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Do you have or had an inter-agency
working group on trade
facilitation? If yes, what is
the official title of this
working group? |
National Trade and Transport
Facilitation Committee (NTTFC),
Pakistanis a Standing Committee
of the Ministry of Commerce,
chaired by the Secretary,
Ministry of Commerce. |
| What motivated the establishment of the TF working group? |
Studies
carried out by the World Bank
identified the need for trade
facilitation in Pakistan and
funded a Trade and Transport
Facilitation Project (TTFP) with
technical support of UNCTAD.
Establishment of NTTFC was a
prerequisite for successful
implementation of TTFP. |
| What year was it established? |
2008 |
| Do you have other national bodies dealing with WTO issues and/or with TF? |
Another Trade Facilitation
Committee chaired by the
Chairman, Federal Board of
Revenue has been set up under
the National Trade Corridor Task
Force. However, this does not
meet very frequently. The main
trade facilitation work is being
done by NTTFC. To deal with
WTO Trade Facilitation proposals,
a Capital Based WTO Working
Group on Trade Facilitation has
been established under NTTFC. |
| Was the working group based on a previously existing multi-agency group/committee (for example a trade and transport faciltiation committee)? |
PAKPRO established in 1994 had
become dysfunctional.
Establishment of NTTFC was
therefore a new initiative. |
| What is the current status of the working group (running, pilot phase, study) |
NTTFC has been in operation
since 2001 |
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| Has the working group been set up as an ad hoc group, or a legal entity/organization? |
NTTFC has been established as a
Standing Committee of the
Ministry of Commerce through a
Gazette Notification issued by
the Government of Pakistan. |
| What specific documents were necessary to institutionalise the group and which body and at which level made the decisions? |
NTTFC was established on
recommendations of the World
Bank and the decision was taken
by the Ministry of Commerce.
It was established by a Gazette
Notification issued by the
Government of Pakistan in April
2001. |
What is the scope/manadate of the working group? |
The mandate of NTTFC is
indicated in its Terms of
Reference. However,
sometimes NTTFC is asked to
attend to the issues that
are not covered by its Terms
of Reference. |
| Does the working group have terms of reference? |
The Terms of Reference of NTTFC
are:
- Continuous review of the
trade and transport
procedures and system with a
view to update their
simplification and
harmonization.
- Undertake coordination
of efforts of concerned
organizations in the field
of facilitation of
international trade and
transport.
- Collect and disseminate
information on international
trade and transport
formalities, procedures,
documentation and related
matters.
- Pursue the
simplification and alignment
of trade and transport
documents on the basis of
the Untied Nations Layout
Key, including documents
designed for use in computer
and other automated systems.
- Promote the adoption of
standard trade and transport
terminology and
international codes for
trade and transport
information.
- Promote training and
research in international
trade and transport and
upgrade common knowledge of
the trade and international
practices.
Relevant information is
available on NTTFC website
www.nttfc.org
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| Which is the coordinating agency |
Ministry of Commerce |
What is the structure of the group
(Chair/co-chair, sub-groups etc.)? |
 |
| Do you have a permanent technical secretariat? |
There is a permanent secretariat
headed by the Executive
Secretary |
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Who carries the costs of the
operations of the working group?
(one institution, co-sharing
with other institutions, or
external funding) |
The expenditure of NTTFC is met
through a grant from Export
Development Fund. |
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What are the principal
costing items of the operations
of the working group? |
Salaries, rental of premises,
travel, maintenance, committee
meetings etc |
| Do you have a formal budget for the operations of the working group? |
Yes |
| If yes, what major items are covered by it? |
As identified under costing
items |
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| What are the objectives of the working group? |
Please refer to terms of
reference |
Does the working group have a
working plan? |
A National Trade Facilitation
Strategy has been developed. It
has a Plan of Action |
| How do you monitor progress in implementing the work
plan? |
Through follow up correspondence
and personal meetings with the
concerned organizations |
| How often, and in which form and to whom is the working group reporting? |
To Ministry of Commerce in the
meetings of NTTFC and also
through correspondence. |
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| What public or quasi-public agencies participate in the working group? |
Its membership comprises
representatives of various
ministries, public sector
organizations and private sector
trade and transport bodies. At
present total membership is 38,
with nearly equal participation
by public and private sectors.
