G/TFA/6   
27 September 2023  
(23-6472) Page: 1/27 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: Spanish   
 
 
 
REPORT OF THE THIRD MEETING OF THE LATIN AMERICAN  
NATIONAL TRADE FACILITATION COMMITTEES  
MONTEVIDEO, URUGUAY  
23-26 MAY  2023 
 
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS  
A. INTRODUCTION  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  3 
B. OBJECTIVES OF THE THIRD WORKSHOP  ................................ ................................ ...... 3 
C. OVERVIEW OF THE SUBSTANTIVE SESSIONS  ................................ ...............................  4 
Session 2: Functioning of the National Trade Facilitation Committees in Latin America  ... 4 
2.1 Strengths and good practices  ................................ ................................ ..........................  4 
2.2 Challenges  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  5 
Session 3: Evaluation of TFA implementation ................................ ................................ ... 6 
3.1 Available tools  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  6 
3.2 Strengths and good practices  ................................ ................................ ..........................  7 
3.3 Challenges  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  7 
Session 4: Digitalization of import, export and transit processes  ................................ ..... 8 
4.1 Strengths and good practices  ................................ ................................ ..........................  9 
4.2 Challenges  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  9 
Session 5: Risk management and treatment of expedited shipments  ............................. 10 
5.1 Strengths and good practices  ................................ ................................ ......................... 11 
5.2 Challenges  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 11 
Session 6: Coordination with donors: Donors' perspective  ................................ .............. 12 
6.1 Strengths and good practices  ................................ ................................ ......................... 13 
6.2 Challenges  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 14 
6.3 Entry points  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................. 14 
Session 7: Coordination with donors: Countries' perspective  ................................ .......... 14 
7.1 Strengths and good practices  ................................ ................................ ......................... 15 
7.2 Challenges  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 15 
Session 8: The role of the private sector in TFA implementation  ................................ .....16 
8.1 Strengths and good practices  ................................ ................................ ......................... 16 
8.2 Challenges  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 17 
Session 9: Coordinated border management in the regional context  .............................. 18 
9.1 Strengths and good practices  ................................ ................................ ......................... 18 
9.2 Challenges  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 18 
D. RECOMMENDATIONS ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 19 
ANNEX  1 –  PROGRAMME OF THE THIRD LATIN AMERICAN MEETING OF NATIONAL 
TRADE FACILITATION COMMI TTEES  ................................ ................................ ..............  21 
ANNEX  2 -  EVALUATION OF THE THIRD MEETING  ................................ .........................  25 
 
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 A. INTRODUCTION  
The Third Latin American Meeting of the National Trade Facilitation Committees  
(Third  Meeting) was organized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Latin American 
Integration Association (LAIA/ALADI). This face -to-face meeting was held in Montevideo, Uruguay, 
from 23 to 26  May 2023.  
 
The objective of the Third Meeting was to follow up on the Second Meeting of the National Trade 
Facilitation Committees, held virtually from 1 to 4  February  2022. In particular, the Meeting  gave 
Latin American countries the opportunity to follow up topics of interest identified by participants in 
the 2022 meeting, such as the digitalization of trade processes, risk management for urgent 
shipments, monitoring of implementation, cooperation with donors, and private -sector participation. 
The programme, including the description of the sessions, coordi nators and panellists, may be 
consulted in Annex 1 to this document.  An online programme was used at the event that allowed 
participants to vote and give feedback during the different sessions.  The participants also decided 
to draw up a set of recommendati ons which are reflected in section D of this report.  
 
The Meeting was attended by more than 60 participants from the public and private sectors of 
18 Latin American countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, 
Ecuador,  El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay 
and Venezuela. Sixteen representatives of permanent missions to LAIA were also in attendance, as 
were experts from various organizations including the World Bank, the Int er-American Development 
Bank, the International Trade Centre (ITC), the Conference of Latin American and Caribbean Express 
Companies (CLADEC), the Andean Community, the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, the World 
Customs Organization (SECO -WCO), the Organisation for Economic Co -operation and Development 
(OECD), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the European Union 
and USAID.  
 
The Third M eeting was financed mainly with funds from the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility 
(TFAF), including travel expenses for 27 participants and three session organizers. The Third Meeting 
was organized at the request of LAIA in the context of the 2023 work plan1, in order to provide 
training and capacity building in respect of border agency  cooperation and to strengthen the national 
trade facilitation committees of its members (Outcome 4 of the Facility's log frame ). The work plan, 
including this request, was approved by the WTO Committee on Trade Facilitation at the conclusion 
of its dedica ted session on technical assistance and capacity building, on 1  December  2022. The 
Third Meeting also received support from many other organizations which funded the in -person 
participation of three session coordinators and six discussants, as well as 20 p articipants who paid 
for their own travel to Montevideo to attend  the Meeting.  
 
On the basis of the feedback received from participants for the final evaluation conducted during the 
last session, it can be concluded that the Third Meeting was extremely use ful to the participants. 
The specifics of the evaluation can be viewed at Annex 2 to this report.  
 
The presentations, list of participants and other materials used in the course of the Third Meeting 
are publicly available in the following Internet file: 
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vzg_qkke64UmCzr7LnWiNrKoEot9HnLo  
 
B. OBJECTIVES OF THE THIRD WORKSHOP  
The Third Meeting had the following objectives:  
 
1. To promote an exchange of experiences among  the members of the National Trade 
Facilitation Committees ("national committees") in order to identify areas of mutual learning 
and possible areas of collaboration.  
 
2. To provide an oppor tunity for the exchange of national experiences in respect of the 
digitalization of trade processes, risk management and treatment of expedited shipments, 
monitoring of implementation, cooperation with donors, and private -sector participation.  
 
 
1 G/TFA/TFAF/W/1.  G/TFA/6  
 
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 3. To build th e capacit ies of  participants to improve oversight and evaluation of national 
reforms in the area of trade facilitation.  
 
C. OVERVIEW OF THE SUBSTANTIVE SESSIONS  
Session 2: Functioning of the National Trade Facilitation Committees in Latin America  
Practical ly all the national committees have been established in the region and have already 
completed, or are close to completing, implementation of the TFA measures, so the focus now is on 
long-term sustainability. Many of them have broadened their areas of activ ity in order to focus on 
national and regional development strategies, and even logistical matters. There are many good 
examples of Latin American national committees that have been established in recent years, 
benchmarked not only at regional level but al so at global level.  
 
