Portal the best in the Pacific  ASYCUDA Support Mechanism for the Pacific (ASMP) U P C O M I N G E V E N T S I N S E P T 1.

Signing of Memorandum of Understanding with OGCIO 2.
Link SPS permits to Cus- toms declarations Vanuatu’s northern port of Luganville P A G E 1 P A G E 2 VeSW Project extended to 2021 “The VeSW Project has been extended for another 12 months at no additional cost.” UNCTAD online resources, including a Pacific dedicated ASYCUDA website, issue tracking sys- tem, digital library and an online learning platform to supplement training delivery.
The VeSW Project workplan was initially scheduled to end at the end of 2020. the Project activities extend- ed to the end of 2021, at no additional cost.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the delivery of from technical UNCTAD, following the clos- ing of borders and restriction of travels.
assistance In this regard, following the request of the Trade Facilita- tion Steering Committee ( T F S C ) C h a i r p e r s o n , UNCTAD has updated the Project workplan which saw UNCTAD will be adopting mitigation measures, including but not restricted to mobiliza- tion of experts from the Pacific to prepare in-country missions deployment to Va- nuatu when travel bubbles are established, as well as capacity building in the re- gion; employing technology, such as videoconferencing, to gather information and sup- port the Project; and building VeSW assisting with HS2022 Consultations Despite being engaged with the VeSW Pro- ject, the Project Team members, who are technically Customs Officials, are often re- quested to assist Customs with its reform and modernization initiatives.
Currently the VeSW Project Tariff Officer has been assisting Customs Officials in con- ducting nation-wide consultation of the Cus- toms Harmonization System 2022.

The Harmonized Tariff System is released by the WCO every 5 years and Customs has been using the HS Tariff system since 1999 when the ASYCUDA system was first intro- duced in Vanuatu.

Currently Vanuatu is using HS2017 which came into force on 1st of January 2017.
The preamble to the International Conven- tion on the Harmonized Commodity De- scription and Coding System emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the Harmonized System is kept up to date in the light of changes in technology and patterns of inter- national trade.

The current consultations for HS2022 would be the first time that Customs is conducting such an exercise in good time to avoid any delays in implementing the next Harmonized Coding System in Vanuatu.
HS Consultations in Customs prior to consulting key stake- holders in the public and private sector in the coming months Biosecurity SPS Module greatly assisting Traders Words of Cornelia Wylie, CEO Fine Foods Ltd the office to pay the permit appli- cation.

As yet the online pay- ment is not available.

The e-permit is easily transmitted to supplier.


It is no longer hand written.

The permit num- ber is used to fill in the arrival docu- mentation.

What used to take 4-6 days is now reduced to 2 days.

I also find one other important factor – con- fidentiality.

The old system of manual filling in a form whilst standing at the Biosecurity window allowed other importers to flick through the import book to see who had imported what from where.
The new system is much “The Module is an improve- ment as being online every- one gets the same interpre- tation or latest up to date schedule attachment.

I then have to physically visit cleaner.

In [the past] exporting certain food items we need to have the following documents.

Each is sourced from a different office.

The documents need to be collected in chronological order before the next stamp or issue is pro- vided.

This will take approximately 8 hours spread over 7 days.
This is a challenge for those that live outside the perimeter of Port Vila.

Each appli- cation requires two phys- ical visit at least to an office.

One to make ap- plication and one to col- lect the document.” “The new system is much cleaner” 114 individuals trained on the Biosecurity SPS Module A total of 114 Biosecurity Offic- ers and Stakeholders have been trained on using the SPS module since it was launched in Vanuatu on March 2020.

85 of these users are in Port Vila while 29 are in Santo.
It is interesting to note that majority of the trained users are females, even the trained 4 Bi- osecurity trainers are all fe- males.

This is particularly im- portant as far as international gender equality principles are concerned.

This additional number of users now brings the number of Single Window System users close to 400 in total.

This number is ex- pected to further increase as more agencies will be connected to the system under the current Single Window Project.
Instant Data accessible from the Single Window System Customs, Biosecurity, Immigration, Statistics, Police, FIU, Tourism and a few of other Government agencies have been having instant online access to their required data in the system, delivered in real-time to their computers, thanks to the system’s report server: I S S U E 7 P A G E 4 “Vanuatu Trade Portal the best practice in the Pacific” UNCTAD’s section on Trade Facilitation has labelled the Vanuatu Trade Portal as the best in the Pacific region ASYCUDA Support Mechanism for the Pacific (ASMP) Based in Suva Fiji, the ASMP office provides ASYCUDA support to the Customs Administration’s of Fiji, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed in December 2001/January 2002 be- tween the Head of the then FICS, the Comp- troller of Customs in Samoa, the Director of the Vanuatu Customs and Inland Revenue Department, and UNCTAD, for the setup and operations of the ASMP.
PNGCS joined the ASMP framework through the signing of the 2008 and subsequent Joint Statements.

SICED joined the ASMP from 2016.

Funding is provided by the participating coun- tries through a cost sharing arrangement, and the objective of the MOA is taking full owner- ship of the modernized and automated Cus- toms operations with ASYCUDA, including long term sustainability at both national and regional levels.
The MOA calls for a yearly detailed review of the ASMP office operations during the fourth quarter of each year.

Vanuatu Electronic Single Window Project Ministry of Tourism, Trade, Commerce and Ni- Vanuatu Business Private Mail Bag 9056 Port Vila, Vanuatu Phone: (+678) 33093 VOIP: 2361 Email: swnpt@vanuatu.gov.vu Website: https://singlewindow.gov.vu Twitter: https://twitter.com/swpvanuatu For past editions of this Newsletter, please click on the Newsletter link on the Single Window website.
The overall objective of the Vanuatu Electronic Single Window project is to expand Vanuatu’s GDP through increased exports The project outcome is to increase Vanuatu’s competitiveness through the reduction of cost and time of trading across its borders.

The Project is kindly funded by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) and the Australian Government.

The Vanuatu Government is also providing in-kind contribution towards the project, in terms of personnel and ICT support.
The main implementing partner in the Project is United Na- tions for Trade and Development, UNCTAD.