G/TFA/W/66  
 
12 October 2021  
(21-7680) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
  
REPORT BY THE TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT FACILITY TO THE  
TRADE FACILITATION COMMITTEE  
19-21 October 2021  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  This document provides information on the work of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement 
Facility (TFAF) since the last report made to the WTO Trade Facilitation Committee at the meeting 
held on 22 -23 June 2021.  
2  TFAF GRANT PROGRAM  
2.1  To Date  
Stage of the 
appli cation  Successful 
matchmaking with 
implementation 
partners  No. of TFA 
Articles  Progressed to 
next stage of 
TFAF Grant 
process  
18 Expressions of 
interest (EoI) circulated  5 Expressions of Interest  57 11 
7 project preparation 
grants (PPG) awarded, 
of which 5 completed, 2 
ongoing  3 of the 5 completed PPGs  29 1 of the 5 completed 
PPGs 
Note:  Gaps are due to Members that are not eligible for a PPG because they are a WTO Observer or in 
arrears, and PPGs that are in process.  
2.1.  The first step of the TFAF grant  process is the Expression of Interest (EoI) phase. In this phase 
a Member submits an application with information on TFA articles for which it seeks implementation 
assistance. These applications are circulated to development partners in an attempt to matc hmake. 
To date five of the 18 expression of interest requests received have been successfully matched with 
development partners leading to implementation support for 57 provisions of the TFA.  
2.2.  In the time period of this report an Expression of Interest (EoI ) application was received from 
Vanuatu for six TFA articles. This EoI was circulated to development partners immediately upon 
receipt. Within one day the World Bank Group offered to provide implementation support for all six 
articles. Vanuatu is now worki ng directly with the World Bank Group.  
2.3.  If the circulation of an EoI does not lead to implementation assistance, then the Member can 
complete an application for a Project Preparation Grant (PPG). A PPG will result in a project proposal 
that can be used to f ind implementation support, including a TFAF Project Implementation Grant 
(PG).  
2.4.  In conducting the PPG, the expert consultant works with the Member(s) to identify possible 
implementation partners. Where necessary TFAF continues discussions with these development 
partners after completion of the PPG. To date this process has led to successful matchmaking for 
four PPGs covering a total of 33 TFA articles.  G/TFA/W/66  
 
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  2.5.  In the time period of this report two PPGs, for Jamaica and CARICOM, have been ongoing and 
will be c ompleted by the end of 2021.  
2.6.  In this period a PPG was completed for Mongolia for four TFA provisions. The process resulted 
in an agreement from the World Bank Group to assist with implementation of Article 3, advance 
rulings. The expert consultant was able  to provide the necessary information to allow Mongolia to 
self-implement Article 10.3 - use of international standards. And TFAF and the expert consultant are 
currently in discussions with a development partner for implementation assistance for the other two 
articles.  
2.7.  In addition, discussions continue with development partners for PPGs that were completed 
earlier this year for Namibia (for eleven TFA provisions), Guyana (for nine TFA provisions), and 
Grenada (for eight TFA provisions). If implementation as sistance cannot be provided by development 
partners these Members can request a TFAF Project Implementation Grant using the results of the 
work carried out by the expert consultant in the PPG phase.  
2.8.  Three project implementation grant (PGs) applications, su bmitted by one WTO Member, are 
currently being considered by a TFAF grant selection committee. Information will be posted on the 
website for any PGs that are approved by the selection committee.  
2.9.  To overcome the shortage of donors/development partners on th e selection committee an 
additional Annex D partner, UNCTAD, was added to the committee to review these grants.  
2.10.  Information on approved grants can be found at: https://tfafacility.org/grant -applica tions. 
3  COORDINATION OF PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS  
3.1.  TFAF continues to stay in close communication with its partner organizations to provide 
information that can support partners' role in TFA implementation, enhance coordination and avoid 
duplication. Cooperation with Annex D partners continues to play an essential role in the TFAF grant 
program, with partners receiving and engaging with all expressions of interest and at the project 
preparation stage to avoid any duplication of efforts.  
4  WEBSITE – WWW.TFAFACILITY.O RG 
4.1  Upgrade and new information  
4.1.  Work is ongoing to migrate the TFAF website to a new updated version.  This was necessary in 
order to maintain a secure site as well as to allow the addition of enhanced information such as 
interactive charts, filters, and sea rch functions.  
4.2.  The process of migration involved the transfer of existing information from the old site to the 
new site , and the site is now in the testing phase which means reviewing each page for consistency, 
placement, and errors.  
5  TFAF TRUST FUND  
5.1  Situat ion 
5.1.  The trust fund currently contains around USD 5 millio n. Expenditures were made during this 
period under the grant program to support the recently completed PPGs for Guyana and Mongolia.  
6  ACTIVITIES  
6.1.  In light of the interventions made by the US at the Committee meetings in October, March and 
June, and reiterated at the Chair -led consultations, TFAF continued to curtail its participation in 
activities and events during this period.  G/TFA/W/66  
 
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  7  MONITORING AND EVALUATION  
7.1  Annual Report  
7.1.  The Annual Report for the year 20 20 is available on -line at: https://www.tfafacility.org/annual -
reports . 
7.2  Evaluation  
7.2.  The Operational Guidelines require TFAF to commission an independent review within five years 
of entry into force of the TFA, which will be 22 February 2022. The TFAF has initiated the procurement 
process following the WTO procurement procedures.  
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