G/TFA/4  
 
17 June 2022  
(20-4754) Page: 1/ 19 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ANNUAL REPORT 2021 
TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT FACILITY (TFAF)  
 G/TFA/4  
 
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Contents  
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 3 
TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT  ................................ ................................ ..................  4 
TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT FACILITY  ................................ ................................ .. 4 
A. Grant Programme  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 5 
B. Technical Assistance Activities  ................................ ................................ ...................  10 
C. TFAF Website  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  13 
CROSS -CUTTING ISSUES  ................................ ................................ ................................  14 
RISKS ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  14 
2021 FUNDS  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  15 
Annex 1 Document c irculated to Members by the Chair of the TF Committee to describe the steps 
followed by the TFAF when receiving an activity request.  ................................ .......................  16 
Annex 2 Log frame  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  18 
Annex 3 Namibia PPG Report  ................................ ................................ .............................  19 
 
 
 G/TFA/4  
 
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  EXECUTIVE SUMMARY  
This report sets out the activities and outcomes of the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility 
(the Facility, or TFAF)  for the calendar year 202 1, as required by the Operational Guidelines.  The 
report is organised according to the TFAF's priorities pr ovided in G/TFA/3.  
 
OVERALL  ACTIVITIES  
In 2021 TFAF focused on delivery of the grant programme and the completion of a major overhaul 
of the website's content management system . TFAF also launched  the procurement process for an 
external evaluation.  At the request of a Member in the WTO TF Committee, a moratorium was 
applied to all TFAF technical assistance activities, not including the grant programme, from October 
2020 to late October 2021 . The delive ry of the TFAF grant programme was also impacted by the 
continued COVID -19 pandemic and its knock -on effects on travel and remote -working.   
GRANT PROGRAM  
In 2021, two expressions of interest were circulated on behalf of LDC Members  covering 11 
provisions of the TFA.  Both immediately led to a development partner stepping forward to 
offer assistance to the applicant Member s.  
 
Expert consultants  engaged by the TFAF completed  project preparation grant projects  with 
six Members and one regional group . Collectively these projects sought  to identify support for 
the implementation of 38 provisions of the TFA .  
 
Development partners stepped forward to assist in response to four of the PPGs , while 
efforts to identify others are on -going. Any unmet needs can be developed into an application for a 
TFAF implementation gran t, upon request of the Member .  
 
One Member was awarded a project preparation grant, to be delivered in the first quarter of 
2022 on 2 provisions of the TFA.   
 
One application was submitted for a project implementation grant  covering 3 provisions of the 
Agreement  but was rejected by the selection committee on the grounds that the y did not judge the 
interventions proposed  in the application would lead to the implement ation of the provisions in 
question.  
 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  ACTIVITIES  
On 28 October 2021, TFAF received Members' approval1 to resume technical assistance activities 
after the creation of an on -line password protected activity tracker that provides inform ation on 
activity requests and enables Members a comment period.  
WEBSITE  
The TFAF  website had a total of 92,715 visitors in 2021, generating 162,179 unique page views .  
The final phase of the website’s upgrade (the first since its launch, with the aim of enhancing the 
website’s user experience  and improving security ) also took place in 2021, followed by the official 
relaunch of the English version of the website in November 2021.  The upgraded website platform 
was necessary  to support a password protected activity tracker  that contributed to the lifting of the 
activity moratorium.   
PROGRESS  
By the end of 2021, a total of 18 expressions of interest had been circulated by the TFAF grant 
programme. This represents just under 30% of eligible2 Members  whose nee ds have either 
 
