G/TFA/N/SLB/2  
 
22 August 2022  
(22-6356) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Trade Facilitation  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION OF ARRANGEMENTS AND PROGRESS IN THE PROVISION OF TECHNICAL 
ASSISTANCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT OF CATEGORY C DESIGNATIONS  
COMMUNICATION FROM SOLOMON ISLANDS  
The following communication  dated 19 August 2022 is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Solomon Islands  for Members' information.  
 
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Solomon Islands  hereby notifies information on the arrangements concluded and progress made in 
the provision of technical assistance and ca pacity building support of the following category C 
designations, as set out in  Article 16 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement  (WT/L/931).  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 3  Advance Rulings   C 22 February 2022  31 December 2040  
Donor s: To be determined  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.  
Technical Assistance required:  
• for training support and Policy development  and review of  regulatory framework . 
• To establish Sectoral Unit to manage and enforce the Advance Ruling requirements.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 4  Procedures for 
Appeal or Review   C 22 February 2022 31 December 2040  
Donor s: To be determined  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Customs currently have procedures for appeal and review.  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.  
Technical Assistance required:  
• To develop Policies and Institutional Procedures linking Border Agencies for processing appeals.  
Need to establish an Administrative appeal authority.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 5.1  Notification for 
Enhanced Controls 
or Inspections  C 31 December 2025  31 December 2040  
Donor s: To be determined   
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.  
Technical Assistance required:  
• Need support to reflect the provisions of the WTO agreement including other international and regional 
agreements in the draft legislation.  
• A need for support on training and development of relevant Government stakeholder 's requirements 
on imports. This m ay include new changes and review of Border agencies legislations.  G/TFA/N/SLB/2  
 
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
• Need storage facilities in place to store detained goods for necessary inspection by relevant borders 
agencies.  
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 5.2  Detention  C 22 February 2027  31 December 2040  
Donor s: To be determined  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
All importers are currently advised electronically on pending detention  of goods for examination .  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.  
Technical Assistance required:  
• A need for Infrastructure support: Required to build detention facility as part of the wider testing 
facility required under Art. 5.3.  
• Training and review of the relevant Legislations and requirements to improve the required provision 
on imports.  
 
Provisio n Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 5.3  Test Procedures  C 22 February 2027  31 December 2040  
Donor s: STDF -FAO and EIF   
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
STDF project through FAO "Strengthening the capacity of the National Public Health Laboratory to provide 
services in support of Market Access for Solomon Islands Fish Exporters " June 2017 -June 2022. The support 
was in targeting NPHL meeting international accreditation for accrediting the Microbiology Unit – this 
accreditation is still in progress. EIF in 2021 also supported in construction of NPHL Office facilities, trainings 
and equipment 's. NPHL is still working on accrediting the Microbiology Unit of the NPHL to ISO 17025 under 
NATA & IANZ and to have the Chemistry Unit of the NPHL accredited if and when resources are made available.  
Technical Assistance required:  
• Infrastructur e and Equipment:  
Support to build a Testing facility to carry out inspections at the border.  
• Institutional Procedures:  
Once infrastructure provided, required to set up and manage testing facility.  
• Human Resource and training:  
National Public Health Lab oratory and other lab oratories  to carryout test on  targeted  imported and 
exported food products . 
• Skill development for Environment Health Officers to inspect and detect high -risk food.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 7.1  Pre-arrival 
Processing   C 22 February 2022  31 Dec ember  2036 
Donor s: UNCTAD and DFAT Australia  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Status 2016 : 
The electronic c argo report was  facilitated under the ASYCUDA system in 2016; Customs Rule, LN 35 of 
22.04.15 under Customs & Excise Act 2009. This was achieved thr ough working together with Border agencies ; 
Shipping/Customs Agents. The ASYCUDA National P roject commenced in 2012 and completed around 2017. 
Support of the project was from UNCTAD and DF AT Australia in 201 6.    
Status 2022 :  
Covid -19 has delayed major upgrade of ASYCUDA world to the latest  cargo version.  
Solomon Islands needs further support on:  
 
• Harmoni zing processes for all relevant border agencies and how to manage all necessary risks 
involved.  
• ICT/ASYCUDA:  
For setting up electronic submission facilities for pre -arrival processing equipment and to improve 
clearance times in Customs and other agencies.  
• Human resource and training:  
To handle submission and processing of doc ument s in electronic format.  G/TFA/N/SLB/2  
 
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 7.3  
 Separation of 
Release from Final 
Determination of 
Customs Duties, 
Taxes, Fees and 
Charges   C 22 February 2020  31 December 2036  
Donor s: To be determined   
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.  
 
Solomon Islands needs further support on:  
• Policy & Legal Framework:  Investigate, review  and IT sub projects  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 7.4  Risk Management   C 22 February 2022  31 December 2036  
Donor s:  DFAT Australia  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
Australia supports in developing a  risk management system under a compliance management framework.  
 
