Single Window Development and Implementation Experience of Tunisia UNECE CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP ON TRADE FACILITATION IMPLEMENTATION: TOOLS, TECHNIQUES AND METHODOLOGIES 18 – 20 October 2004, Geneva

Summery Background : the context of the virtual single window Structure and services The technical architecture Particpant Business Model Recquirement and user fees Expected results lessons learned Future plan

BACKGROUND

Context of the single window The membership of the world Trade organisation Agreement of association with the European Union (1995) Up Grade of the compagny Up grade of the environment of the compagny

BEFORE TTN Long Processes Different formalities Many documents with redundant information ( 20 ) Various actors (40 visas) Raised costs due to formalities complex Procedures

Services AT NATIONAL LEVEL : CUSTOMS FORMALITIES: FOREIGN TRADE FORMALITIES: EXCHANGE FORMALITIES: PAYMENT FORMALITIES: TECHNICAL CONTROL FORMALITIES: TRANSPORT FORMALITES : CONTROL ON PRODUCTS ORIGIN: Customs Foreign Trade Department Banks Technical Control departments Transporters Port Authorities Chamber of Commerce and industry

Traitement of documents On foreign trade Banks Importer Exporter Central Bank freightforward Ministery of trade Customs Brokers Technical control authorities Shipping Agent Cette figure illustre les circuits des echanges des documents du commerce exterieur entre tous les intervenants; c’est une vraie toile d’araigné qui refete la complexité des procédures et met en evidence les doubles charges subies par l’entreprise à travers la communication de document en copie multiple à plusieurs intervenants.

Consequences Long delays for release of Imported goods : customs clearance time : from 5 to 17 days, average 10 congestion in “Radès port”, Tunis, Tunisia negative impact on competitiveness waste of resources, 80% of the tunisian international foreing trade transit through Rades port

Measures taken in Tunisia COFPRO ( National Facilities Commitee) THE « LIASSE UNIQUE » project Tunisian gvt created a committee of trade facilities since 1995

The Project stages (the important dates) 1st stage: October 2000: * Documents standardization (EEC/UN Standards) * Simplification of foreign Trade processes 2nd stage: April 2002 Digitalization of foreign trade documents Creation of « the virtual single window » or « Virtual One Stop Desk ».

Structure of the single window Technical Control Departments Ministery of Trade Banks Customs Central Bank Tunisie TradeNet Central Server Foreign Trade Formalities Importer Exporter Transitaire Shipping Agencies Transport Documents

Technology UN/EDIFACT XML Mailing: SMTP – X400 Web SMS

Technical Architecture Actors Opérateurs Importateurs Exportateurs, Déclarants,Agents Maritime, Transporteurs, … Partenaires Banques, Ministère du Commerce, Départements Techniques, OMMP, Douane Operators Exporters importers, Customs brokers Shipping agents, Carriers, … Partners Banks, Ministries,Technical Departments, Harbour Authority, Customs WEB form EDIFACT Messages Flat file XML Messages Frame Relay RTC Firewall Les intervenants peuvent échanger selon leur mode de connexion ( qu’on exposera ultérieurement ) soit des Formulaires Web, des messages EDIFACT ou des fichier à plat, l’accès télécom peut être fait soit à travers une ligne téléphonique RTC, X25 ou même LS On distingue le serveur Web qui traite les formulaires WEB avant de les transmettre au centre serveur contenant le serveur EDI, le serveur d’archivage et le serveur de contrôle. Le serveur EDI est chargé du traitement et du routage de tous les messages Le serveur d’archivage est chargé de l’archivage de tous les messages à l’entrée et à la sortie Le serveur de contrôle effectue des contrôles sur la cohérence des données des messages envoyés Une mise à jour automatique des données(NGP, cours devise,…)se fait systèmatiquement les services de la Douane Archive Server EDI Server WEB SERVER Central server

PARTICIPANTS Banks Trade Ministry Central bank Partners Banks Trade Ministry Central bank Technical control department Customs Habord authorities

PARTICIPANTS Importers Exporters Brokers Shipping agencies Partners Users Importers Exporters Brokers Shipping agencies

Business model The virtual single window is managed by TTN « Tunisie TradeNet » TTN : Corporation, Created in February 2000 Mission Statement : The management of the unique windows. Compagny specialized in computer engineering Capital : 2M TND (about 1.5 M €). Public share-holders: CIMPF/OCT/OMMP/CTN/ONT/ATI/Tair/STB/BNA/ ONP Investment : about 3M €

Business Model Brokers Compagnies Custom declaration 1 € 1.5 € User fees Brokers Compagnies Custom declaration 1 € 1.5 € Other formalities 2 € 3 €

Requirement Hardware PC min PIII Printer laser jet Scanner Software Windows min98 Browser

Expected Results of the Single Window Bring closer the administrative, banking and harbour services of the operators through a Virtual Single Window of the Foreign Trade. Simplify and facilitate Customs and Foreign Trade formalities. Reduce delays and cut down costs of formalities treatment by computerisation and the setting in network of the various actors. Ensure a faster and more effective circulation of the documents and forms required by the various actors.