2.1 Strengths and good practices  
Some Latin American national committees have operated very successfully on account of a range of 
factors, such as:  
 
• The proliferation of road maps and implementation plans, which have given the 
committe es a specific orientation/itinerary, a common objective, and have enhanced 
cross-cutting, public -private coordination.  
• Some national committees were established with a blend of sufficient political standing 
to obtain political support, together with suffic ient technical input to be able to discuss 
and solve problems.  
• Public -private coordination. Some national committees have very successfully included 
the private sector in decision -making or have been constituted on the basis of 
public -private partnerships . Some of them have even allowed the private sector to vote 
on decisions and to co -chair working groups; this has generated a spirit of shared 
responsibility and a greater commitment on both sides to achieve results.  
• The national committees have formed tech nical working groups for specialized work, 
leaving decision -making to the plenary sessions.  
• Local trade facilitation committees have been established in some countries; they 
operate directly at border posts and seek to facilitate the resolution of local pr oblems. 
They also enable the national committee to have more direct and rapid access to 
information about what goes on at the border posts. These local committees tend to be 
run by customs agencies, but also include  other agencies operating at the border 
concerned.  
• Given the lack of donor funding, in some countries the private sector has provided the 
resources needed to implement certain measures or conduct evaluations.  
• Some national committees have developed working methods and measuring 
instruments (e.g. monitoring trackers) which have ensured long -term sustainability.  
• During the pandemic, many national committees were able to respond rapidly and to 
make adjustments by leveraging lessons learned during previous emergencies.  
• The widespread  adoption and use of technological tools, such as Zoom and WhatsApp, 
contributed to the continued ability to work under extremely difficult conditions, 
including in the context of lockdowns and natural disasters.  
• The overall adequacy of the legal structure  for establishing national committees in some 
countries made it possible to adapt rapidly to different challenges.  
• Many of the national committees have grown with time to take on other functions 
beyond monitoring compliance with TFA obligations.  G/TFA/6  
 
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 Figure 1 What is your national committee's level of strength in these areas?  
 
2.2 Challenges  
The challenges faced by the national committees vary from country to country. Some national 
committees might have had a tendency to conceal the pro blems and challenges they face, and this 
could have made it difficult to identify and address the problems. The following are some of the 
challenges that were mentioned during the Third Meeting:  
 
• Lack of coordination : The national committee is not always t he only body coordinating work 
in certain areas, and some of the decisions that are adopted are not necessarily transmitted 
with sufficient speed to the implementing bodies. The problem could be solved by ensuring 
a direct flow of objectives and instructio ns from the decision makers to the implementing 
bodies. An effort must be made to align the initiatives of the different government 
institutions involved.  
• Lack of communication : Many national committees fail to communicate, or to communicate  
properly , what  they are doing,  or the progress made , particularly at the points of application. 
It was mentioned that it is very important to have a communication strategy in order to sell 
the gains made, both at the political level and to the users and the agencies ope rating at 
the border. The communication strategy should also cover cooperation with the missions in 
Geneva, so as to contribute to the work of the WTO Committee on Trade Facilitation.  
• Lack of effective training programmes : Many staff changes are implemente d without 
providing training for replacements or new staff, which is necessary to ensure that the new 
regulations are applied properly and to prevent knowledge loss due to staff rotation. Some 
participants noted that all WTO developing countries are entitl ed to receive technical training 
on these topics and that these opportunities are sometimes missed.  
• Lack of terms of reference or definition of operational aspects : There is a tendency to 
establish informal mechanisms of interaction outside the formal mechanisms (e.g.  WhatsApp 
group discussions where knowledge is lost when there are changes of officials).  
• Lack of strategic planning and performance measurement of measures : Adequate planning 
and measurement are necessary to maximize the impact of m easures; confusion between 
measuring compliance (yes/no) vs. measuring the real impact of the measures. The 
emphasis should be on the effective compliance of the measures.  
• Lack of involvement, or only superficial involvement, of the private sector : Private -sector 
involvement is still lacking, or is  only very superficial, in the work carried out by many 
national committees in this field. The lack of involvement tends to generate surprises and 
reluctance to implement changes. It was mentioned that techniques exist to facilitate such 
changes, including the initial voluntary implementation of some measures, which in any case 
is no substitute for effective private -sector participation in the development of the measure. 
It is also important to take into account th e incentives for compliance. Invit ing different 
actors from the private sector  is also key , so as to cover different interests and provide for 
diversity.  
Good coordination between the public entities involved
Good communication strategy
Good public -private coordination
Good high -level political support
Ability to adjust to new challenges and topicsGood strategic planning
Effective assessment of the impact of measures
Good economic support
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 • Lack of clarity in the ultimate objective of the national committee : Many national committees 
have pla ced emphasis on implementation of the TFA, but there has been a lack of clarity on 
how to adapt to a situation where all the obligations of the Agreement have already been 
implemented. It was mentioned that long -term sustainability might require that the w ork be 
integrated into higher -ranking national strategic objectives, such as the country's economic 
growth, so as to guarantee sustained high -level political support. Difficulty in adjusting to 
new topics beyond the TFA, including those relating to logisti cs, environmental measures, 
etc. Need to develop new road maps.  
• Lack of political support, including loss of importance in the national political 
agenda/disconnect between the political decision and execution : Lack of adequate balance 
between technical and  political aspects in the national committee. An excessively high -level 
committee could result in issues that do not properly "come down" to the organs that have 
to discuss or implement the technical aspects. On the other hand, if the national committee 
is established with an excessively technical slant, it is not likely to succeed in obtaining the 
necessary political support to implement changes. There is a risk that the establishment of 
an excessively high -level committee may result in lack of clarity in the advancement of 
technical discussions; a change in priorities due to political changes (e.g. changes of 
government).  
• Lack of financial resources for the functioning of the committee . 
• Lack of contingency plans to deal with disasters . 
Figure 2 To what extent does your national committee face problems with these topics?  
 
 
Session 3: Evaluation of TFA implementation  
3.1 Available tools  
There is a substantial difference between monitoring compliance with an obligation and measuring 
the efficacy or performance of the initiatives taken to meet that obligation. The method of 
measurement must give a true picture of the current state of affairs, so that we know where the 
country stands and whether it is moving in the right direc tion. The following tools were presented at 
the meeting:  
 
• WCO tools: Establishment of global standards, technical training based on cooperation 
between national experts. Some of them could be of interest to the national committee.  
 
o Maturity model: as its n ame suggests, focused on measuring the level of maturity 
of national implementation of TFA obligations in relation to the WCO instruments 
and tools. Its results are confidential, and so it is not intended to set up a ranking 
scale.  
o Performance measurement mechanism: seeks to provide  a politically 
recognized, evidence -based and scored assessment , using qualitative and 
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 quantitative indicators, which can be used to improve the Customs performance, via 
the measurement of four dimensions agreed by the WCO member s, which constitute 
Customs competences: trade facilitation and economic competitiveness; revenue 
collection; enforcement, security  and protection of society; and organizational 
development.  
 