- Ministry of Commerce
- Ministry of
Communications
- Ministry of Ports &
Shipping
- Ministry of Finance
- Ministry of Planning &
Development
- Ministry of Food,
Agriculture and Livestock
- Ministry of Industries
- Central Board of Revenue
- State Bank of Pakistan
- Small and Medium
Enterprise Development
Authority
- Pakistan Shippers'
Council of FPCCI
- Karachi Port Trust
- Port Qasim Authority
- PNSC/National Ship
Owners
- Pakistan Railways
- Trade Development
Authority of Pakistan
- Pakistan Horticulture
Development & Export Board (PHDEB)
- Civil Aviation Authority
- Pakistan International
Airlines
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| What private associations or entities participate? |
- Multimodal Transport
Operators (All Pakistan
Shipping Association)
- Federation of Pakistan
Chambers of Commerce &
Industry (FPCCI)
- Insurance Association of
Pakistan
- Dry Port Operators
- Pakistan International
Freight Forwarders
Association (PIFFA)
- Customs Clearance Agents
Associations
- Goods Carriage
Associations
- Pakistan Ships Agents
Association
- Pakistan Bankers
Association
- International Chamber of
Commerce (ICC), Pakistan.
- Karachi International
Container Terminal (KICT)
- Qasim International
Container Terminal (QICT)
- Pakistan International
Container Terminal (PICT)
- Karachi Chamber of
Commerce & Industry
- Lahore Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
- Faisalabad Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
- Sialkot Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
- Sarhad Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
- Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, Quetta
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| What is the level of seniority of the participants? |
Senior/Middle level from
ministries and public sector
organizations
Senior level from private sector |
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| Does the working group meet regularly? |
Required to meet quarterly, but
the average is six monthly |
| What is the level of participation in each of the meetings ? |
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| Do you use different meetings formats (such as focus groups, brainstorming, Citizen jury's etc?)? |
Mainly NTTFC meetings. Working
Group meetings as and when
required. |
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| How do you keep all stakeholders informed of the working groups' meetings and new documents, upcoming events etc? |
Through meetings |
| How does the group interace with other working groups / committees working on similar issues? |
Through meetings as and when
necessary |
| Do you undertake special information session for the general public or particular stakeholders? |
No |
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| What was the impact of the work of the group? |
A number of measures recommended
by NTTFC are getting implemented |
| How does it benefit your countries' responsiveness to the WTO negotiation process? |
Need assessment of trade
facilitation proposals has been
carried out. Proposals requiring
TA/CB have been identified.
Preferred options for the text
of WTO Trade Facilitation
Agreement have also been
identified. |
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Have there been concrete operational outcomes? |
- Some UNLK based
documents introduced
- SAD for Customs
clearance introduced
- Customs clearance system
computerized
- Freight forwarding
industry being modernized
- Security arrangements
for international transport
of goods
- Modernization of
transport legislation
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| What are the crucial success factors? |
- Political will and
commitment at highest level
- Correct understanding
and definition of public and
private sector role
- Ownership and commitment
of key stakeholder
- Committed lead agency
- Representation of
concerned ministries and
public & private sector
organizations at senior
level
- Institutional
arrangement for functioning
on permanent basis
- Strong linkage with
international trade
facilitation institutions
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| What are the greatest obstacles? |
- Reluctance to change
- Frequent change of
concerned officials in
public and private sector
organizations
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| What are the main lessons learned? |
Implementing trade facilitation
agenda requires persistence and
persuasion by by dedicated
professional staff of a
permanent secretariat |
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| What are the plans for further development of the working group? |
Another trade and Transport
Facilitation Project is to be
executed with technical
assistance of UNCTAD
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Javaid
Mansoor
Executive Secretary
National Trade & Transport
Facilitation Committee
Firsr Floor, Azeem Avenue
2C Lane 13, Bukhari Commercial
Area
Khayaban-e-Shujaat, Phase VI,
DHA
Karachi 75500
Tel: +92-(0)21-3524 2568-9
Direct Tel/Fax: +92-(0)21-3524
2570
Email:
nttfc@cyber.net.pk;
j.mansoor@nttfc.org
URL:
www.nttfc.org |
