| EXCOM approval | Planning phase | Implementation phase | Final Reporting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXCOM form | • Concept paper • Project document • Work/implementation plan | Monitoring the Implementation | Final/Terminal report | • Evaluation ToR |
Implementation
| Midpoint/Annual Progress Reports | Annual funds utilization reports |
|---|---|
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Part I. Planning | Part II. Implementation | |||
Expected accomplishments | Planned activities | Estimated costs (US$) | Implemented activities3 | Actual expenditures4 (US$)3 |
EA1. Increased capacity to exchange secure electronic C2C transit information by the five pilot countries with their neighbouring countries and trade partners. | A1.1 - Delivering a first inter-regional Expert Group Meeting (two days) aimed at the assessment of the legal and technical needs of candidate developing countries and countries with economies in transition to extend the exchange of electronic information with other countries (“gap” analysis). The linkages with major existing national and regional computerized transit systems will also be assessed and explored. On the basis of studies to be prepared by independent consultants, the Expert Group will determine the selection criteria and nominate at least five pilot countries. | 59,500 | A website for the project was developed and launched in July 2013. General Terms of Reference (ToR) outlining standard criteria and common principles for the gap-analysis were developed and shared with all cooperating agencies in April 2013. Region-specific TORs for the gap-analysis were prepared byUNECE, UNECA and UNESCWA. RCs hired consultants to conduct the gap analysis and the final reports in UNECE, UNECA and UNESCWA have been delivered. The first Expert Group Meeting took place on 8 December 2014, the report is available on the project website. The following pilot countries were selected: Georgia in the UNECE region, Morocco in the UNECA region, Tunisia in the UNESCWA region, Kyrgyzstan in the UNESCAP region and Costa Rica in the UNECLAC region. The activity has been completed.
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A1.2. Development and deployment of a secure C2C versatile electronic exchange platform, taking due account of the specific challenges faced by developing countries and countries with economies in transition. | 167,500 | A company has been hired to develop and deploy the C2C Exchange Platform. The activity is ongoing. | ||
A1.3. Provision of technical assistance to national experts in at least five pilot countries to link national or regional Customs IT systems (e.g. ASYCUDA) to the C2C exchange platform or to development of an Action Plan setting out the steps needed to introduce a new C2C platform to exchange information and ensure its sustainability over time. | 160,300 | UNECE: A consultant has been hired to provide technical assistance to the Georgia Revenue Service in order to assist the connection between their IT system to the exchange platform. Two technical meetings for the pilot project have been organized in Tbilisi (5 March 2015 and 3-4 November 2015). ECA: The technical assistance part of the project was initially aimed at allowing an exchange of TIR data between Morocco and a selected country (if the willingness of Morocco was confirmed) or, at least, build a road map for this objective. Due to change of the focal persons for the project and the change of the director of the IT department, there was delay in the exchange with the Moroccan customs administration to confirm its willingness. Moreover, the country is in the process to change its platform and the new IT administration did not show the same interest in the project’s initial orientations. The project has since then been refocused to allow Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), as main Regional Economic Community in North Africa, to take steps to accelerate or the start of C2C electronic data exchange between AMU custom Administrations. Consequently, a recruited consultant will complete the gap analysis in additional countries, namely Mauritania, Algeria and desk work on Libya, and take stock of this regional study to draft a regional plan of action to allow C2C electronic data exchange in the region. In addition ECA and ESCWA are discussing to create synergies in the implementation phase of the regional action plan development for the C2C exchanges. ECLAC: In the second semester of 2015 technical assistance was provided to Costa Rica on customs, risk analysis and the use electronic invoices. ESCWA: The technical assistance was planned for Tunisia to assist the customs authorities to connect with a customs authority of one of the other three members of the Agadir Agreement (most probably Jordan) to exchange data to enhance trade between the two countries as a step toward covering the whole block. Given that some infrastructure is already available but needs some upgrading, modernization and enhancement, the technical assistance is therefore focusing on identifying the needs and responding to them by providing the required upgrade and enhancement as outlined in the second report to enable a better connectivity and functionality of the Tunisian customs authority with its partners. ESCAP: Technical assistance on the development of the new module of software to exchange electronic data between Customs authorities of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan has been requested by Kyrgyzstan Customs in December 2015. The activity is ongoing. | ||
A1.4. Deliverance of five technical workshops (two days) to build capacity of developing countries and countries with economies in transition to maximise the benefits offered by the C2C exchange platform, to increase their electronic exchange of Customs information with neighbouring countries as well as to adopt international standards when it comes to electronic messages (the project will provide funding for twenty participants at each workshop). | 193,494 | Four technical workshops aimed at developing countries and countries with economies in transition were organized by the regional commissions, as follows:
- UNCLAC: San José, Costa Rica (16-17 June 2015)
- UNECE: Tbilisi, Georgia (22-23 June 2015)
- UNESCAP: Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan (7-8 September 2015). - UNECA and UNESCWA: Casablanca, Morocco (2-4 December 2015).
The activity has been completed. | ||
EA2. Increased capacity to utilize international standard electronic messages in the field of transit procedures by the pilot countries and their neighbouring countries, in particular B2C information. | A2.1 Delivering a second inter-regional Expert Group Meeting (one day) at the end of the project to present and evaluate the results achieved in the five pilot countries. | 26,500 | Draft agenda, list of invitees and invitation letter have been prepared. The workshop is scheduled for 20 June 2016 The activity is ongoing. | |
A2.2 Delivering a seminar (one day and back to back with the second inter-regional Expert Group Meeting) to promote the electronic exchange of customs information and the adoption of standard electronic messages, with special focus on the specific requirement of developing countries and countries with economies in transition on the basis of the results achieved in the five pilot countries (the project will provide funding for 45 participants from developing countries and countries with economies in transition, in particular from countries other than the pilot countries). | 128,000 | Draft program, list of invitees and invitation letter have been prepared. The seminar is scheduled for 21 June 2016 The activity is ongoing. | ||
Total: | 750,000 |
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