Lessons learned : 1st Difficulty : 1st Recommandation: 1. The partners’ mobilisation 2. The needs identification 1st Recommandation: 1. The importance of government support 2. The Constitution of a project pilot commitee with the chair of a Minister 3. Conception of a coherent functionnel pattern

Lessons learned : 2 nd Difficulty : 2 nd Recommandation : 1. Partners’ internal organisation 2 nd Recommandation : Constitution of a pilot comitee per partner Technical assistance for every structure

Lessons learned : 3 rd Difficulty : 3 rd Recommandation: 1. The membership 3 rd Recommandation: Marketing Startegy NICT training

Lessons learned : 4 th Difficulty : Recommandation 4 : 1. Financing Own Funds > 50% Long term Credit

Lessons learned : 5 th Difficulty: 5 th Recommandation : 1. Partner’s reactivity 5 th Recommandation : The adoption of working guideline to the electronic contex Optimisation of the interface software

Lessons learned : The importance of government support Difficultés Recommandations 1. The partners’ mobilisation and the needs identification The importance of government support The Constitution of a project pilot commitee with the chair of a Minister Conception of coherent functionel pattern 2. Partners’ internal organisation Constitution of a pilot comitee per partner Technical assistance for every structure 3. The membership Marketing Startegy NICT training 4. Financing Own Funds > 50% Long term Credit 5. Partner’s reactivity Adoption of working guideline to the electronic contex Optimisation of the interface solutions

Expected Evolution Documents Entreprises - banks : Banking guarantee for Statements Documentary credit Apurement TCE Unpaid washing Documents Banks-Banks : Bills of lading exchange between Tunisian and European Banks. Documents Entreprises-Entreprise: Order Delivery order Invoice Order to pay. Bar Code technology The transport bundle Exchanges of manifests with foreign partners : Interconnection with international networks (GEIS, …) Documents Entreprises-administrations : Social security declaration Fiscal declaration, Documents Entreprises insurances compagnies: Contract of insurances Declaration of disaster B2B market place: Centralization of offers, demands and taking in charge of deals by sector (earthly transport, manufactured goods, raw materials, …) Free trade zone network

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Automatic Electronic Data Process Technical Control Authoritie Technical Control form Importer exporter (complete form & scan & attach docts : invoice, tech notice,…) SINDA (Customs Automated System) Foreign Exchange form TradeNet Banks Domiciliation

TTN Declaration SINDA (Customs Automated System) Consultation DDM Importer exporter EDI STATION of customs TTN Customs broker Declaration SINDA (Customs Automated System) 2nd Inspector Inspector Agent Customs office Ce schéma illustre le processus de traitement d’une déclaration en douane des marchandises: L’entreprise ou le commissionnaire en douane envoi la declaration à travers TradeNet La station d’interfacage intergre la declaration dans le système de la douane Les agents de la douane procedent aux verifications d’usage : Consultation DDM Étude recevabilité dossier numérisé Instruction du dossier Saisie de la décision (BAE,…) Imputation du TCE Verification of DDM Examination of all docts Decision (BAE,…) foreign trade Bill (TCE) for exchange control Physical control of Goods

Cargo Manifest Via E-mail Transport Portal Carrier Consignee Consignee Automated Reception Information system EDI Station Consignee Transport Portal

Documentary credit Bill of lading It is a paper by which the banker of the buyer promises to pay the salesman or to accept an effect on production of documents in realization of contractual conditions Exemples of documents : Invoice, Certificate of insurance, Etc… Bill of lading

Asks of the “credoc” + Invoice Tunisie TradeNet Asks of the “credoc” + Invoice Opening Invoices, bill of lading, … Transfer of documents payment

Credoc Opening TradeNet Asking Credoc Credoc Opening EDI BANK STATION TradeNet Customer web Asking Credoc Credoc Opening Receiving Credoc demand Demand study Sending reply to the compagny

Bill of Lading Bank Importer Shipping agent TUNISIE TradeNet Bank Bolero TUNISIE TradeNet Bon de Chargement Bill of lading Bank Exporter Shipping Agent

Project 1: TradeNet ZLE (Euromed/UMA) INTERNATIONAL: Customs formalities: REGLE D’ORIGINE CONTINGENT (QUOTAS) Banking Formalities: CONNAISSEMENT Technical Control Formalities: Transport Formalities: MANIFESTE CARGO MARCHANDISE DANGEREUSE PLAN DE CHARGEMENT FORMALITES SANITAIRES: CERTIFICAT DE CONTRÔLE TradeNet ZLE Network Customs Interface Station Banks Interface Station Country Interface Station Transporteurs Interface Station Port

Project 2: ZLE- Bilateral Tunisia-Countryj (Tunisie TradeNet)-(Institution, (Country)) Country(j) ZLE Customs Interface Station Banks Interface Station Carriers Interface Station Port Interface Station

Project 3: ZLE- Bilateral Tunisie-Countryj (Tunisie TradeNet)-(Countryj-TradeNet) Interface Station