The WCO<sup>42</sup> serves as a medium for international cooperation and exchange of information. Its technical assistance program encompasses subject-specific assistance (origin, valuation, procedures etc.), seminars, workshops, expert missions etc. aimed at an effective modernization of customs (capacity building diagnostic framework). The WCO has developed several international instruments that guarantee an effective customs administration, the most being the Revised Kyoto Convention, whose principles have been incorporated in the national legislation by several countries.

Other WCO instruments relating to TF include a risk management guide for implementing risk management; WCO Data Model to establish an international, harmonized data set for cross-border trade, Immediate Release Guidelines for expeditious but controlled release small, low value goods across borders. The time release study, that measures the average time taken between the arrival and release of goods, helps customs identify bottlenecks in release of goods. Some examples of custom capacity building include E-customs, customs smart cards and WCO Asia Pacific Regional Office for CB in Bangkok. As mentioned earlier, the work of the WTO and WCO is complementary and not contradictory in terms of developing instruments to support WTO rules. WCO also provides TA and training to support those rules.

The World Bank has established a trade logistics group, driven the GFP for trade and transport (created in 1999), produced several toolkits and handbooks, and organized TF seminars. The World Bank has had 120 projects globally in the past decade with TF or Customs component. E.g. TTFSE, Tunisia, Vietnam etc. It has completed Transport Trade Facilitation (TTF) Audits in several countries that review the situation pertaining to international transport and trade in terms of transaction and transport costs. Its Customs Modernization Handbook is a resources manual that provides operational guidelines for a successful customs modernization strategy, drawing on several customs reform projects undertaken by the Bank. Performance Indicators related to Customs can employ a simple but universal methodology that includes benchmarking, targets and a process of monitoring and review<sup>43</sup> .

The UNCTAD strategy involves building the right environment for TF through a combination of reforms, use of local knowledge and building deeper regional trade and transport linkages with global logistics systems. Its activities include research and analysis, training and capacity building, information systems development, knowledge creation and dissemination. UNCTAD also cooperates closely with all UN Regional Commissions and UN agencies (ITC, UNIDO, IMO, WB, IMF); inter-governmental organizations (WTO, WCO, OECD); and business sector institutions (ICC, FIATA).

Given the number of capacity building and technical assistance activities that are ongoing, coordination and cooperation between these organizations is essential to avoid duplication of efforts. Multilateral partnerships such as the GFP and the UN trade

> 42 Refer to presentation by Simon Royals and Matsudaira of <u>WCO</u> on WCO tools and technical assistance. 43 Some basic macro indicators include revenue collected/customs staff, declaration/staff, trade volume/staff, total customs costs/revenue collected, salaries/revenue collected, and were used to evaluate the TTFSE project.

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