1 JOB/TF/231  
2 Developing country Members who have ratified the TFA and presented Category C notifications.  G/TFA/4  
 
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  been matched with a development partner or have led to a draft  application for a TFAF 
project pr eparation  grant.  In 2021 seven  unmatched expressions of interest were developed into  
a successful  TFAF project preparation grant  project . Of those seven, four completed PPGs led to 
a development partner(s) stepping forward to propose implementation assistance  for a total 
of 33 provisions  of the TFA  notified under Category C . Discussions to identify a partner for two other 
PPGs continue , while  one was submitted as an application for a TFAF project implementation grant.   
BUDGET  
The full list of donor s include: Australia, Austria, China, Czech Republic, Finland, France, 
New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom , plus three legacy donors, Ireland, Separate Customs 
Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu and the United States3.  
In 202 1, the TFAF spent a total of 307,744.61  Swiss Francs  (CHF) from total funds  of 
CHF 4,958,312.194. The closing balance on 31  December  2021 was CHF  4,650,567.58. 
TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT  
The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement entered into force on February 22, 2017,  when more than 
two-thirds of the WTO Membership had domestically ratified a Protocol of Amendment and notified 
the WTO of their acceptance of this Protocol . The WTO Committee on Trade Facilitation was also 
created when the Agreement entered into force. The Committee held seven formal  and six informal  
meeting s in 2021. 
At the beginning of 2021, 152 of the WTO's 164  Members had successfully ratified the Agreement. 
Two additional ratifications5 were received in 202 1, bringing the total to 15 4, just under 94% percent 
of the Membership.   
The TFA contains numerous notification requirements. The A, B, C related  notification requirements  
have specific deadlines. These are the notifications required  for developing and LDC Members taking 
advantage of the pr ovisions allowing them to self -determine the date of impleme ntation for each 
TFA measure . All ABC -related notification deadlines for d eveloping Members finished in 2019.  The 
year 202 1 contained a deadline requiring LDC Members to notify their indicative implementation 
dates for provisions notified in Category  C by February 22 . Other notification deadlines are based on 
the implementation schedule of the Member. Over the course of the year, developing and 
LDC Members submitted 78 notifications relating to the ABC requirements, transparency, and 
technical assistance and capacity building.   Ten LDC Members and one developing Member  submitted 
notifications relating to the arrangements of the technical assistance and capacity building.  
TRADE FACILITATION AGREEMENT  FACILITY  
The TFAF was created to assist developing and LDC members find the support they need to 
implement the TFA.  It came into force in 2015.  It is operated by the WTO Secretariat and funded 
by WTO Members on a voluntary basis.  
In October 2020, a Member in the WTO TF Committee objected6 to the draft TFAF 2021 workplan  
and requested a moratorium on all TFAF technical assistance activities because it felt that the TF 
Committee should have a more formal role  in the governance of the TFAF  Responding  to this 
moratorium, the Chair  of the Committee  held eight7 rounds of consultations with Members  in 2021 , 
four of which were small group meetings and four with the full TFC Membership.   In October 2021 
Members agreed that technical assistance activities c ould resume  with new procedures8 adopted  
 
3 Legacy donors provided funds to the trade facilitation needs assessment trust fund that were 
transferred to the TFAF trust fund when it was created.  
4 Including  opening balance, interest on investments and new contributions received in 202 1. 
5 One of which being the United Kingdom which had previously ratified the Agreement as a Member 
State of the European Union.  
6 G/TFA/M/13 (21 December 2020) Paragraph 2.93  
7 20 May, 9 June, 7 July, 28 July, 15 September, 1 October, 14 October  
8 JOB/TF/231  G/TFA/4  
 
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  that require activity request forms submitted by Members to be posted  an online activity tracker 
accessible to Members with a period for them to  comment on the activity . Discussions to agree a 
formal update to the go vernance framework of the facility continued into 2022.  
The Operational Guidelines require an independent evaluation of the TFAF to be commissioned by 
the fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the TFA.   In December 2021, the Facility launched 
the procurement process to engage experts to carry out this evaluation . 
A. GRANT  PROGRAMME9  
Expressions of interest:  
 