• UNCTAD tools: At the request of some national committees, the Re form Tracker has 
been developed according to country needs, in order to monitor national reforms in the 
area of foreign trade. Created by and for the national committees, this tool focuses on 
TFA implementation, but other topics can also be added. Using an  intuitive format, it 
serves to identify important details, such as the lead agency and officials responsible for 
implementation, tasks, programmatic progress, time -limits, etc. It also includes 
explanations and information for training purposes. The syste m also facilitates project 
management (including training of working groups, contact data, specific tasks, 
deadlines, alerts, etc.), organization of secure meetings, monitoring system, etc.  
• Global Express Alliance tools: The Customs Capabilities Database2 seeks to compile 
information supplied by the private sector in the area of expedited shipments, and reveals 
company perceptions with regard to compliance with TFA obligations and the efficiency 
of customs procedures.  
• OECD tools: Presentation of the Trade Facilitation Indicators, which cover various policy 
areas and are linked to the TFA (transparency and predictability, alignment of formalities, 
cooperation between border authorities and governance), covering the regulatory 
framework and its implementation  in practice.  
3.2 Strengths and good practices  
• Some national committees have devised appropriate indicators from the outset to 
measure the strategic objectives outlined in the initial road map and adapted them in line 
with progress in implementation of the TFA.  
• All the countries in the region have a na tional committee, most of which have sought to 
define assessment schemes.  
• Private -sector involvement in the assessment of TFA compliance.  
• Establishment of accountability systems, e.g. obligation to submit periodic reports on the 
road map drawn up by the na tional committee.  
3.3 Challenges  
• There is no strategic planning with regard to action being taken, nor clarity in the 
committees' strategic objectives, which makes it difficult to identify which aspects should be 
measured. Most countries have focused on me asuring progress in compliance with the TFA 
and not on measuring the performance or impact of its implementation.  
 
• Compliance monitoring and evaluating  silos. 
 
• Lack of indicators beyond the Customs area (e.g. in the area of sanitary measures), and as 
a result there is no clarity on what aspects should be measured or how to measure them.  
 
• Lack of resources to enable progress in the digitalization of trade processes. Difficulties in 
securing appropriate technological tools for the appropriate and continuous measurement of 
performance in relation to the relevant indicators. Requesting support from donors in some 
of these fields could help improve the current situation, but there is no information on the 
kind of aid available in this area.  
 
• Constant administrati ve changes in the public and private sectors, together with a lack of 
resources. The measurement of compliance tends to depend on officials who are responsible 
for multiple tasks, for whom this may not necessarily be a priority function (lack of a team 
permanently dedicated to monitoring TFA obligations).  
 
2 https://global -express.org/index.php?id=271  G/TFA/6  
 
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• Lack of benchmarking at the Latin American level and lack of communication at the regional 
level between the national committees. The lack of awareness of good practices and of how 
challenges have been ad dressed in other countries hampers potential progress on some of 
these topics. Establishing a communication network between the different national trade 
facilitation committees could help improve communication and facilitate the flow of 
information between  the committees.  
 
• Lack of clarity in the type of information available at national level and the way in which it 
could be used to determine whether or not the TFA obligations are being met.  
 
• Lack of empowerment and support from the different organizations to promote the 
digitalization of processes in a specific organization, which leads to backlogs. Problems could 
also be caused by the development of tools that are not necessarily compatible.  
 
• Resistance to change on the part of some sectors or interested p arties.  
 
• Difficulties in securing effective private -sector involvement.  
 
Figure 3 To what extent have these problems adversely affected evaluation and 
monitoring by your national committees?  
 
 
Session 4: Digitalization of import, export and transit processes  
This topic covers a wide range of themes and border agencies. Digitalization is in the DNA of most 
Latin American national committees, and a large number of projects are under way in respect of 
both TFA implementation and other wider -ranging topics. Many of these projects also provide for 
the automation of processes to minimize the  involvement of officials. There are also processes at 
the regional level to digit alize some processes that go beyond the area of Customs, including 
phytosanitary and animal health processes.  
 
Some participants mentioned the importance of including perform ance measurement among the 
new data processing instruments. The digitalization of processes not only makes it possible to 
improve their efficiency (reduce time and costs, facilitate access, etc.), but may also help the 
national committee to fulfil many of its functions, including, for example, the creation of information 
to improve decision -making, enhance transparency, lessen the margin of discretion, provide inputs 
for the communication strategy, and display results; it may help to strengthen political su pport.  
 
The COVID -19 pandemic gave a strong boost to new digital technologies capable of carrying out 
functions distinct from purely domestic processes, such as the introduction of new digital certificates, 
audits, and even the use of virtual inspections i n other countries. It was mentioned that some studies 
have demonstrated that the countries that implemented measures of this kind were less adversely 
affected during the pandemic. It remains to be determined whether some of these measures will be 
maintaine d after the pandemic.  
 
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 4.1 Strengths and good practices  
• Some Latin American countries have invested heavily in the introduction of information 
technology solutions to digit alize import, export and transit processes, and some have tried 
to apply advanced te chnologies, such as artificial intelligence.  
 
• The experience of digitalization has been very positive for most processes, especially when 
coupled with the re -engineering of processes to eliminate redundancies or unnecessary 
aspects. Digitalization also mad e it possible to automate some processes so as to minimize 
the involvement of officials.  
 
• Some of these processes have benefited from private -sector commitment and support.  
 
• Some were designed as continuous processes and not as one -off efforts.  
 
• Some count ries have successfully developed a regulatory framework to promote and 
facilitate the adoption of new technologies.  
 
• There are positive instances of assistance by donors to digit alize many of the processes.  
 
4.2 Challenges  
• Time lag in the digitalization of processes in some areas (e.g. electronic sanitary o r 
phytosanitary certificates). In most countries, Customs authorities tend to be more 
advanced in the digitalization of processes than other border agencies.  
 
• Some of the existing digital  systems were developed many years ago and it has not been 
easy to update them in order to adopt new technologies or adapt them to conform to 
international standards so as to ensure the interoperability of systems. There are also 
problems with existing sys tems that have not been reviewed at the same pace as others 
and are therefore not compatible with one another. It was recommended that the standards 
introduced should be the highest from the outset to ensure greater compatibility and 
longevity of the syste ms. 
 