Solomon Islands needs further support on:  
• ICT related Legislative and Regulatory Framework:  
• To upgrade current system of control to effectively manage risk.  
• Identify which management controls should be maintained for imports and their relevant procedures  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 7.6  
 Establishment and 
Publication of 
Average Release 
Times   C 22 February 2022  31 Dec ember  2036 
Donor s:  DFAT Australia  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Solomon Islands  conducted TRS  in August 2016, one year after introduction of the ASYCUDA system in June 
2015. This was the only time TRS was carried out in the country.  
 
Solomon Islands needs further support on:  
• Regulatory Framework:  
To establish formal Policy/Procedures to implement the TRS and its results on regular basis  
• Huma n Resource and Training:  
Need to train certain identified staff to take up responsibility for the task trained in design, 
implementation and analysis of a TRS.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 7.7  Trade Facilitation 
Measures for 
Authorized 
Operators   C 22 February 2024  31 December 2040  
Donor s: To be determined   
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.  
 
Solomon Islands needs support on:  
• Policy/Legal Framework:  
Authorised Operators (AO) p rocedures to be developed and reflected in relevant legislation  
Develop a national Policy mechanism on AO for coordinating and cooperating between Border agencies  
Provide a wide sensitization and awareness to exporters, importers and Clearing Agents on the  
Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) program  
• Internal Procedures:  
Develop internal procedure requirements  
• To review or amend relevant regulation to enable compliance and to set up functions for special 
treatment for authorised operators.  G/TFA/N/SLB/2  
 
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 8  Border Agency 
Cooperation  C 22 February 2022  31 December 2040  
Donor s: To be determined  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Solomon Islands has established some Border Agencies Cooperation  such as : 
•  Agreement Between the Government of Solomon Islands and the Government of Papua New Guinea 
on Border Arrangements  1997 (to be jointly under review as of August 2023).  
• Framework Treaty Guiding Relations Between the Independent State of Papua New Guinea and  
Solomon Islands 2020.  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.  
 
Solomon Islands needs support on:  
• Establish ing arrangements to cooperate and coordinate formal legislation and admin framework; 
incorporate agreed procedures into current clearance processes.  
• Capacity Building on new coordination approach and Publication of Procedures.  
• To setup a separate unit to be responsible over inter -agency networking n ationally and abroad  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 10.1  Formalities and 
Documentation 
Requirements   C 22 February 2020  31 December 2040  
Donor s: To be determined   
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.  
 
Solomon Islands needs support:  
• TA to develop Business Process Reengineering (BPR).  
• A need for Border agencies to improve on import and export procedures to increase flow of electronic 
submissions of documents for both imports and exports.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 10.3  Use of International 
Standards   C 22 February 2024  31 December 2040  
Donor s: STDF -FAO and EIF   
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
STDF project through FAO "Strengthening the capacity of the National Public Health Laboratory to provide 
services in support of Market Access for Solomon Islands Fish Exporters " June 2017 -June 2022. EIF in 2021 
also supported in construction of NPHL Office  facilities, trainings and equipment 's. 
 
Solomon Islands has established the National Public Health Laboratory  (NPHL)  under the Ministry of Health & 
Medical Services. The N PHL needs to be assessed if the Lab oratory  is internationally accredited and  meets the 
international standard requirements.  
 
Solomon Islands needs further support:  
• To train relevant officials on the use of international standards and determine their implications on 
traders.  
• To identify and acquire appropriate infrastructure needed to ensure continued compliance with 
international standards is required.  
• To meet and maintain international accreditation for microbiology and chemistry.  
• To understand importing countries market access rules from an envir onmental health perspective.  
 G/TFA/N/SLB/2  
 
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 10.4  Single Window   C 22 February 2027  31 December 2050  
Donor s: World Bank Group (WBG)  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Status  2019 
The National Single Window Workshop was hosted by World Bank Group (WBG) June 2019. This was the start 
of the process to inform stakeholders regarding Solomon Islands National Single Window (SINSW) its work and 
the preparations needed.  
 
Status 2022  
The Customs modernization project which commenced in 2019 with significant International Customs expertise 
has determined and confirmed that LDC such as Solomon Islands is no t prepared nor capable of developing 
and implementing an advanced multi agency SW system. Work on such system involve significant planning 
consultation, legislative review, training and upgrade of inform system across multi agencies. This is both 
uneconomi c and time intensive unless commenced as a major single project . 
Solomon Islands need further support:  
• To formulate and incorporate the SW process into the Govt. policy and for possible reflection in the 
review Customs Legislation.  
• Need required training to implement and manage SW operations for respective implementing agencies.  
• Infrastructure development and Border agencies cooperation required.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Indicative date for 
implementation  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 12  Customs 
Cooperation  C 22 February 2022  31 December 2040  
Donor s: To be determined  
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Customs is currently reaching out to regional administrations to improve cooperation and information sharing, 
as evidenced by 2023 Fiji pacific law enforcement agency conference on transnational crime.  
 
Customs is improving intelligence gathering and investigative capability through provision of addit ional staffing 
and technical and specialist training.  
 
Solomon Islands received no support on any technical assistance and capacity building from donors.   
Technical Assistance needed:  
• Support to undertake awareness and capacity building for Officials on issues of cooperation  
• Sensitization – for compliance . 
 
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