Alicia Stephen, OECS Secretariat Trade Facilitation Committees: A Perspective from the OECS Alicia Stephen, OECS Secretariat

About the OECS: Came into being in June 1981 9 Member States 6 of which are WTO members Functional cooperation and policy coordination 28 year history of cooperation Total population of about 500K Trade = 123% of GDP Services account for over 80% GDP High dependence on trade taxes

Drivers of the OECS TF Agenda Domestic Regionals EPA WTO WTO negotiations Regional integration - OECS EU, CSME Bilateral trade agreements - EPA National reform programmes – customs modernisation

The “Doing Business in the OECS” report also highlighted gaps and pointed to the need for reform. Quantitative indicators on business regulations and their enforcement can now be compared with 169 economies around the world, including 9 other Caribbean economies and 34 small states.

enhanced competitiveness increased FDI Perceived benefits enhanced competitiveness increased FDI increased government collections Why is trade facilitation important? Enhance competitiveness increase FDI Increase government collections e.g. Reducing incidence of fraud

Trade Facilitation has been the purview of Customs Departments Trade facilitation has been driven primarily and sometimes solely by customs. Concerned with revenue collection. Law enforcement

A multi-agency approach Rationale for TF committees came out of the recognition that implementation of a future TF agreement would require a multi-agency approach – going beyond only Customs or Trade to include other government agencies – Attorney General’s Chambers, agriculture, Bureau of Standards, port authorities, ministries of finance, private sector incl shippers, brokers

Identify national focal points Establish six (6) national task forces Establish OECS regional task force Coming out of the completion of all needs assessments, the OECS decided that the strategy for pushing trade facilitation would include the establishment of national TFTF and a regional TFTF

Based on the Needs Assessments… Country Measure Level of Compliance TA/CB Negotiating Position/ Instructions Regional Approach Consolidated Regional negotiating positions Regional Implementation Programme Regional TA/CB Programme

…some key functions were identified Participation in Trade Facilitation Negotiations Development & Implementation of TA/CB Programme Implementation of future TF obligations

Monitor implementation incl. planning, negotiations with donors Re-conduct assessment of implementation capacity & status of compliance periodically Monitor implementation incl. planning, negotiations with donors Undertake public awareness Ensure coherence As the initiative evolved, we developed/fleshed out the role and functions into Job (09)11 Examples of functions/role Re-conduct assessment of implementation capacity and status of compliance Monitor implementation incl. planning, negotiations with donors Undertake public awareness Ensure coherence – piecemeal approach to TF Also see JOB(09)11

Getting “buy-in” link committee to the TFNA exercise link to existing programmes link negotiations-domestic situation Link TFTF to the TFNA exercise Linking to existing programmes Link back to the negotiations Practical approach – how does this affect you? stakeholders must feel that their input is valued

Secure political mandate/authority APPROVED!! To ensure cooperation and collaboration with other agencies To secure resources – HR, financial Administrative issues – approval for travel, project proposals, policy recommendations. Ensure that committee will be “listened to”

Engage the private sector strategically give stakeholders the information that is relevant guard against overload!!!! engagement of private sector strategically. Strategic engagement – give stakeholders the information that is relevant and guard against overload!!!!

in each agency nationally regionally Identify a “champion” identify the right messenger – person in organization? Outside “expert”? regionally

Pitfalls!! Informal group Too many meetings!!! No plan Informal group – keeping the group informal vs giving it legitimacy, teeth! It needs to be taken seriously to have an impact. Is your chief technical officer, permanent Secretary or minister aware of the group and “sold” on its importance? Too many meetings! meeting for the sake of meeting – there should be an issue: preparation for NGTF, review a domestic issue No plan of action therefore the group cannot maintain momentum – also if there is no plan, how can you get buy in? What is the raison d’etre? Working in isolation – TF is not the remit of trade or finance or customs solely Having the wrong person lead – the “right” person to lead on TF in the task force/committee or in the agency is not necessarily the most senior official in that agency. The right mix of interest, technical competence and influence must be found. Working in isolation Having the “wrong” person lead

What have we achieved? One committee active in OECS and two are being established Draft TORs for committees developed Greater participation in TF negotiations

Able to source technical assistance for TF E.g. support for committees Increased communication exchange among related parties (coherence) OECS, CCLEC, CRNM/CARICOM

Thank You! astephen@oecs.org