Leveraging ICT for Integrating Regulatory Functions for Cross-Border Trade: Development of Pakistan Single-Window Platform
Keywords:
Integrating Regulatory Functions, Cross-Border Trade, Development, PakistanAbstract
Cross-border trade plays a key role in the economic activity of every country. Import and export of goods through Pakistan’s borders involve a complex regulatory regime involving a large number of departments/entities which are entrusted with compliance functions through a system of licenses, permits, certificates, NoCs, etc. The legacy manual system comprising fragmented regulatory compliance of different government agencies used to cause delays at border nodes, added transactional costs and adversely impacted competitiveness of businesses. Consequently, Pakistan’s rankings in international indexes measuring efficiency of trade regulation functions were also affected. These showed a continuous decline over a long period, as other countries improved their trade governance systems leveraging the tremendous potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) for development of National Single Window (NSW).
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References
National Single Window is a single channel for electronic submission of required information for import/export/transit consignments as well as processing and uploading of compliance documents by trade regulators. In an advanced NSW, all trade regulators, port operators, logistic agents, banks, etc. are inter-linked for instituting an efficient regulatory and operational environment.
National Single Window is a generic name for ICT-based trade regulation system. Countries name their NSW with a brand name for reference and smooth interaction with NSWs in other countries (Korean NSW is called TradeNet). The Steering Committee of the NSW project decided to name it as Pakistan Single Window (PSW).
Source: WeBOC data.
World Bank Report. Doing Business 2017 – Economy Profile Pakistan. October 2016.
Trade Facilitation Agreement is an agreement negotiated by World Trade Organization member counties. Agreement aims to promote trade efficiencies by cutting red tap at border, promoting transparency and leverage information and communication technologies. Pakistan ratified TFA in 2015, and it came into effect February 22nd, 2017.
Web Based One Customs was developed by FBR using available expertise of PRAL and domain knowledge of a team of customs officers. Development started in 2010 and deployment started in 2011.
The reason for the general interest in “field” (as opposed to HQ) postings is not just the “experience” and independence but, unfortunately, also participation in the general culture of ‘unlawful gains’.
Crimson Logic is a Singapore-based technology firm specializing in digital government solutions.
https://www.crimsonlogic.com/.
Crimson Logic, a Singapore-based consultancy, commissioned this study titled “Consultancy on Pakistan National Single Window: NSW Blueprint and Implementation Program”.
Public Sector Development Programme, the main government window for new development work.
Although the original directive from the PM had nominated Minister for Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs as Chairman of the Steering Committee, later developments saw the portfolio of Finance Minister going to the PM and appointment of an Advisor to PM on Finance.
https://download1.fbr.gov.pk/Docs/20214261345351407SingleWindowAct.pdf.
Integration of Trade Regulatory Agencies (INTRA) initiative integrated 11 regulatory authorities including Engineering Development Board, Ministry of Climate Change, Trade Development Authority, State Bank of Pakistan, commercial banks, Department of Plant Protection, Federal Seed Certification Agency, Animal and Plant Quarantine Department, Ministry of Commerce and National Tariff Commission.
Goods Declaration or GD is a document filed by all importers/exporters with Customs, containing all the information required by department for processing of the import/export/transit procedure.
PRAL was established in 1994 as IT company for computerization of FBR data. Beside data warehousing, it also developed several solutions for automation of key functions of FBR. The current Customs solution WeBOC and Income Tax solution Iris were developed by PRAL. However, PRAL gradually lost its creative edge and got subsumed in public sector entity culture of FBR
