TFAF Annex D partners learning event - Wednesday 4 June 2025 13:30-15:00 Geneva time. 

The World Bank (WB) and the World Customs Organization (WCO) are organising an event on the WCO Time Release Study Methodology. It will give delegates an opportunity to hear how the methodology is used by Members and development partners to implement the TFA.

Border procedures remain a major challenge in the import and export clearance and for goods in transit. Measuring release and clearance time is important aspect of increasing predictability for traders. At the same time, it also serves as a performance and room catalysator, as it establishes a metric baseline for government agencies' processing and points to bottlenecks. 

The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Article 7.6  encourages Members " [...] to measure and publish their average release time of goods periodically and in a consistent manner". It also points to the so-called Time Release Study (TRS) of the World Customs Organization (WCO) as a tool that Members can use. 

The TRS is more than 20 years old and offers a systemic methodology and adequate infrastructure to capture and analysis data on the actual release and clearance times. The first version of the TRS guide was developed in 2001; the TRS software was developed in 2005. The software enables to organise the data capture and the data capture and reporting. Whilst initially designed with Customs in mind, the methodology has evolved since its creation to encompass multiple CBA and is now a multi-agency tool. The WCO is also in the process of updating the guide and software to meet the requirements of a digital environment of import-export and transit processing, including Single Window environments. It is possible to apply it to a cross-government context of Customs administrations and other CBA intervening and not only intervening at physical borders but also digitally and or inland. 

Many Members have carried out a TRS, often supported by one or several development partners. Carrying out a TRS is an investment from the Government and is resource intensive. It is important to ensure that developing and LDC Members have the capacity to conduct TRS studies in a periodic manner. 

This Lunch time session allows for a discussion on the methodology itself. The different discussants will discuss questions of the resources needed to carry out TRS, how to build sustainable capacity for a TRS to be carried out in a periodic manner, how to find development partners to build the capacity. The experts from the WB, WCO and Bangladesh customs will share information on the methodology and about the lessons learned and recommendations on the use of TRS. 

The meeting takes place in the WTO Secretariat Room F for attendance of delegates only. One Can also listen to the event online by using this link https://worldtradeorganization.zoom.us/j/85885206540. No registration is required.