The first step of the TFAF grant program is the circulation of an expression of interest from the 
requesti ng Member to the development partners with the aim of finding implementation support.  In 
addition, in response to the circulation of the expressions of interest, development partners 
frequently provide information about on -going programs which further adds t o the 
awareness/knowledge of TFAF staff.   
In September a n Expression of Interest  from Vanuatu , an LDC, was circulated, identifying needs 
related to the implementation of the following Category C -designated provisions of the TFA:  
Art. 5.3 - Test Procedures  
Art. 7.4 - Risk Management  
Art. 7.6 - Establishment and Publication of Average Release Times  
Art. 7.7 - Authorized Operators  
Art. 10.3 - Use of International Standards  
Art. 10.4 - Single Window  
The Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP) of the World Bank Group immediately responded to 
offer implementation assistance with all six provisions.  
In November a request from Malawi , an LDC, was circulated, identifying needs related to the 
implementation of the following Category C -designated provisions of the TFA  
Art. 3 - Advance Rulings  
Art. 4 - Right to Appeal or Review  
Art. 7.4 - Risk Management  
Art. 7.5 - Post-Clearance Audit  
Art. 7.6 - Establishment and Publication of Average Release Times  
The TFSP immediately responded to offer implement ation assistance with two provisions and two 
explore the possibility of supporting the others. If no support is forthcoming for any of the needs, 
an application for a TFAF PPG will be launched.  
Outcome: Two expressions of interest were circulated in 2021 w hich led to 
implementation partners stepping forward to assist with 8 provisions of the TFA.  
 
9 https://www.tfafacility.org/grant -program    
  G/TFA/4  
 
- 6 - 1.1 Project  Preparation  Grants (PPGs):  
 
If the circulation of the expression of interest does not identify a suitable partner, the Member is  then eligible to apply for a Project Preparation Grant. The 
Project Preparation Grant is  used to engage an expert consultant to assist the Member to articulate th eir TFA implementation needs for specified TFA provisions 
that the Member had notified in Category C, and to identify development partners to support implementation. If implementation support is not found for any 
of the TFA provisions that are subject of t he PPG, then the Member is eligible to apply for a TFAF Project Implementation Grant(s).  
In 2021, implementation support was identified through the PPG process for seven Members for a total of 38 TFA provisions.  
The following table provide s details on eac h PPG in chronological order  
Member  Comments / 
response to EoI  Grant 
duration  Measures included in request  Overall 
budget 
(CHF)  Outcome of completed PPG  
Grenada  EU emailed on 
27/01 to say no 
duplication 
foreseen  
 
No support on 
these aspects by 
the EU as of yet.  PPG 
launched 
01/10/2020  
 
Final report 
07/01/2021  Art. 1.4 Notification  
Art. 3 Advance Rulings  
Art. 4 Procedures for Appeal or Review  
Art. 6.1 General Disciplines on Fees and Charges  
Art. 6.2 Specific Discipl ines on Fees and Charges  
Art. 7.2 Electronic Payment  
Art. 7.6 Average Release Times  
Art. 10.4 Single Window  7,137.04  Global Alliance for Trade 
Facilitation stepped forward in 
May 2021, bilateral discussions 
on-going  
 
UNCTAD also in contact  
Namibia  IRU responded 
to propose 
technical 
expertise to 
respond on 
Art.11 needs.  PPG 
launched 
04/01/2021  
 
Final 
Report 
31/03/2021  Art. 1.2 - Information Available Through Internet  
Art. 3 - Advance Rulings  
Art. 6.1 General Disciplines on Fees and Charges  
Art. 7.4 - Risk Management  
Art. 7.5 - Post -clearance Audit  
Art. 7.6 - Average Release Times  
Art. 7.7 - Authorized Operators  
Art. 7.8 - Expedited Shipments  
Art. 10.4 - Single Window  
Art. 10.6 - Customs Brokers  
Art. 11 - Transit  18,261.00  WEF stepped forward in May 
2021 , bilateral discussions on -
going  
 
UNCTAD also in contact  
 
  
  G/TFA/4  
 
- 7 - Member  Comments / 
response to EoI  Grant 
duration  Measures included in request  Overall 
budget 
(CHF)  Outcome of completed PPG  
Dominican 
Republic  No response 
from donors 
received 
signalling no 
fears of 
duplication.  PPG 
launched 
01/02/2021  
 
