Members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) completed the first-ever review of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) last week. It has been four years since the landmark deal entered into force in 2017.

The TFA is the first WTO agreement in which developing and LDC members can determine their own implementation schedules, with progress in implementation explicitly linked to technical and financial capacity. Developed members were required to implement all provisions of the TFA from its entry into force.

The report took stock of members' progress in implementing the Agreement as well as implementation challenges encountered by members.

The report finds that a large number of members have submitted in a timely manner the notifications needed to identify implementation timelines. Notifications submitted by members indicate that the current rate of TFA implementation commitments is 70.5%.

The analysis of members' implementation commitments further indicates that, across the WTO membership, the five measures with the highest rate of implementation commitments are: pre-shipment inspection; movement of goods; detention; use of customs brokers; and temporary admission of goods.

On the other hand, the five measures with the lowest rate of implementation commitments are: risk management; border agency cooperation; test procedures; authorized operators; and the single window.

The report also highlights that LDC members continue to face challenges in fulfilling notification obligations.

85 members have notified their need for technical assistance and capacity building, and that the most cited request was for human resources and training; assistance in amending laws or regulations or implementing new ones; and information and communication technologies.

 

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