by
s.fevrier@commonwealth.int
Trade Adviser
Commonwealth Secretariat
This expert paper is reproduced by the UNCTAD secretariat in the form and language in which it has been received. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view of the United
Nations.

1 July 2014
7/11/2014
SIDS International Competiveness (CARICOM)
• Structural Transformation- transition from agro-based to services economies;
• Erosion of preferences has exposed structural weaknesses in key export products;
• Lagging competitiveness - 2013 competitiveness indexes
(WEF, WB Doing Business surveys);
• Deterioration of external debt position – counter-cyclical interventions to fiscal consolidation
1

Political reinterpretation of the Single Undertaking
• Key linchpin of the Bali Package,
• DGs initiative with the WB,
• Agreement of the African Group to move ahead,
• Willingness of Developed countries links commitments to needs,
• Balance between Commitments and TACB (Implementation)
Greater Coordination and Higher Priority attached to an outcome by developing and LDCs
The Role of TF in Economic Transformation
Trade Facilitation
• Import Facilitation?
• Investment Facilitation?
• Building economic resilience and competitiveness (internal & External dimension)
• WB and WEF Indexes Proxy for ability to attract investment
7/11/2014
2

Economic Space – internal & external
7/11/2014
Switzerland
Singapore
Finland
Germany
United States
Sweden
Hong Kong SAR
Netherlands
Japan
United Kingdom
Norway
Taiwan, China
Qatar
Canada
Denmark
Austria
Belgium
The Global Competitiveness Index 2013-2014 rankings
© 2013 World Economic Forum | www.weforum.org/gcr
GCI 2013-2014
Country/Economy Rank
13
14
15
16
17
9
10
11
12
7
8
5
6
3
4
1
2
Score
5.24
5.20
5.18
5.15
5.13
5.40
5.37
5.33
5.29
5.48
5.48
5.47
5.42
5.67
5.61
5.54
5.51
GCI 2012-2013
Rank
1
5
10
4
9
6
7
2
3
8
15
13
11
14
12
16
17
Change
0
-3
1
-2
2
2
2
0
0
-2
4
1
-2
0
-3
0
0
3

Canada
Denmark
Austria
Belgium
New Zealand
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Australia
Luxembourg
France
Malaysia
Korea, Rep.
Brunei Darussalam
Israel
Ireland
China
Puerto Rico
Iceland
Estonia
Oman
5.09
5.09
5.05
5.03
5.01
4.95
4.94
5.20
5.18
5.15
5.13
5.11
5.11
5.10
4.92
4.84
4.67
4.66
4.65
4.64
24
25
26
27
21
22
23
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
28
29
30
31
32
33
0
5
5
-2
0
-3
0
-2
1
-6
-1
0
2
-1
1
-1
2
-1
-1
0
17
23
24
18
14
12
16
20
22
21
25
19
31
30
34
32
28
26
27
29
Chile
Spain
Kuwait
Thailand
Indonesia
Azerbaijan
Panama
Malta
Poland
Bahrain
Turkey
Mauritius
Czech Republic
Barbados
Lithuania
Italy
Kazakhstan
Portugal
Latvia
South Africa
Costa Rica
4.43
4.42
4.41
4.41
4.46
4.45
4.45
4.45
4.41
4.40
4.53
4.51
4.50
4.50
4.61
4.57
4.56
4.54
4.40
4.37
4.35
46
47
48
49
42
43
44
45
50
51
38
39
40
41
34
35
36
37
52
53
54
3
-1
3
9
-7
-3
-3
6
-1
-8
-1
-7
1
-2
1
12
7
0
-1
1
1
55
52
57
54
39
44
45
47
41
35
43
42
51
49
38
50
46
40
33
36
37
7/11/2014
4