Final report 
31/03/2021  Art. 7.4 - Risk Management  
Art. 7.9 - Perishable goods  
Art. 10.4 Single Window  16,254.70  TFAF Project Implementation 
grant application for 3 articles 
launched on 04/10/2021  
  
Guyana  No national 
trade program 
for EU, covered 
by TRADECOM 
& EPA support 
program - no 
overlap 
foreseen.  PPG 
launched 
01/04/2021  
 
Final report 
09/06/2001   
Art. 1.3 - Enquiry Points  
Art. 3 - Advance Rulings  
Art. 5.3 - Test Procedures  
Art. 7.3 - Separation of Release  
Art. 7.4 - Risk Management  
Art. 7.5 - Post -Clearance Audit  
Art. 7.7 - Authorized Operators  
Art. 7.9 - Perish able goods  
Art. 8 - Border Agency Cooperation  
Art. 10.4 - Single Window  
  21,384.67  Global Alliance for Trade 
Facilitation stepped forward in 
May 2021, bilateral discussions 
on-going  
 
UNCTAD also in contact  
Mongolia  World Bank 
Group  Trade 
Facilitation 
Support 
Programme  
(TFSP)  doing 
trade portal , 
Time Release 
Study  and 
support to  NTFC  PPG 
Launched 
01/04/2021  
 
Final report  
30/09 /2021  Art. 3 Advance Rulings  
Art. 8 Border Agency cooperation    
Art 10.3 Use of International Standards  
Art 10.4 Single  window      
 
 14,029.80  TFAF hosted development 
partner coordination meeting:  
EU plan to assist Art. 8 and 10.4  
TFSP plan  to assist  Art. 3 
 
Consultant  gave guidance to 
NTFC on how to implement Art. 
10.3 including attendance at 
WCO meetings, no further 
assistance needed.  
 
CARICOM  
Regional 
project EU emailed on 
19/02  to say no PPG 
undertaken Art. 7.4 - Risk Management  30,968.07  As the first regional project, 
discussions are on -going to 
identify implementation  
  G/TFA/4  
 
- 8 - Member  Comments / 
response to EoI  Grant 
duration  Measures included in request  Overall 
budget 
(CHF)  Outcome of completed PPG  
covering 11 
Members:  
  
Dominica, 
Grenada, 
Guyana, 
Antigua and 
Barbuda, 
Barbados, 
Belize, 
Jamaica, 
Saint Kitts 
and Nevis, 
Saint Lucia, 
Saint 
Vincent and 
the 
Grenadines, 
and 
Trinidad 
and 
Tobago.  duplication 
foreseen  in two 
phases:  
 
01/06/2021 
– 
31/07/2021  
 
and  
 
01/10/2021  
- 
31/12/2021  
 partners, or to consider as TFAF 
project implementation grant 
application.  
Jamaica  EU emailed on 
14/02 to say no 
duplication 
foreseen.  
 
Discussions 
between EU and 
GoJ in 2020.  PPG 
Launched 
01/08/2021  
 
Final report  
30/09 /2021  Art 6.1.   General disciplines on fees and charges.  13,239.00  Reports revised based on 
additional inputs from Member. 
Discussions on -going to identify 
development partner or to 
develop as TFAF implementation 
grant application.  G/TFA/4  
 