• Poor coordination with the private sector and difficulties in managing change.  
 
• Establish appropriate regulatory frameworks commensurate with the new technologies that 
are to be introduced.  
 
• Drive and promote the long -term sustainability of changes.  
 
• Identify the appropriate agency to lead the process of digital transformation.  
 
Figure 4 Does your country have a formal national strategy for the digitalization of 
foreign trade processes and procedures?  
 
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 Figure 5 What percentage of foreign trade procedures and documents have been 
digitalized in your country?3 
 
 
Figure 6 To what extent have the following problems adversely affected digitalization 
processes in you r country?  
 
 
 
Session 5: Risk management and treatment of expedited shipments  
As a result of the growth of e -commerce, both public (e.g. national postal services) and private 
operators (e.g. courier companies) have faced an exponential increase in parcel and expedited 
shipments.  
 
Apart from the tax risk, there is also a major national security component (weapons, drugs, etc.), 
as well as the risk of staff being exposed to undeclared dangerous or unlawful substances. Given the 
impossibility of physically i nspecting all parcels, it has been necessary to develop new risk 
management schemes that involve data processing and analysis, as well as the introduction of 
non-intrusive inspection systems. In many cases, both public and private operators have been 
efficient in identifying risks and problematic packages.  
 
This is an area in which much work is being done at the international level, with the main focus on 
promoting the development of advance data transmission systems. The WCO is also working on data 
science  systems (e.g. artificial intelligence and machine learning). Given that all information on such 
 
3 It was mentioned during the discussions that the great advance in the digit alization of processes 
occurred in response  to the pandemic, which also explains the high percentage of countries  without  a formal 
national digit alization strategy.  
Problems in updating existing computer systems
Problems in digitalizing new processes
Poor coordination between public entities
Poor coordination with the private sector/lack of 
public -private initiatives
Long-term sustainability of changesProblems in modifying the regulatory framework 
conducive to digitalization
Difficulties in identifying the lead agency for digitization
Lack of financial resources to digitize processes
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 packages tends to be fragmented, part of the work includes developing systems for compiling and 
systematizing data (OCR, clustering, etc), so that the data can  be analysed to manage risk.  
 
5.1 Strengths and good practices  
• International regulatory plans have been developed that can be used as points of reference, 
such as those of the Universal Postal Union ( UPU), Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and 
Portugal ( PUASP), and the WCO framework (concerning cross -border e-commerce ), which 
can help countries to regulate this topic, inter alia,  through the interoperability of the 
different sectors, introduction of advance electronic information schemes and security 
certification.  
 
• Some countries have introduced advance declaration and data transmission systems to 
facilitate risk management. Moreover, simplified procedures  and automatic processes  have 
been introduced to handle expedited shipments. These proce dures are reviewed periodically 
in some countries, to adapt them to new conditions and address new risks.  
 
• In some countries , the new systems have been developed on the basis of public -private 
partnerships  to promote advance electronic data transmission.  
 
• Substantial investments have been made in new non-intrusive inspection equipment 
(e.g. X-ray machines), computer systems, new methodologies and appropriate staff 
training.  
 
• Reference was made to the case of one country that has implemented a new system based 
on a voluntary scheme requiring the operator to submit additional information, which 
facilitates risk management. In return, the importer benefits from accelerated procedures 
and much shorter clearance times. Operators that do not provide such  information are 
included in a separate channel where the processes take much longer, and this creates an 
incentive for users to provide the additional information.  
 
5.2 Challenges  
• There is a need for higher quality advance electronic information, above al l, the main 
challenge lies in its effective processing.  
 
• Some processes still rely on the use of paper and physical documents.  
 
• Access to the applicable regulations and procedures is complex.  
 
• Inexperienced senders. As a result of the considerable growth o f e-commerce, there is a 
larger number of non -specialized users who prepare the information used for risk 
management, and this could compromise the quality of the data.  
 
• Some of the main actors in this field do not participate in the working groups of the national 
committees (e.g. the national postal services of some countries, courier or express delivery 
companies, or the major e -commerce platforms).  
 
• Problems with the accumulation of rejected parcels, usually when  the consignee s find out 
how much has  to be paid to import the product. This could be addressed by having greater 
transparency regarding the costs for end users.  
 
• Some countries have not been able to properly define the functions of  authorized operators 
in the area of expedited shipments, which would facilitate advance data transmission.  
 
• Difficulty in dealing with new business models, where parcels are consolidated  as cargo in 
containers (e.g. after having been  shipped to a P.O. box in the United States) and are 
subsequently consolidated and shipped without advance transmission of the relevant data 
concerning those parcels.  
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 • Challenges with the undervaluation of goods and consignment of dangerous/prohibited 
substances/ goods . 
 
• Problems of coordination and cooperation between the various agencies op erating at the 
border.  
 
• In some countries, fines have not been adapted to cover parcel shipments, so a situation of 
non-compliance could entail the same fine as for the import of a container.  
 
• Lack of standardization of processes and procedures in each country.  
 
• Reliance on paper documents instead of electronic data which allow for advance transmission 
of the data, thus contributing to coordinated border management.  
 
• Access to the applicable regulations is usually complicated,  the regulations are poorly  
disseminat ed, and in many cases there are no established regional enquiry points to respond 
to queries . 
 
• Complexity in the payment of taxes (electronic or automated payment systems have not yet 
been implemented).  
 
• Lack of incorporation of an MSME perspective to facilitate access to simplified procedures.  
 
• Understanding risk management and trade facilitation as complementary rather than 
conflicting elements.  
 
Figure 7 To what extent have the following problems adversely affe cted risk 
management in respect of expedited shipments in your country?  
 
