The ATR, ASSIST and the ACTS: ASEAN Tools for Trade Facilitation Paul Mandl Team Leader, ARISE ASEAN Business and Investment Summit, 20 November 2015 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

ASEAN TRADE REPOSITORY (ATR)

ASEAN Trade Repository (ATR) Transparency is fundamental to ASEAN’s regional economic integration and as a tool of trade facilitation The ASEAN Trade Repository (ATR) will progressively compile and provide searchability of all relevant trade information in the 10 ASEAN Member States (AMSs) The ATR feeds on the information that each ASEAN Member State provides in its National Trade Repository (NTR) The ATR is accessible for free, internet-based, built on a common classification with the NTRs and user-friendly: a great tool for business 3

ASEAN Trade Repository (ATR) Currently, 5 ASEAN Member States (i.e., Laos PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) have launched NTRs that are fully or partly based on the ATR structure The remaining 5 ASEAN Member States (i.e., Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar and Vietnam) are in the process of launching their NTRs and should have them operational by end of 2015 It will take time to upload all the relevant trade information of all 10 countries, especially in relation to their Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs), but the ATR should become fully operational by the end of 2016 The ATR builds on many AMSs’ existing portals or online databases of information, but goes much further 4

ASEAN Trade Repository (ATR) The trade related information on the ATR should progressively enhance the ability of ASEAN and non-ASEAN business to trade within ASEAN Businesses should make use of the ATR and help improve it by highlighting possible inconsistencies or outdated information AMSs need to display the necessary political will and resources to maintain the NTRs/ATR updated and the business community can help by working with Governments to achieve that Greater trade and regulatory transparency will also be critical to avoid potential trade disputes and the related costs 5

ASEAN Solutions for Investment, Services and Trade (ASSIST)

ASEAN Solutions for Services, Investments and Trade (ASSIST) Trade-related problems at the border or beyond the borders are a fact of life and ASEAN is no different ASSIST provides a consultative, non-adjudicatory and non-binding tool for ASEAN enterprises to refer trade-related problems to ASEAN Member States ASEAN Member States may accept the online complaint and offer a possible solution, within 40 to 60 days The entire process unfolds online and is based on streamlined procedures and a clear competences of the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN Member States’ authorities 7

ASEAN Solutions for Services, Investments and Trade (ASSIST) ASSIST is available only to enterprises registered in one of the 10 ASEAN Member States and it is free of charge ASSIST does not substitute other tools of dispute settlement between traders and Governments (i.e., national litigation, arbitration and/or mediation) or between ASEAN Governments on behalf of a private trader (i.e., ASEAN Consultative Body, ASEAN Enhanced Dispute Settlement Mechanism, and even WTO Dispute Settlement) ASSIST cannot be used to challenge private parties’ practices or anti- competitive behaviour ASSIST deals with problems related to trade in goods, trade in services and investment within the ASEAN region 8

ASEAN Solutions for Services, Investments and Trade (ASSIST) ASSIST is highly complimentary to the ATR and part of a single undertaking by ASEAN to enhance transparency, facilitate trade and increase the legal certainty and commercial predictability of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) ASSIST is loosely based on the European Union’s SOLVIT system The IT interface and website to manage ASSIST is ready, but the system will be fully operational only in the second quarter of 2016, once all the AMSs’ authorities are properly trained ASEAN enterprises and the business community should familiarize themselves with ASSIST and be ready to use it to address their grievances, if need be 9

ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS)

Free Flow of Goods under AEC/Trade facilitation: Implementation of AFAFGIT Customs and Transport ASEAN Customs Transit System - ACTS € 3 million for ACTS pilot April-October 2016 Pilot countries Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore 11

ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) A secure and efficient system through: A complete Customs to Customs network Electronic exchange of control messages A complete Customs to Business network Electronic submission of transit declarations Free movement for trucks and drivers No need to transfer goods from one truck to another at borders 12

ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) The System includes: A single electronic goods declaration from departure to destination Following designated transit routes A single guarantee covering the duties and taxes at risk Valid for the whole regional journey Significant concessions for Authorised Transit Traders (ATT) 13

Thank You ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU ASEAN Secretariat Jl. Sisingamangaraja 70A, Jakarta – Indonesia Tel: (+62 21) , ext. 852 Fax: (+62 21)