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  Outcome: Seven  TFAF  Project Preparation Grant (PPG) projects were completed in 2021, 
with four identifying implementation partners.  
All PPG reports are available to Members upon request. The report of the Namibia grant is 
attached in annex I as an example of the work produced.  
In the first full year of conducting PPG projects, a number of lessons were learned leading to the 
emergence of best practices:  
• Project preparation grants represent a great opportunity to identify implementation partners. 
To date more than half of completed PPGs have resulted in at least one partner  stepping 
forward. Continuous attention will be paid to engaging development partners in the process 
and communicating the outcomes to them. Regular updates to partners reporting on 
upcoming, in -progress and recently completed grants have been successful i n identifying 
possible implementation assistance.  
• All grant projects in 2021 were delivered remotely due to the travel restrictions and sanitary 
rules associated with the COVID 19 pandemic.  This approach is possible but requires strong 
coordination by the  applicant Member to mobilise domestic stakeholders.  Where this is 
lacking, it can be difficult to ensure the engagement to collect necessary inputs. While certain 
aspects of grant projects may be possible to be carried out remotely, when travel is possib le 
grant projects will incorporate travel to applicant Members.  
• When the grant program was created, i t was expected that Members would submit an 
expression of interest for one or two of their Category C provisions, however, a number of 
Member s have submitt ed an application for most or all of their Category C provisions.   As a 
result , we have realized the importance of the Expression of Interest and, if necessary, the 
PPG grant report to assist many Members to identify potential donors.  
• Progress has been ma de with two expressions of interest circulated for LDCs in 2021 and 
more in 2022.   We expect more requests from LDCs after more have submitted their 
Category C definitive dates by the August 22, 2022, deadline.  We will continue to reach out 
to the Members , but especially after this deadline.  
• To identify suitable experts, the TFAF maintains a  database of self-identified and 
recommended consultants. Experts for specific PPG projects are identified according to 
knowledge and experience of working on customs issues and the TFA, understanding of the 
process of designing projects for development assistance, language skills, experience of the 
country of region, proximity and time difference (for remotely -delivered projects) and 
recommendations from implementing partners. The TFAF will continue to balance a risk -
based approach to ensure a quality outcome, alongside a desire to engage a pool of e xperts, 
with these goals in mind work will continue to develop and refine the database of consultants.  
• The TFAF gathers feedback from the PPG expert consultants on the PPG template , supporting 
materials , and process  and uses this feedback to improve the p rocess and outcomes.  
• Accurate estimates for the length of a project are difficult . As the projects are output driven, 
if the inputs are not received in good time, it can be necessary to extend projects. This needs 
to be communicated to experts in advance to ensure their availability to complete the work.  
• As development partners step forward  to offer implementation , TFAF steps back to allow 
bilateral discussions to take place.  It is clear that TFAF needs to maintain communication 
with the applicant  Member, so that the grant application can be reactivated as necessary if 
any needs are unmet following the conclusion of discussions with development partners.  G/TFA/4  
 
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  2.1 Project Implementation  Grants (PGs):  
In 2021 one Member applied  for a project implementation grant  after the completion of their project 
preparation grant . The application was duly considered by a selection committee comprising 
representatives of developing and LDC Members and implementation partners. After due 
consideration, the committee did not approve the grant. The committee was not convinced that the 
interventions proposed in the application would directly lead to the implementation of the provisions 
of the TFA identified.  
B. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  ACTIVITIES  
No technical assistance activities were conducted in 2021 due to the moratorium.   Throughout 2021 
the Facility supported the discussions in the WTO TF Committee on its governance. Revisions to 
procedures were proposed to increase transparency and avoid duplication of events  by allowing 
Members a time period to ask for further information or comment on activity requests.   These 
revised procedures10 were approved by the Committee in late October 2021  allowing 
technical assistance activities to recommence  with the launch of the activity tracker .  
Any Member that has requested a username and password for t he activity tracker has access to this 
information. An email is sent to these Members to inform them when a new activity is posted.  
Members are generally given two weeks to comment on the request before TFAF can commit to 
conduct the activity.  
This was th e first step in the creation of a new governance framework11 that was approved by 
Members in 2022.  
Please refer to the document in Annex 1 which was circulated12 to Members by the Chair of the TF 
Committee to describe the steps followed by the TFAF when re ceiving an activity request:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
10 These revised procedures were included in a new governance framework  that was created and 
approved by Members in 2022 that supplement the TFAF Operational Guidelines to take into account the 
evolution of the needs of Members as expressed through the Committee.  
11 G/TFA/3  
12 JOB/TF/231   
  G/TFA/4  
 
- 11 - The online activity tracker compiles the activity requests and is accessible to Members who have requested access:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  G/TFA/4  
 
