The project aims to promote intra-regional and international trade in Central Asia (CA) by enhancing the transparency of cross-border requirements, removing regulatory and procedural barriers, strengthening business capability to comply with trade formalities and standards, as well as by improving cross-border e-commerce. The project is structured according to four expected results: 1. Key regulatory and procedural obstacles to international trade are addressed; 2. SMEs capacities to comply with cross-border requirements (including notably quality standards, technical regulations, relevant preferential trading schemes/GSP+) are improved; 3. Improved Central Asia countries readiness, in particular women-led companies, for conducting cross-border e-commerce; 4. Increased opportunities for participation of women-led enterprises in international trade.

January 2020 to December 2023

Implementing donors

EU/ITC

Contact point

Mohammad Saeed

E-mail: saeed@intracen.org

Eleonora Salluzzi

E-mail: esalluzzi@intracen.org

The project aims to support Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in maximizing the transit potential of their Dry Ports, Caspian and Black Sea ports, by digitally connecting them, facilitating sustainable trade along the route, and by promoting the utilization of green energy in the port’s operations. Its overarching goal is to boost trade, reduce transportation costs and diversify supply chain from Asia to Europe through comprehensive connectivity approach based on standard harmonization, regional community building and digitalization. In the area of trade facilitation, the aim of the project is to identify main bottlenecks on the trade route from China to Europe through the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea, and to implement measures to overcome them, such as enhanced data exchange between authorities and economic operators, as well as between countries. The project will assist Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Romania in implementing their obligations under the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, such as data harmonization, recording and publishing average release times, cooperation between authorities, and perfecting the national single window. It will contribute to the national trade facilitation efforts of Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan inter alia supporting them in the ongoing accession process to the WTO.

January 2020 to December 2023

Implementing donors

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

The project supported Belarus, Kazakhstan and Moldova in strengthening their institutional mechanisms and tools to improve coordination and implementation of trade facilitation reforms in compliance with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and other relevant international standards related in particular to the freedom of transit and exchange of information between customs authorities. In particular, this project contributed towards (i) the adoption in Kazakhstan of the national trade facilitation roadmap (January 2019), (ii) enhanced capacities of national stakeholders in Moldova in managing trade facilitation reforms in the area of cross-border e-commerce, (iii) raising awareness of different stakeholders in Belarus about the stage of implementation of digital tools in their respective fields, and about available solutions and best practices in the field of paperless trade and integrated single window.

June 2017 to March 2019

Implementing donors

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)

23.2 National Committee on Trade Facilitation

January 2017

Implementing donors

World Bank Group (WBG)

Counterpart (domestic agencies / private sector)

Customs and border agencies, private sector

Contact point

William Gain

Global Program Manager, Trade Facilitation & Border Management

Telephone: 1 202 458-8975

E-mail: wgain@worldbank.org

January 2016 to January 2018

Implementing donors

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

Counterpart (domestic agencies / private sector)

A range of government Ministries such as Economy, Customs and Agriculture

Perform comprehensive review of RM policy, strategy and infrastructure including implementation. Conduct gap analysis by considering international good practices. Identify recommendations for RM reform and modernization. To assist the Customs Administration to draft the risk management framework/plan including a risk register in order for the Customs Administration to manage organizational and operational risks in a holistically approach.

September 2017

Implementing donors

CCF Japan IPR/Customs

Efficient transit regimes in Central Asia, including transit guarantees, risks management, exchange of information, electronic seals, cooperation between private sector and customs, as well as existing best practices of efficient transit regimes

August 2017

Implementing donors

GIZ WCO/Customs

Second High-Level Seminar on Trade in Central Asia, Eleventh meeting of the Thematic Working Group on Trade

July 2017

Implementing donors

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)

Partners

World Trade Organization United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)

To discuss possible contents of new WCO Transit Guidelines

April 2017

Implementing donors

Japan-CCF/Customs

September 2016

Implementing donors

World Customs Organization (WCO) OSCE

Counterpart (domestic agencies / private sector)

Kazakhstan Customs

This course aimed to build the capacity of committee chairs, help develop a network of contacts among chairs of national trade facilitation committees of different Members and a good working relationship with the organizations that will provide technical assistance to support their respective national committees.

June 2016

Implementing donors

World Trade Organization

Partners

World Customs Organization (WCO) World Bank Group (WBG) Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) International Air Transport Association (IATA) International Trade Centre (ITC) Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) WEF