Cape Verde
Lesotho
Swaziland
Tanzania
Côte d'Ivoire
Ethiopia
Liberia
Uganda
Benin
Zimbabwe
Madagascar
Pakistan
Venezuela
Mali
Malawi
Mozambique
Timor-Leste
Myanmar
Burkina Faso
Mauritania
Angola
Haiti
Sierra Leone
Yemen
Burundi
Guinea
Chad
3.32
3.30
3.25
3.23
3.21
3.42
3.41
3.35
3.33
3.45
3.45
3.45
3.44
3.53
3.52
3.52
3.50
3.50
3.50
2.98
2.92
2.91
2.85
3.19
3.15
3.11
3.01
136
137
138
139
140
132
133
134
135
128
129
130
131
122
123
124
125
126
127
145
146
147
148
141
142
143
144
1
-2
-9
-8
-6
-17
-6
-11
0
14
11
-5
5 n/a
-7
-7 n/a
-1
-1
-7
-7
1
-2
-5
-2
-6
-9
132
130
124
126
121
111
123
119
122
137
135
120
131 n/a
133
134 n/a
142
143
128
129
138
136
140
144
141
139
World Bank Doing Business Survey 2013
Economy Ease of Doing Business Rank
Singapore
Hong Kong SAR, China
New Zealand
United States
Denmark
Norway
United Kingdom
Korea, Rep.
Georgia
Australia
Finland
Malaysia
Sweden
Iceland
Ireland
Taiwan, China
Canada
Thailand
Mauritius
17
18
19
14
15
16
11
12
13
8
9
10
6
7
4
5
1
2
3
7/11/2014
5

South Africa
Qatar
Puerto Rico (U.S.)
Bahrain
Peru
Spain
Colombia
Slovak Republic
Oman
Mexico
Kazakhstan
Tunisia
Montenegro
Rwanda
St. Lucia
Hungary
46
47
48
43
44
45
39
40
41
42
52
53
54
49
50
51
TFA Supports the Implementation of TF Reforms
Pre-arrival Processing
Electronic Payment
Separation of Release from Final
Determination
Post-Clearance Audit
Authorized Operators
Customs Brokers
Perishable Goods
Single Window
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6

TFA Supports the Implementation of TF Reforms
Publication
Advance Rulings CONSULARIZATION
Transit
International Standards
On the Ground Actions
• Cuba - 180-square-mile free zone in Mariel –
Logistics hub USD 900 million (90 percent funded by
Brazil);
• PSA Panama International, a subsidiary of the Port of
Singapore Authority – management company;
• Jamaica - China Harbour Engineering Company
(CHEC) for the Goat Islands - US$1.5 billion multimodal transport and logistics hub;
• Bahamas is already a major transhipment point/logistics hub.
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7

CARICOM – and the Reform Agenda
1.
6 th Joint meeting of Customs Officials and regional
Parliamentary Counsel - August 2013 Caribbean Regional
Technical Assistance Center (CARTAC/CARICOM) – draft bill
2.
Focus was the Draft Harmonized Customs Bill – (model legislation) to form the backbone of CARICOM-wide Customs and TF architecture
3.
State of the Art - New customs Control and Management
ACT (2013) A&B, Customs Act (2010) Dominica and
Customs Management and Control Bill 2010 (St. Kitts and Nevis (all influenced by the draft bill)
CARICOM - Substantive Issues to be considered
4 Draft Harmonized Customs Bill – disciplines covered include: appeal procedures, transparency, clearance and release and identifies the responsibilities of Customs and Traders;
5.
TFA covers: GATT article V (transit); article VIII (fees and formalities) and article X (publication and transparency) and
S&DT
6.
Question: to what extent do the elements of the model/draft harmonized legislation and the draft consolidated text converge or diverge?
7/11/2014
8

TFA is an enabler of structural reform
• Supports structural transformation;
• Seeks to enhance competitiveness;
• Supports Regional integration and the internal market
• Take advantage of the new opportunities presented by the
Panama Canal expansion
• Supports private sector led growth;
• Supports market access concessions gained through bilateral and regional agreements.
Presented by: Stephen Fevrier
Email:
Tel: s.fevrier@commonwealth.int
+41 795 716 902 twitter handle @sfevrier
26 September 2013
7/11/2014
9