 
 
Session 6: Coordination with donors: Donors' perspective  
This topic emerged from the First Review of the TFA, where a divergence was identified between 
donors and recipient countri es in terms of their perception of the current state of play. The WTO 
Committee on Trade Facilitation made recommendations in the context of its first review of the 
operation of the TFA ( G/TFA/2 ), which included:  
 
i. That beneficiary Members with category C commitments organize meetings with  donors in 
capital, to review the state of assistance and potential future needs. Beneficiary Members 
were invited to share the outcome of these meetings with the Committee on Trade 
Facilitation as soon as possible.  
ii. That it is important for LDCs and donor Members to inform the Committee on Trade 
Facilitation on the arrangements of assistance and support for capacity building to enable 
the implementation of category C.  
iii. That the Committee on Trade Facilitation should or ganize dedicated sessions on technical 
assistance and capacity building, within the parameters of Article 21.4, at which 
Some of the main actors do not participate in the 
national committee
Growing number of inexperienced senders who 
provide low -quality information
Lack of coordination between the different agencies 
operating at the border
Lack of digitalization of processes, so information is 
still received in paper form
Difficulties arising from new business models different 
from traditional e -commerceProblems with accumulation of rejected 
consignments
Problems with regulatory aspects
Lack of resources to establish a system of advance 
data transmission
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 international and regional organizations and other agencies supporting the implementation 
of the TFA are invited to provide a report on  the activities that they have delivered in the 
preceding 12 months, and Members and organizations are invited to share experiences on 
where synergies between capacity -building programmes have benefited implementation of 
the TFA.  
The type of bilateral coop eration provided by donors and the priorities are determined in the 
framework of bilateral aid packages, so the trade facilitation projects must be presented as a 
strategic priority for the country's sustainable economic development or competitiveness. In this 
context, it is often not possible for a ministry to request aid directly from a donor outside these 
major frameworks. The size of the bilateral aid package is determined on the basis of the country's 
economic development (more aid for the less develop ed). 
 
Apart from donors, there are also international implementing agencies, such as the ITC and UNCTAD, 
which receive funds from donors to implement specific projects and provide bilateral aid. Other 
international agencies administer funds directly, such as the World Bank. Thus, the dynamics of 
cooperation requests differ considerably between the various bilateral donors and international 
agencies.  
 
The key aspect for some donors is not so much that countries can notify the WTO that they have 
complied full y with the TFA, but rather that the measures have been implemented effectively, in a 
way that support s the country's development. That is why it is still possible to obtain assistance for 
any trade facilitation measure, even if it was notified under catego ry A or B of the Agreement. For 
many donors, however, there is a bias towards giving priority to category C measures, since they 
consider that the normal practice is to seek initially to comply with the legal minimum.  
 
6.1 Strengths and good practices  
• Many  large donors at the global level have a substantial presence in the Latin American 
region and have considerable experience in implementing cooperation programmes. The 
pre-existing relationship facilitated the establishment of new programmes focused on tra de 
facilitation.  
 
• Taking donor programmes into account,  a wide range of  the assistance  is offered. Specific 
projects are determined on the basis of bilateral dialogue and specific requests from the 
recipient countries.  
 
• Apart from efforts in capitals, the missions in Geneva and contacts made at meetings of the 
Committee on Trade Facilitation and international events supplement and enhance the 
possibilities of obtaining technical assistance.  
 
• Some donors accept a mixture of technical assistance projects for staff training with larger 
amounts for infrastructure (e.g. new systems).  
 
• At the design stage of a project, ideally it should be known who is to implement what, and 
all the donors and initiatives currently established in the country should be properly mapped, 
as well as the national counterparts (or all interlocutors).  
 
• The national committees have to agree on their priorities, deadlines and budgetary 
estimates.  
 
• There is a high level of coordination between the donors and international agencies in order 
to avoid duplication. In fact, coordination with other agencies is one of the first steps in the 
process, so that there is no duplication of efforts. Many countries also have donors' forums 
to ensure such coordination. If the same type of assistance is requ ested from various donors, 
it is important for the recipient country to be transparent in that respect.  
 
• Demonstrating that the private sector played a direct part in the design of the project helps 
reinforce its credibility, so should not be left to a lat er time.  
 G/TFA/6  
 
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 • Requesting countries should give indications of compliance with the provisions of the 
Agreement, for example by transmitting inter alia  transparency notifications and contact 
points in good time.  
 
6.2 Challenges  
• On the part of donors, it is very difficult to identify clearly what are the specific needs for 
measures notified in Category C, so that technical assistance best suited to the recipient 
country can be developed. These bilateral dialogues should be strengthened.  
 
• The type of assistance that can be o btained varies considerably, depending on the donor or 
agency. Although some have very extensive offerings, others are more limited and depend 
on the priorities established by the donor. For example, TFA implementation is a priority for 
the United States.  
 
• Credibility and political will are very difficult to build, but are easily lost (e.g. on account of 
delays and non -compliance). Some sectors' resistance to change could also compromise 
their credibility with the donors.  
 
• Lack of administrative stability a nd project leadership; administrative delays on the part of 
the country requesting assistance. If there are changes, all the efforts made could be lost.  
 
• At the time of requesting aid from a donor, it is important to frame it as a project where the 
donor n eeds to be convinced of its significance. There has to be a plan and a budget. It is 
also necessary to demonstrate its long -term sustainability.  
 
• Ensure the sustainability of project results.  
 
6.3 Entry points  
European Union: through the EU mission in each country.  
 
USAID: through the United States embassy in each country.  
 
World Bank: through the Bank's country offices.  
 
International Trade Centre (ITC): depends on whether the requests are technical or financial. 
For technical requests requiring an imp lementing agency, we are contacted directly. For financial 
and technical requests, we can also be contacted, and we provide back -up for approaches to donors. 
If the request is solely financial, we conduct the analysis and, if necessary, provide support for  
approaches to donors. The official contact point is Dr  Mohammad Saeed, Senior Trade Facilitation 
Adviser ( saeed@intracen.org ). 
 
UNCTAD: The official contact point is tfs@unctad.org .4 
 
It was also mentioned that the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility has a specialized 
website ( TFAfacility.org ) where information can be found on the contact points of the different donors 
and implementing agencies.  
 
Sessio n 7: Coordination with donors: Countries' perspective  
Countries' experiences have varied widely, depending on the country and the donors concerned. 
Some requests for assistance have been made through the Mission in Geneva, while others have 
been channelled  through the embassies or delegations in the countries (in capital or in the country's 
embassies).  
 
It was recalled that the Committee on Trade Facilitation in Geneva holds an annual discussion on 
the relationship with donors (dedicated session on technica l assistance), and this enables the 
delegations to make direct contact with the agencies. However, very few Latin American countries 
participate actively in these meetings.  
 
4 See also https://unctad.org/topic/transport -and-trade -logistics/trade -facilitation . G/TFA/6  
 
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7.1 Strengths and good practices  
• The Latin American countries were already receivi ng assistance from donors on trade 
facilitation issues before the TFA negotiations ended; hence there was already a certain 
amount of experience of how the assistance should be managed.  
 
• In some countries, trade facilitation projects received high -level po litical support and sound 
internal coordination mechanisms were established, so that not only were the projects 
validated by the national committee, but they were also transformed into country projects. 
Effective communication and internal coordination are  essential for these processes.  
 