- 12 - This diagram shows how the transparency procedures  
fit in the activity and reporting cycle of the TFAF.  
Evaluation
(Did activity 
deliver objectives 
-participants)
Back to Office 
Report
(Did activity 
deliver objectives 
-trainers)
Activity log
(Record outcomes 
with evidence 
from Evaluation 
and BTOR)
Review and 
develop requests 
(in line with work 
plan priorities)Post to TFAF 
online activity 
tracker 
(notification to 
Members)
15 daysDelivery
Annual 
Report  
ACTIVITY REQUEST  
Including objectives  
(from TFAF log frame)  G/TFA/4  
 
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  C. TFAF WEBSITE  
• TFAFacility.org website  
The TFAF website serves multiple functions . First, it provides transparency to the 
administration and work of the TFAF by publishing operational rules and guidelines, 
workplans and reports, as well as information about TFAF events. Second, it provides a 
platform to make resources available, in an easily accessible manner, that can assist 
Members to implement the TFA. For example, the TFA resources provides t ools, instruments, 
guidelines, and case studies for each provision of the TFA. To assist developing and LDC 
Members to find implementation support, the website contains information and contact 
points for development partners and a searchable database of pa st and ongoing 
implementation assistance projects.   Third, it provides a forum for Members and partner 
organizations to advertise relevant events or highlight trade facilitation success stories.  
 
Outcome: In 2021, the website received  92,715 visitors, generating a total of  162,179 
unique page views.   
The Top 10  most visited core* pages were:  
 
1. Homepage  
2. The Trade Facilitation Agreement  
3. Notifications  
4. Article Resources  
5. Ratifications  
6. Covid -19 Repository  
7. About the Facility  
8. E-learning  
9. Contac t points and profiles  
10. TFAF Grants Awarded  
 
*Core pages denotes main pages on the website and excludes content such as news items  
 
The top 10 visiting countries were:  
 
1. Mexico  
2. Colombia  
3. Indonesia  
4. Peru 
5. India 
6. United States  
7. Ecuador  
8. Spain  
9. France  
10. Argentina  
 
This year, work concluded on the first major upgrade of the website's content management system 
since its launch in 2014. In addition to providing strengthened security, this upgrade allowed for the 
expansion and enhancement of the site's featur es and functions, as well as easier dissemination of 
information all while making the site more user -friendly. The relaunch of the redesigned website 
took place in English in November 2021, following a user -testing phase.  The launch of the French 
and Span ish versions followed in early 2022.  
The process of migration involved a complete redesign in addition to the transfer of existing 
information from the old site to the new site.  
Several  improvements were made to the website, most notably an improved user experience via a 
new, modern, and easy to navigate design. The website is now also a fully mobile -responsive site, 
meaning members, partners and external audiences can access it without issues on any mobile 
device. Improvements also allow for easier access  to contact point information, resources, 
guidelines, case studies, reports, events and more. Another major change is automatic data syncing 
between the TFA database and the TFAF site, allowing for up -to-date sharing of notification and 
ratification inform ation and ensuring greater cohesion between the website and database.   G/TFA/4  
 
- 14 - 
 
  To enhance support for Members in 2021, the following new webpages and tools were 
added/enhanced:   
• Grant Tracker  
Formally the Grants Awarded page, the Grant tracker has been expanded to include a section 
on Expressions of Interest that resulted in successful matchmaking of needs with 
implementation partners.  
• TFAF Activity Tracker  
A password protected activity tracker  was a dded at the request of Members to enhance  
transparency around TFAF's activities .  The activity tracker lists both national and regional 
activities requested by Members with the purpose of fulfilling objectives ranging from 
preparation of TFA notific ations to enhancing the operation of their National Trade Facilitation 
Committees. The page tracks the requesting members, proposed/final activity dates, 
whether the activity was delivered by partners or the facility as well as providing a 
downloadable fil e to view more details about the activity.  The on -line Activity Request form 
was updated  to collect  additional  information needed for the Activity Tracker.  
CROSS -CUTTING ISSUES  
Prioritising the needs of LDCs is a cross -cutting issue for the TFAF , demonstra ting a continued focus 
on the needs of LDC Members, c irculation of expressions of interest on behalf of two LDC Members 
led to the identification of development partners for the implementation of eight provisions of the 
TFA.  
 
