38th UN/CEFACT Forum: Encouraging Private Sector Participation in National Trade Facilitation Bodies

Purpose

The central role of global trade in national economies and the constant-changing dynamics of the international supply chain have brought to focus the role of government in its engagement with industry. While businesses seek to reduce trade costs, governments are called upon to process increasing volumes of cargo with less reliance on physical interventions and with greater efficiency. To accomplish this, governments and the private sector need to collaborate to adopt policies and programs that are conducive to international trade.

The National Trade Facilitation Body (NTFB) is a body that can help establish a dynamic public-private partnership and assist governments to modernize and simplify trade procedures and discharge their mandate on trade facilitation in an efficient manner. The NTFBs provide the opportunity for governments to learn as much as possible about business needs and expectations to respond to them effectively.

For this purpose, UN/CEFACT organizes this side event to discuss practices that have been used to increase private sector participation in National Trade Facilitation Bodies (NTFBs).  This includes actions taken to strengthen public-private partnerships – both successful and non-successful. There will be discussion on current research findings as well as presentations by experts from both the public and private sectors. 

This webinar takes place in the context of the ongoing White Paper project by the TPF Domain on Enhancing Private Sector Participation in National Trade Facilitation Bodies.

Agenda

Moderator: Mr. Christopher O’Toole, Counsellor at the Canadian Mission