• An active national committee is indispensable to ensure the coordination of all the different 
stakeholders and the submission of requests for assistance that are well received by the 
donors.  
 
• It is important to undertake fa r-reaching diagnostic analyses of the different issues so as to 
be able to understand the problems, identify effective projects and estimate the resources 
required.  
 
• Some countries successfully set up public -private partnerships whereby the private sector 
directly financed some national projects that required substantial investment (e.g. purchase 
of equipment), and this kept the type of aid requested from donors  to a minimum . 
 
• Good relations and exchange of information between the national committee in the capital 
and the Permanent Mission in Geneva is important for identifying opportunities, obtaining 
information and enabling progress in project design and presentation. The national 
committees have to be aware that this is a long -term endeavour, so it is es sential to be well 
organized and persistent.  
 
• Sustainability, through constant training, is essential to leverage the results obtained after 
the technical assistance reaches completion  
 
7.2 Challenges  
• Aid is requested from donors and international implemen ting agencies in a great variety of 
ways, involving different procedures. Moreover, the type of aid provided, the deadlines to 
be respected and the scope of the aid vary considerably, so it is not easy for the recipient 
country or countries to understand w hat they have to do and how to frame the request to 
the donor.  
 
• Lack of coordination between the different national institutions, and even within the same 
institution. This problem may be exacerbated when there is a perception that the institutions 
are competing among themselves. Some countries could face structural limitations as a 
result of the regulations or customs that hamper or impair such coordination.  
 
• Lack of concrete proposals by some agencies, or lack of clarity about what the  priorities are, 
due to lack of strategic planning and definition of objectives.  
 
• Lack of clarity about what cycles and deadlines apply in the context of bilateral cooperation.  
 
• A great deal depends on the actions of specific officials rather than institut ional mechanisms; 
hence the projects suffer when these persons leave their posts.  
 
• Difficulties in obtaining assistance that goes beyond technical assistance and facilitates the 
purchase of equipment or the development of infrastructure needed for the proj ect to be 
effective and sustainable in the long term.  
 
• Unsatisfactory alignment between the objectives of the donor and the country's real needs, 
or insistence on repeating diagnostic assessments that have already been conducted as a 
condition for receivin g the aid.  
 G/TFA/6  
 
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 • Initial contacts with the donors on the part of interlocutors not considered by the donors to 
have good standing.  
 
• Development of projects that take no account of long -term sustainability, which is one of 
the important aspects for donors.  
 
• Difficulties in organizing donors' forums owing to failure to identify donors and concrete 
proposals to be discussed with them.  
 
• Resistance to change.  
 
• The response from donors to requests may take quite a long time, as it depends on their 
internal dynamics an d the cycles of bilateral cooperation.  
 
Figure 8 With respect to the relationship with donors, what types of action could 
improve the current situation?  
 
 
 
Session 8: The role of the private sector in TFA implementation  
Trade facilitation, as a competitiveness and economic development  tool, comprises four areas: 
definition of strategies; public -private interaction (cultural and formal); inter -agency coordinat ion 
and follow -up (institutionalized); and short -, medium -, and long -term plans (in other words, a 
culture of continuous improvement). All these perspectives are mutually complementary.  
 
The border must be seen as a responsibility shared between government  and private sector: they 
need each other since each side has information/data/processes from which the other can learn. For 
this reason, some considered that the private sector should participate actively in the work of the 
national trade facilitation com mittee. Most countries have no mechanisms for measuring the degree 
of private -sector participation and involvement.  
 
Another complex issue concerns the legitimacy and representation of the private sector in the work 
of the facilitation committee, which is due to the fragmentation and great diversity of the companies 
and associations involved.  
 
8.1 Strengths and good practices  
• There are good examples of private -sector participation in the national committee. Some of 
the committees allowed not only the right to speak but also the right to vote on the 
development of measures.  
 
• In various Latin American countries the private sector is systematically consulted before 
measures are formulated. Measures developed in this way tend to generate consensus and 
more easil y promote changes.  
 
• In some cases, private -sector participation in the national committees takes place via a 
functional structure, with commissions and working groups where proposals and initiatives 
are articulated that give rise to concrete measures.  
 
G/TFA/6  
 
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 • Similarly, in some countries private -sector participation is mediated by a consultation 
mechanism within the private sector itself, where disputes are settled and common positions 
agreed. Only when such agreements are reached do the proposals go up to the nat ional 
committee.  
 
• In at least one country there have been cases where the private sector has funded certain 
trade facilitation projects (e.g. purchase of certain items of equipment that were lacking and 
causing backlogs).  
 
8.2 Challenges  
• In some countries the private sector plays no active role in TFA implementation; rather, its 
participation is purely nominal and sporadic.  
 
• In some countries there continue to be cases where the public sector develops measures 
without taking account of the private sector, w hich it consults either once the measure is 
developed, or even after its conclusion. This lack of dialogue results in resistance at the time 
of implementation of the measures, difficulties in securing effective compliance, and could 
even compromise the rec eipt of assistance from donors. A poor process could jeopardize the 
final outcome.  
 
• There is a lack of mechanisms for measuring the effectiveness of public -private cooperation 
in the committees, as well as vehicles for incorporating best practices and poss ible 
innovation originating in the private sector.  
 
Figure 9 What kind of relationship does the public sector have with the private sector in 
your country?  
 
Figure 10 What kind of relationship does the public sector have with the private sector 
in your country?  
 
 
 
WTO -Internal
In your opinion, the relationship with 
the private sector in your country is:
Very poor
Poor
Good
Very good
UnknownRight to speak and vote in the 
work of the national committeeFormal representation in the 
national committee , 
but no vote
Participates in some working 
groups, but not in the national 
committeeParticipates in consultationsG/TFA/6  
 
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 Figure 11 What kind of relationship does the public sector have with the private sector 
in your country?  
 
 
 
Session 9: Coordinated  border management in the regional context  
Latin America has very high logistical costs, which adversely affects the competitiveness of the 
region. Some of these costs have to do with lack of interoperability between the different systems 
and institutions,  which taken together have a significant effect on trade. Apart from processes, the 
region has significant limitations in terms of infrastructure, making it necessary to address this 
problem as well.  
 
Achieving effective coordination at the borders can be very difficult owing to the problems of 
coordination between institutions at the national level, and with their peers in neighbouring 
countries. There are also problems of coordination between private -sector actors and challenges of 
a political nature. An effective solution to these problems that effectively reduc es bottlenecks 
requires the simultaneous improvement of systems, simplification of processes, introduction of new 
technologies, and improvement of infrastructure. The goal is to reach a stage where  the border is 
transformed from a stopping point into a mere point of passage, but this also depends in large 
measure on the private sector doing its part and transmitting the data in advance.  
 
