In the World Bank's latest annual Doing Business Report for 2009 the UK has slipped in its country rankings for the ease of trading across borders from 27th in the 2008 report to 28th out of the 180 countries included. This does not mean that the UK's performance has itself declined, but that it has been judged by the Bank to have done so relative to other countries.
However, this is not where the UK should be seen, nor where the Government wants it to be. It also contrasts with the World Bank's more recently developed Logistics Performance Index, in which the UK ranks a more encouraging 9th.
Over the summer, SITPRO has been engaged with Government analysts and our stakeholders to assess the reasons for the ranking. In part, it seems due to the Bank's methodology, and to some performance statistics that we do not recognise.
For example, the Bank estimates that, on average, it takes traders 7 days to prepare 4 key documents for export, and similarly for import: the bill of lading, commercial invoice, packing list and customs declaration, at a cost of $200 per dry-cargo 20-foot full container load. They also assess that it takes 2 days, on average, to complete customs clearance (whereas HMRC can clear a correctly completed declaration more-or-less instantly through CHIEF), and another 2 days to complete port procedures.
SITPRO wants to talk to the World Bank about what we think is the actual performance in the UK. For this, we would like to have UK traders' own perceptions. Use the quick survey on our homepage to let us know how long it takes you to complete your export documents or drop me an email explaining your perspective at malcolm.mckinnon@sitpro.org.uk 
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Return to SITPRO News: Issue 66, Autumn 2008