Trade Facilitation at the WTO
SITPRO is working to promote an agreement at the WTO on Trade Facilitation. An agreement on this subject has the potential to deliver massive gains and the OECD has estimated potential annual worldwide gains of $40 billion (USD) from just a 1% reduction in trade transaction costs for goods in trade and that this reductions would yeald the greatest benefits for developing countries (OECD, Quantitative Assessment of the Benefits of Trade Facilitation (Link to an external site - Disclaimer 
)(pdf 146KB), 2003).
SITPRO has published a detailed Revised Guide to the WTO Trade Faciliation Negotiations (pdf 881KB 
), which outlines the negotiating areas that are being considered as part of a trade facilitation agreement including the third generation proposals.
Some of the benefits of the trade facilitation negotiations for both developing and developed are highlighted in the brief guide, Why SITPRO Supports The WTO Trade Facilitation Negotiations. SITPRO is especially keen to promote the benefits of trade facilitation for developing countries and organises the influential forum known as the Boksburg Group.
Negotiations on trade facilitation began in 2004, following the agreement of the July 2004 Package and the subject will be under consideration at the Hong Kong Ministerial Conference in December 2005.
- WTO Trade Facilitation Landmarks
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Further information on trade facilitation at the WTO can be found at http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tradfa_e/tradfa_e.htm (Link to an external site - Disclaimer )
The Boksburg Group
The Boksburg Group was established by SITPRO and the Commonwealth Business Council as a roundtable for key developing countries. They meet regularly to discuss the benefits of the successful agreement on a trade facilitation agreement by the WTO and to debate their concerns. The group has been instrumental in ensuring that trade facilitation remains part of the WTO negotiations.
You can find out more about the work of the Boksburg Group at www.boksburggroup.org.
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