9.1 Strengths and good practices  
• There have been major advance s in some of the countries thanks to the efforts of the 
different actors and changes based on analysis and on lessons learned from previous 
projects. Some countries in the region already have systems under which only 10% of 
shipments are stopped at the bor der. 
 
• Some initiatives have been developed at the subregional level and there are entities at the 
subregional/regional level s that are well positioned to follow up and promote the 
coordination of new medium - and long -term initiatives between countries.  
 
• Widespread adoption of new technologies as a basis for promoting coordinated management.  
 
9.2 Challenges  
• The most common challenges of coordinated border management include the following: 
resistance to change by those that benefit from irregularity or inefficiencies, who may be 
from the public or private sector; lack of sustained long -term leadership; and financial 
resources . It is also necessary to ensure: data interoperability; risk management; 
identification of reliable operators; phytosanitary and animal health controls; integrated 
processes; infrastructure and services; and the creation of a border community to deal with  
social and environmental issues.  
 
• Resistance to change by some institutions and, in some cases, by border communities.  
 
G/TFA/6  
 
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 • Lack of inter -agency coordination.  
 
• In some countries there is a tendency to implement only changes to processes without, at 
the same t ime, making changes to infrastructure bottlenecks; this usually limits the results 
achieved.  
 
• Some countries have ongoing problems in the different areas of coordinated border 
management, including on issues that might appear relatively straightforward, su ch as the 
alignment of procedures.  
 
• Leadership changes or situations where political leadership did not result in changes.  
 
• Some countries still do not undertake comprehensive planning of coordinated border 
management and the objectives they wish to achiev e (e.g. investing in infrastructure without 
having a clear idea of the system processes or requirements), and this results in delays and 
cost overruns.  
 
• Lack of communication and exchange of information at the regional/subregional level.  
 
D. RECOMMENDATION S 
As a result of the discussions and exchange of experiences, the participants at the Third Meeting put 
forward the following recommendations:  
 
1. The national committees should make an effort to place the topic of trade facilitation on 
the agenda of the highest political authorities.  
 
2. Urge the national committees to give impetus to coordinated border management 
through the clear definition of leadership roles among their countries' border authorities, 
as well as interaction with those that share bo rders.  
 
3. As Latin American countries reach the point where they have met the minimum 
requirements of the TFA, it will be important for the national committees to begin to 
manage the measur ement of  the impact of each of the Agreement's measures , and to 
improve their efficiency based on performance indicators and not simply compliance 
indicators.  
 
4. Once the TFA has been fully implemented, it will be important for the national 
committees to voluntarily inform the WTO Committee on Trade Facilitation of the 
improvements introduced for each of the measures.  
 
5. Strengthen and promote reliable communication and exchange of information among 
the national committees through regional gatherings.  
 
6. The national committees should promote greater participation by t he Latin American 
region in the WTO Committee on Trade Facilitation, and encourage the exchange of 
experiences in the region.  
 
7. Within the national committees and the WTO Committee on Trade Facilitation, more 
detailed consideration should be given to:  
 
(a) digitalization, transmission, harmonized exchange of information (e.g. data 
and documents) and regional interoperability;  
(b) risk management and treatment of expedited shipment procedures; and  
(c) best practices for the effective flow of information to  the private sector and 
other interested parties.  
 G/TFA/6  
 
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 8. Each national committee and the WTO Committee on Trade Facilitation should urge 
donors to submit information on requirements and procedures to be followed in order 
to obtain cooperation in the TFA frame work, with a view to increasing outreach.  
 
9. Strengthen the management of trade facilitation by assigning more human and financial 
resources to the national committee.  
 
  G/TFA/6  
 
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 ANNEX  1 –  
PROGRAMME OF THE THIRD LATIN AMERICAN MEETING  
OF NATIONAL TRADE FACILITATION COMMITTEES  
 
Day 1 – Tuesday, 23  May 2023  
Registration of participants 9  – 9.30 a.m.  
Opening of the workshop  
9.30 – 10 a.m.  
Objectives of the workshop, presentation of the programme, introduction of the discussants 
and participants  
• Cristina González, Deputy Director for International Economic Affairs ( Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs, Uruguay)  
• Sergio Abreu, Secretary -General of ALADI/LAIA  
• Roy Santana, World Trade Organization (WTO)  
Session 1.A : Current status of TFA implementation in Latin America  
10 – 10.30 a.m.  
Coordinator: Roy Santana, WTO  
Break 10.30 – 11 a.m.  
Session 2 : Exchange of experiences and best practices in the work of the NTFCs  
11 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.  
Updates on notifications, contingency plans, road maps, transition to full implementation  
Coordinator : Pamela Ugaz (UNCTAD)  
Countries : Nícia Pereira de Araujo (Braz il), Ninel Calisto (Chile), Fabiola Gamboa (Costa Rica), 
Anderson Alberto Rodríguez Marte (Dominican Republic), Marco Livio Diaz Reyes (Guatemala), 
Karen Sosa (Honduras), Enrique Carrillo (Paraguay); Cristina González (Uruguay)  
Participating organizations : Luis Montaño (SECO -WCO), Lorena Aceto (USAID), Ernani Checcucci (WB)  
Lunch 12.30  – 2 p.m.  
Session 2 (Cont'd)  
2 – 3.30 p.m.  
Session 1.B : Work of the WTO Committee on Trade Facilitation and presentation of the 
TFA database – Practical exercise  
3.30 – 4 p.m.  
Coordinator : Roy Santana, WTO  
Break 4 – 4.30 p.m.  
Session 1.B (cont 'd) 
4.30 – 5.30 p.m.  
Coordinator : Roy Santana, WTO  
Identification of the day's main findings  
5.30 – 5.45 p.m.  G/TFA/6  
 