Each of the seven project pre paration grants contains a section on cross -cutting issues which seeks 
to contextualise the proposed implementation of the TFA provisions within the applicant Member's 
national policies on gender,  environment and climate change.  
RISKS  
In 2021 the two highe st impact risks were the continued impact of the COVID -19 pandemic that 
limited  direct  contact with Members, and the moratorium on activities requested by a Member in the 
WTO TF committee. Both risks were managed throughout the course of the year through a  
combination of remote working and by participating in the small group consultations convened by 
the Chair and responding to issues raised by Members. As described in section C above, updated 
transparency procedures were proposed that ultimately led to the  lifting of the moratorium.  
 
A risk register will be maintained for all activities in 2022, with lessons and mitigations measures 
identified for the subsequent annual report.  
  G/TFA/4  
 
- 15 - 
 
  2021  FUNDS  
TFAF expenditure rose from CHF 294,921.74  in 2020 to CHF 307,744.61 in 202 1. This represents 
an annual increase  of CHF 12,822.87  , or just over 4%.   The increase in expenditure , despite 
the moratorium on TA activities  was due to the increase of TFAF  grants.  It is still significantly lower 
than previous years du e to the combined effects of the moratorium and the COVID 19 pandemic.   
The remaining balance in favo ur of development partners reflects the need to maintain sufficient 
funds to cover future grant awards . 
All the figures in the following tables are in Swi ss Francs (CHF)   
Opening Balance as at 1  January  202113 4,935,746.44  
Australia (contribution to TTFAF and transfer from TTFNA)  508,565.56  
Austria (contribution to TTFAF)  132,930.85  
China (contribution to TTFAF)  642,686.09  
Czech Republic  (contribution to TTFAF)  21,281.74  
Finland (contribution to TTFAF)  269,960.20  
France (contribution to TTFAF)  264,901.30  
Ireland (transfer from  TTFNA)  21,775.84  
New Zealand (contribution to TTF AF) 29,828.05  
Norway (contribution to TTFAF and transfers from TTFNG 
and TTFNA)  2,809,851.78  
Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, 
Kinmen and Matsu (transfer from TTFNA ) 21,212.61  
United Kingdom (contribution to TTFAF)  225,719.19  
United States (transfer from TTFNA)  27,239.03  
 
Contributions Current Year   
Czech Republic  22,565.03  
 
TOTAL FUNDS 2021  4,958,312.19  
 
TOTAL EXPENDITURES  
 307,744.61  
BALANCE IN FAVOUR OF DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS  4,650,567.58  
 
BALANCE PER DEVELOPMENT PARTNER  
 
Australia  473,148.34  
Austria  123,673.36  
China  597,928.53  
Czech Republic  40,947.29  
Finland  251,159.79  
France  246,453.20  
Ireland  20,259.34  
New Zealand  27,750.78  
Norway  2,614,169.76  
Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, 
Kinmen and Matsu  19,735.33  
United Kingdom  209,999.79  
United States  25,342.07  
 
TTFAF: Trust Fund for Trade Facilitation Facility  
TTFNA: Trust Fund for Trade Facilitation National Needs Assessments  
TTFNG: Trust Fund for Participation of Capital -Based Officials in Negotiating Group Meetings  
 
13 Including interest deductions  G/TFA/4  
 
- 16 - 
 
  ANNEX 1 DOCUMENT CIRCULATED14 TO MEMBERS BY THE CHAIR OF THE TF COMMITTEE 
TO DESCRIBE THE STEPS FOLLOWED  BY THE TFAF WHEN RECEIVING AN ACTIVITY 
REQUEST.  
Use of Online Request Form and Tracker Dashboard15 
 
