G/TFA/N/NIC/4  
12 August 2020  
(20-5518)  Page: 1/3 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
NOTIFICATION OF ARRANGEMENTS AND PROGRESS IN THE PROVISION  
OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT  
FOR CATEGORY C DESIGNATIONS  
COMMUNICATION FROM NICARAGUA  
The following communication , dated  3 August  2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Nicaragua  for Members' information.  
 
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Nicaragua hereby notifies information on the arrangements concluded and progress made in the 
provision of technical assistance and capacity building support for the following category C 
designation, in accordance with  Article 16 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement  (TFA). 
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Categor y Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 1.3 Enquiry Points  C 22 February  2020 22 June 2023 
Donors: To be determined  
To date, Nicaragua  has not received  any technical assistance or capacity building support from donors to 
implement the provisions of Article 1.3 . The notified requirements , with the exception of  point 5, therefore 
still apply : 
1. Administ ration of the Institute for Agricultural and Livestock Protection and Health (IPSA) website and 
support for updating the content of this website ; website administrator . 
2. Creation of the IPSA outreach office ; IPSA outreach office official . 
3. Technical assistance from comput er and programming specialists to develop and improve website 
automation for the National Commission for the Control and Regulation of Toxic Substances  (CNRCST) , 
so as to meet the Commission's new requirements; and financial assistance to acquire computer 
equipment, software and licences.  
4. Technical and financial assistance for the creation and implementation of a TFA -consistent national 
information system for the Ministry of Health (MINSA).  
5. Financial assistance for setting up an information system that prov ides immediate and relevant 
information on formality status and migration.  
Additional t echnical assistance and  capacity building : 
6. Establishment  of a help desk (software)  enabling users and officials to interact in real time and a glossary 
of frequently asked questions, with a view to improv ing the information and communication service 
provided  by IPSA.  
7. Establishment  of technological kiosks with the necessary equipment in Puerto Corinto and at the border 
posts of El Guasaule, El Espino, Las Manos, San Pancho and Peña Blanca in order to provide land 
freight  carriers with information  and access to the  procedure management service s offered by 
the Directorate -General of Migrati on and Foreign Nationals (DGME).  
8. Capacity building  for technical staff from the CNRCST  to ensure sustainable  implementation of the 
proposed measures. Assistance is also needed  to establish  a computer  system to manag e formalities  
and services for CNRCST  users . 
With regard to  point 5, the above -mentioned requirements  have been met using  DGME funds . An information 
system for online  processing of passports  is being set up , as are  interactive chat s and a call centre for formality 
checks and follow -up. Forms for passport  processing are available on the online platform . 
 G/TFA/N/NIC/4  
 
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Categor y Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 5.1 Notification for 
Enhanced Controls or 
Inspections  C 22 February  2020 22 December  2020 
Donors: Resources from IPSA 
Progress made in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support : 
In order to  compl y with Article 5.1 of the TFA ("Notification s for enhanced controls or inspections "), Nicaragua 
notified the need for : 1. Advice on completing  notification procedures , 2. A section on the IPSA website where 
the country's sanitary and phytosanitary status can be published, together with International Plant Protection 
Convention (IPPC) , World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)  and WTO information.  
In this regard, IPSA's  own funds  have been used to provide  consulting on  "Support for the review and 
preparation of procedural manuals for the substantive d irectorates and support areas"  - a process through 
which agricultural quarantine procedures are being updated . Moreover , efforts are under way  to develop 
detection procedures for entry points  and a notification completion procedure  for the Plant Quarantine  
Department of the Agricultural Quarantine Directorate and the Plant Health Directorate.  
The Plant Health Directorate has a phytosanitary alert procedure  for notifying the presence  of regulated pests . 
The same procedure is used to provide notification of international phytosanitary alerts  issued through the 
IPPC website . 
The Animal Health Directorate immediately ( within 24 hours) notifies the OIE World Animal Health Information 
System (WAHIS) through the Nicaraguan delegate. A final report is sent to the OIE to remove the alert  once 
the outbreak has been controlled or eradicated.  
In light of the above, Nicaragua will not require technical assistance or capacity building support from donors 
to implement  the measure . 
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Categor y Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 5.3 Test Procedures  C 22 February  2022 22 June 2024 
Donors: To be determined  
Progress made in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support : 
Nicaragua has not yet received assistance or capacity building support from donors to implement the 
provisions of Article 5.3.The notified requirements therefore still apply : 
1. Capacity building to improve phytosanitary diagnostic laboratories in the departments of Managua, 
Estelí, León and Rivas, and the national chemical and biological residues laboratory, through the 
acquisition of equipment, materials and reagents, the enhanced implementation of diagnostic methods, 
staff training, and the strengthening of regional laboratory infrastructure, with a view to better serving 
exporters and importers of products and by -products of plant origin . 
Details of financial assistance : 
• Reagents, consumables and e quipment for central and regional laboratories . 
• Strengthening of the diagnostic and technical capacity of personnel (diploma -based training, workshops, 
specialized courses, post -graduate courses, internships, etc. ). 
• Remodelling and refitting of three  regional phytosanitary diagnostic laboratories in the departments of 
Estelí, León and Rivas . 
Additional assistance and capacity building : 
2. Assistance and capacity building support to improve diagnostic techniques though th e validation and 
accreditation of test methods, as well as to implement a quality management system at the 
National  Laboratory for Phytosanitary Diagnostic s and Seed Quality and standardize the 
methodologies  of regional laboratories as a prerequisite for a ccreditation in central laboratories 
under  ISO/IEC 17025:2017 . 
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Categor y Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 10.4 Single Window  C 22 February  2020 22 June 2022 
Donors: Inter-American Development Bank  (IDB) 
Progress made in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support : 
In order to comply with Article 10.4 of the TFA ( "Single Window") , Nicaragua notified the need for : 
1. Financial support for acquiring equipment and licences and contracting specialized computer design and 
development services, with a view to the continued improvement of the VUCEN system . 
2. Technical assistance to improve the system . 
Additional technical assistance and capacity building : 
3. Implemen tation of the "foreign trade e -signature" , with a view to effectively improving trade with 
partner countries and increasing  competitiveness in international trade through a reliable system that 
will enable government b odies involved in procedures  relating to the import and export of goods to 
generate electronically signed documents . 
In this regard, it should be noted that points 1 and 2 are currently being implemented under Border 
Integration Programme  3484/BL -NI. The Single Window component of that programme, entitled "Efficient 
and effective border control procedures under the Border Integration Programme (BIP)", is funding 
operational aspects of the VUCEN system, including the functional expansion of  VUCEN's IT system and the 
development of its technological platform . 
Regarding point  3, the requirement concerning the implementation of the "foreign trade e -signature"  still 
applies . 
Nine foreign trade -related institutions  will work with the VUCEN system  to simplify procedures and reduce 
the time taken to obtain import and export permits.  
 
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