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 Day 2 – Wednesday, 24  May 2023  
Session 3: Evaluation of implementation  
9 – 10.30 a.m.  
Presentation of the different systems, studies and indicators available for measuring TFA 
implementation. How to follow up in practice on the evaluation of TFA implementation and what 
kind of measurement systems have been introduced?  
Coordinator : Luis Mont año (SECO -WCO)  
Participating organizations : Frank Santeiro (CLADEC), Silvia Soresco (OECD), Pamela Ugaz 
(UNCTAD), Ernani Checcucci (WB)  
Countries : Divided into g roups 
Break 10.30 – 11 a.m.  
Session 3 (Cont'd)  
11 – 11.30 a.m.  
Session 4 : Digitalization of import, export and transit processes  
11.30 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.  
How can the digitalization of processes contribute to compliance with TFA obligations? Electronic 
certificates (SPS, R ules of origin , electronic documents (invoices, goods declarations, etc.) ), electronic 
payment,  and single window. Use of international standards for data capture and transmission.  
Coordinator : Luis Montaño (SECO -WCO)  
Countries : Karina Serrudo  (Bolivia), Claudia Marín (Colombia) , Nidia Morera (Costa Rica), 
Ingrid  Huayapa (Peru)  
Participants : Frank Santeiro (CLADEC), José Raúl Perales (Global Alliance), Jaime Mendoza 
(UNCTAD/ASYCUDA), Christiane Wolff (WTO/SPS)  
Lunch 12.30 – 2 p.m.  
Session 4  (Cont'd)  
2 – 3 p.m.  
Session 5 : Risk management and treatment of expedited shipments  
3 – 4 p.m.  
Challenges stemming from the growth of e -commerce and the increase in the number of expedited 
shipments and postal consignments, including risk management and tax systems applied to 
expedited shipments and postal consignments.  
Coordinator : Rodrigo da Costa Serran (DIFD -ALADI)  
Countries : Jorge Vásquez (Chile), Wagner Quesada (Costa Rica), Mario Suárez González (Cuba), 
Julissa Liliana Godoy (Ecuador), Luis Ojeda (Paraguay)  
Participants : Frank Santeiro (CLADEC), Luis Montaño (SECO -WCO), Franklin Castro ( PUASP ) 
Break 4 – 4.30 p.m.  
Session 5 (Cont'd)  
4.30 – 5 p.m.  
Identification of the day's main findings  
5 – 5.30 p.m.  G/TFA/6  
 
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 Day 3 – Thursday, 25  May 2023  
Session 6 : Coordination with donors: Donors' perspective  
9 – 10.30 a.m.  
How does the process for obtaining donor assistance work in practice?  
Coordinator : Carlos Guevara, Representative of Ecuador  
Participants : Paz Velasco (European Union), Ezequiel Guicovsky (ITC), Pamela Ugaz (UNCTAD), 
Lorena Aceto (USAID), Ernani Checcucci (WB)  
Break 10.30 – 11 a.m.  
Session 7 : Coordination with donors: Countries' perspective  
11 a.m. – 12.30 p.m.  
Challenges, best practices, cases of success and lessons learned for establishing contact, 
developing relations, and obtaining the necessary cooperation for TFA implementation  
Coordinator : Carlos Guevara, Ecuador  
Countries : Karina de Pool (Dominican Republ ic), Gabriela Cárdenas (Ecuador), Mynor Castillo 
(Guatemala), Ingrid Huapaya (Peru)  
Lunch 12.30 -2 p.m.  
Session 8 : The role of the private sector in TFA implementation  
2 – 4 p.m.  
Advances, best practices and lessons learned on private -sector involvement in the work of the 
NTFCs  
Coordinator : José Raúl Perales, Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation  
Countries : José Antonio Salas (UC CAEP, Costa Rica ), Alessandra Morales (American  Chamber of 
Commerce  of El Salvador ), Emilio Sandoval (Guatem alan Exporters' Association)  
Participants : Frank Santeiro (CLADEC), Ezequiel Guicovsky (ITC), Lorena Aceto (USAID)  
Break 4 – 4.30 p.m.  
Identification of the day's main findings and preliminary discussion on the report of the 
third meeting  
4.30 – 5.30 p.m. 
 
  G/TFA/6  
 
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 Day 4 – Friday, 26  May 2023  
Session 9 : Coordinated border management in the regional context – Current situation, 
advances and challenges  
9 – 10.30 a.m.  
Participants at the Second Meeting of NTFCs in 2022 displayed an interest in learning more about 
coordinated border management, with practical examples. This session will take up this topic 
again and set out a generalized perspective on the different avenues for regional implementation 
of the TFA based on r egional experiences, including comparative experiences of regional 
interoperability. How is coordination being carried out at the regional level?  
Coordinator : Jaime Granados, IDB  
Participants : Marco Vinicio Flores (Andean Community), Lorena Aceto (USAID), Ernani Checcucci 
(WB) 
Break 10.30 - 11 a.m.  
Session 10 : Evaluation and identification of lessons learned during the Third Meeting  
11 a.m. – Noon 
Coordinator : Pamela Ugaz  (UNCTAD) and Roy Santana (WTO)  
Closure and presentation of attendance certificates  
Noon – 12.30 p.m.  
 
 
  G/TFA/6  
 
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 ANNEX  2 -  
EVALUATION OF THE THIRD MEETING  
 
This section contains a graphical summary of the 51 replies from participants to the evaluation form 
circulated during the last session of the Third Meeting.  
Figure 12 Gender of respondents  
 
Figure 13 Did you participate in the First and the Second Meetings?  
 
 
 
Figure 14 To what extent  were your expectations met?  
 
No Yes, the First 
Meeting 
(in person)Yes, the Second 
Meeting (virtually)
G/TFA/6  
 
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 Figure 15 What is your overall opinion of the workshop?  
 
Figure 16 Expectations met, understanding of the topics and overall opinion  of the Third 
Meeting  
 
 
 
Figure 17 Would you recommend this type of meeting to your colleagues?  
 
      Yes        No 
 
To what extent were your expectations met?
How would you rate your understanding of 
the topics dealt with prior to the workshop?
What is your overall opinion of the workshop?
G/TFA/6  
 
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 Figure 18 Evaluation of the sessions (1 = Very poor; 5 = Excellent)  
 
 
Figure 19 Do you consider that attending  the Third Meeting  in person was beneficial ? If 
so, what were the benefits?  
All the respondents (100%) indicated that attend ing the Third Meeting in person was much more 
beneficial than virtual att endance would have been. The benefits mentioned can be grouped in the 
following general categories:  
 
 
__________  
Current status ofTFAimplementation inLatin America,
work oftheWTO Committee onTrade Facilitation
Exercise on the TFA database
Exchange ofexperiences andbestpractices inthework oftheNTFCs
Evaluation of implementation
Coordination with donors: Donors' perspectiveRiskmanagement andtreatment ofexpedited shipments
Coordination with donors: Countries' perspective
The role of the private sector in TFA implementation
Coordinated border management in the regional context -
Current situation, progress and challengesDigitalization of import, export and transit processes