14-15 May: The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) will hold the second International Forum on Trade Facilitation in Geneva this May. The theme of this event will be "Sharing the Gains of Globalization in the New Security Environment".
The forum will build upon the broader definition of trade facilitation discussed at the first International Forum on Trade Facilitation in May 2002 and is being organised in conjunction with all international organisations dealing with trade facilitation.
Discussion will focus on trade and transport facilitation and Customs co-operation, with particular reference to two related issues:
- The need for positive action to allow weaker participants in the global trading system to receive a fair share of the benefits of trade facilitation
- The new initiatives aimed at increasing security in the international trading system, which could be seen as a risk of new barriers to trade or discrimination against weaker members of the international trading community
It is hoped that the forum, leading up to the WTO Ministerial Meeting in Cancún, will contribute to creating a positive framework for implementing international instruments and proposing an attractive set of solutions regarding trade and transport facilitation.
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 44, April / May 2003
