UNECE Regional Advisory Services and Capacity-

Building 2009-2011mario.apostolov@unece.org

Objective of the regional advisory servicesProvide strategic policy advice to:

– Sensitize Governments – Strengthen regional cooperation and integration– Build networks– Plant “seeds” for others to grow trees– Capacity-building

Capacity-building in trade facilitation and development, 2009-2011

• 15 CB workshops on TF & the Single Window, using UNECE standards and recommendations, in 20 SEE, EurAsEC, Caucasus and SPECA countries; 509 participants,

• 8 countries strengthened their TF, Single Window and data harmonization projects, 3 countries and the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia launched such projects.

• The fYR Macedonia & Albania; Albania & Montenegro signed bilateral agreements on Customs data exchange.

• EurAsEC & SEE countries - initiatives on TF, SW & DH. Conference on TF & SW organized by the Regional Adviser and the Commission of the Customs Union of BY, KZ & RU, on 7-8 April 2011.

3 studies on Russia’s readiness for a SWhttp://live.unece.org/trade/workshop/2011_moscow/welcome.html

1. feasibility study for Vnukovo Airport, Moscow

2. Study on the readiness of the RU legal system

3. interoperability and alignment to international standards of information exchange systems in RU

Some areas of work and results

1. UNDA-5 project for SPECAa) networks:

• SPECA PWG on Trade • public-private cooperation for TF,

b) National SW projects; TF bodies; pilot project for document web page, 3 Action Plans for SW

2. Advisory services => training and implementation activities (well accepted by beneficiaries and donors - GTZ/GIZ, ADB, USAID)

3. English-Russian Glossary of TF terms, BPA guide

Some areas of work and results Initiatives on data harmonization and the Single Window

• SEE Initiative – Success story: Single Window in MK– Bilateral data agreements: Albania- fYR Macedonia and

Albania –Montenegro (corridor approach)

• EurAsEC – recommendations on legislative measures to prepare the ground for a SW

• Customs Union

Policy advice in trade development

• SPECA Aid-for-Trade initiative: 2 organizational meetings & Ministerial in Baku (1 Dec. 2010) => Ministerial Declaration on AfT

• Regional trade integration in Central Asia, WTO accession, and related policy issues (secretarial support to the SPECA Working Group on Trade);

next meeting scheduled Nov.2011, Ashgabat, TM

• Focal point for SEE / coordination with RCC & CEI

The SPECA Project Working Group on Trade

Mandate: foster regional cooperation and inclusion in the global economy by promoting projects

Ministerial level participation

Five meetings 2006-2009Planned:

Ashgabat, Nov. 2011

Aid for Trade Implementation

and Monitoring Council

Plans for 2011

POLICY• SPECA PWG on Trade – sixth meeting (Ashgabat ?)• SEE – another meeting in SEE (Bosnia and Herzegovina)• EurAsEC / Customs Union – support to IISVVT

Follow-up seminar in Ukraine

RU PROJECT on national TF mechanism & Single Window pilot• Astana seminar / Customs Union;• Finalize 3 studies

CT Needs Assessments

EXCOM Recommendation for CEFACT on countries in transition

OTHER (sustain initiatives in SEE and S. Caucasus, etc.)

THANKS !