G/TFA/N/HND/4  
27 March 2024  
(24-2655) 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 HONDURAS  
The following communication, dated 27 March 2024, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Honduras.  
 
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Honduras hereby notifies information on the arrangements concluded and progress made in the 
provision of technical assistance and capacity building support for the following catego ry C 
designations, in accordance with Article 16 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement.  
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 2.2  
 Consultations  C 1 March 2024  
Donors/Agencies: United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) (sponsored by 
United  Kingdom and Germany)/Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP)  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Honduras -UNCTAD technical cooperation  
Honduras joined the UNCTAD Empowerment Programme for National Trade Facilitation Committees thanks to 
funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Members have 
participated in seven online courses on the e -learning platform on the following topics: empowering 
committees, gender perspectives in trade facilitation reforms, how to use the UNCTAD Reform Tracker, 
effective communications for national trade facilitation committee m embers, how to effectively run a national 
trade facilitation committee and how to draft and implement a resource mobilization strategy  for the facilitation 
of trade . 
 
UNCTAD also conducted a consultancy exercise, with the aim of preparing a road map on the Reform Tracker 
platform, and produced a Rapid Scan of Trade Facilitation Preparedness in Times of Crisis. As a result, 
information has been incorporated into the Refo rm Tracker that allows agencies to identify the responsibilities 
assigned to each of them.  
 
Ongoing actions in cooperation with UNCTAD:  
Online training and coaching for members of the National Trade Facilitation Committee and the Technical 
Secretariat, b ased on the needs identified (e.g. monitoring and evaluation, road map, resource mobilization  
and effective communication s).  
 
Honduras -CLDP technical cooperation  
Commercial Law Development Program  
 
Best practices: Benefits of implementing inclusive publi c consultation mechanisms  
A workshop was held to explore the complexities of public consultation mechanisms, the principles governing 
inter-agency coordination and good regulatory practices. Government officials from countries across the region, 
including El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico , presented their respective notification processes and 
suggestions to foster greater regional integration. This workshop was organized as part of multiphase efforts 
to promote transparency, cooperation and coord ination between the Governments of the Northern Triangle 
and to improve interregional trade in Central America.  
 G/TFA/N/HND/4  
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  Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 5.3  
 Test Procedures  C 1 March 2025  
Donors/Agencies: UNCTAD (sponsored by United Kingdom and Germany)  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Honduras -UNCTAD technical cooperation  
A consultancy exercise has been  conducted  with the aim of  preparing a road map on the Reform Tracker 
platform . As a result, information has been incorporated into the Reform Tracker that allows agencies to identify 
the responsibilities assigned to each of them . 
 
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 7.7  Trade Facilitation Measures for Authorized 
Operators  C 1 March 2022  
Donors/Agencies: UNCTAD (sponsored by United Kingdom and Germany)/United States Agency for 
International Development (USAID)  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
 
Honduras -UNCTAD technical cooperation  
A consultancy exercise has been conducted with the aim of preparing a road map on the Reform Tracker 
platform. As a result, information  has been incorporated into the Reform Tracker that allows agencies to identify 
the responsibilities assigned to each of them.  
 
Honduras -USAID technical cooperation  
Support has been  given in the implementation of Honduras 's Authorized Economic Operator pro gramme 
through the provision of  assist ance to companies in fulfilling the requirements and be coming  certified as 
authorized economic operators. It has also been provided in the implementation of the strategy for the inclusion 
of other control authorities a nd actors in the logistics chain, thereby helping to strengthen the programme and 
contributing to the conclusion of a Central American mutual recognition agreement.  
 
 
Provision  Heading/Description  Category  Definitive date for 
implementation  
Article 10.4  
 Single Window  C 1 March 2027  
Donors/Agencies: UNCTAD/European Union through Support Measures for Institutional Development and 
Public Management (MAGIDEP)  
 
Progress in the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support:  
 
Honduras -UNCTAD technical cooperation  
A consultancy exercise has been conducted with the aim of preparing a road map on the Reform Tracker 
platform. As a result, information has been incorporated into the Reform Tracker that allows agencies to identify 
the responsibilities assigned to each of them.  
 
Honduras -European Union technical cooperation  
Proposal for the incorporation of import and export formalities and services that have not yet been developed  
in the Honduran Electronic Fore ign Trade System (SECEH) . The proposal contains the phased road map for the 
automation of formalities  and the restructuring of the SECEH  in its current form , adapting it to the services -
oriented architecture in order to interoperate with other relevant ins titutions and regional and third -party 
bodies.  
 
The goal is to strengthen, improve and expand the Single Window for Export Formalities  in order to transform 
it into the Honduran Single Window for Foreign trade (VUCEH) through the simplification and incorpo ration of 
various import and export formalities  that are not yet available under the SECEH.  
 G/TFA/N/HND/4  
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  Specific objectives  
 
• Propose amendments to the law establishing the Export Processing Centre (CENTREX) (Decree No. 180 -87 
of 10 December 1987) in order to incorporate all import - and export -related formalities  envisaged as part 
of the VUCEH project.  
• Conduct an analysis in order to produce a proposal for the improvement of the various formalities  and 
services offered under the single window, making use of human resources, technical and logistical 
capabilities and the electronic tools already available through CENTREX.  
• Transform CENTREX into the VUCEH through the incorporation of the  various foreign trade formalities and 
procedures under  the SECEH, thereby facilitating trade and contributing to public decision -making.  
• Develop a work plan for pilot tests and training for all users on the changes, processes and formalities  
covered  by the consultancy exercise for the development and implementation of the VUCEH.  
 
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