The OSCE-UNECE Handbook of Best Practices at Border Crossings – A Trade and Transport Facilitation Perspective offers a unique opportunity for countries both in and beyond the OSCE/UNECE region to develop border and customs policies that increase security and more efficiently facilitate international trade and transport.

Introduction

Growing cross-border trade and transportation in the globalized world economy are compelling governments to develop more efficient border management procedures. Cumbersome procedures at borders increase the cost of transport operations, hampering international trade and foreign investment. With this in mind, the Handbook provides tools that can be used to harmonize and simplify existing procedures and regulations and to improve inter-agency co-operation. It also draws attention to the need to apply best practices and internationally accepted norms and standards.

Target audience

The Handbook is a reference document containing key information for the following groups:

• High and mid-level officials from transport, trade and finance ministries,customs agencies as well as senior staff of border crossing points;
• Transport, freight and logistics communities as well as business associations seeking an improved operating environment; and
• Civil society, academia and researchers.

The Handbook aims to raise awareness among the above mentioned groups of the range of instruments at their disposal for developing and implementing better trade,transport, border and customs policies. Drawing upon operational evidence and case studies, it offers best practices from both the public and private perspectives.The publication primarily focuses on road border crossing points, but also touches on rail and sea crossings.

Free download: PDF

The Handbook includes the following chapters:
1 – Trade and Customs: The International Legal Framework
2 – From Domestic to International Co-operation
3 – Balancing Security with Trade and Transport Facilitation and Developing Partnerships with Private Industry
4 – Processing of Freight: Policies for Control, Clearance and Transit
5 – Risk Management and Selectivity
6 – Options for the Design of Border Crossing Points
7 – Internet Communications Technology and Non-Intrusive Inspection
8 – Human Resource Management
9 – Measuring Border Agency Performance: Possibilities for Benchmarking