1. A Member makes a request to TFAF for technical assistance and capacity -building support 
(TACB).  
2. The TFAF checks the request to make sure that it conforms with the type of activities delivered 
by TFAF  and that all necessary information has been provided . TFAF will work with the 
applicant to fi ll any information gaps, as required.  
3. After check by TFAF  is complete , the request is posted on the request activity tracker.  
4. A notification of the new request is sent to Members who have requested such notification 
from the system.  
5. Any Member having quest ions can direct them to the activity requester.  
6. The final outcome is envisaged to be one of the following, although exclusively so:  
 
a) TFAF will arrange for the delivery of the activity in terms of the requested TACB needs;  
b) Another Member , in collaboration with the requesting Member, will arrange for deliver y of 
the activity in terms of the requested TACB needs;  
c) A combination of both (Mem ber and TFAF) in collaboration with the requesting Member 
will arrange for delivery of the activity in terms of the requested TACB needs.  
 
The online activity request form16 asks the following:  
 
WTO Member or Member Group (e.g. regional organization repre senting WTO Members or other 
groups such as LDC Group)*  
 
If a Member Group is requesting the activity, please list the invited WTO Members/Observers  
Please provide the name of the person with whom we can discuss this request:*  
 
All national activity reques ts must be approved by your Geneva Mission or Permanent 
Representation, please provide the name of the official that can confirm this  
 
For a national event, do you have an operational National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC)?  
 
Please verify and confirm  that the contact point information for your National Trade Facilitation 
Committee is correct on the contact points and profiles page.  
 
If you need to update your contact point information, kindly use this form  
 
Has this request for a national activity been approved by your NTFC?  
 
For All Activities  
 
• Proposed start date of activity  
• Proposed end date of activity  
• Working Language  
 
The objective of the activity is to (Please identify the broad aim, more detail can be given in expected 
outcomes belo w [All TFAF activities must contribute to one of these aims ]): 
 
• Ratify the TFA  
• Preparation of TFA notifications  
• Enhance the operation of the national trade facilitation committee  
 
14 JOB/TF /231 
15 Otherwise referred to as activity tracker  
16 https://wto.formstack.com/forms/tfaf_ta_virtual  G/TFA/4  
 
- 17 - 
 
  • Find assistance for implementation of the provisions of the TFA  
 
Brief descri ption of activity  
 
Participants will include (tick as many as apply) : 
 
• Ministry of Trade  
• Ministry of Finance  
• Customs  
• Ministry of Agriculture  
• Other government organizations  
• Private Sector  
• Members of the National Trade Facilitation Committee  
• Academia  
• Other:  
 
Level of TFA knowledge of participants:  
 
• Beginner  
• Intermediate  
• Expert  
• Mixed  
 
Estimated number of participants  
 
Expected outcomes from a successful workshop (select all that apply):  
 
• Ratification of the TFA  
• Find assistance for implementation of the provisions of the TFA  
• Submit notifications within agreed deadlines  
• Enhance the operation of the national trade facilitation committee  
 
Please select options to measure the success of the activity.  
 
Please identify risks that could limit the successful outc omes of the workshop:  
 
• Political Risks  
• LDC Capacity issues  
• Changes in government  
• Financial transfer problems  
• Political disengagement of donors  
• Lack of backing for notification process  
 
Technical Risks  
 
• Capacity constraints  
• Difficulties in engagement between private sector and NTFC  
• Insufficient supply of experts with necessary expertise to respond to requests for support  
• Problems with project formulation (scope, detail, duplication, ...)  
• Requests out of sync with donor programming cycles  
• Turnover of staff leading to delays in processes  
• Lack of engagement/response to technical requests by donor partners  
• Insufficient, sustainable or predictable funding throughout the life of the Facility  
• Technical training does not convert to political commitme nt through silos  
• Language issues (outside of WTO working languages) leading to lack of clear understanding  
 
OPTIONAL INFORMATION:  
 
What bilateral or multilateral donor/development partners are active in your country?  
Has your country engaged with in -countr y donor/development partner representatives?  
What support have you received from these donors/development partners with  regard to the 
implementation of the TFA?  
  G/TFA/4  
 
- 18 - ANNEX 2 LOG FRAME   
 
 
 
  G/TFA/4  
 
- 19 - ANNEX 3 NAMIBIA PPG REPORT  
Document a vailable upon request from TFAF  
 
 
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