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Published on October 2, 2007

The Common Effective Preferential Tariff Scheme (CEPT) is a cooperative arrangement among Asean countries that aims to reduce intra-regional tariffs and remove non-tariff barriers.

Pichit Viwatrujirapong, representative of Thailand's National Single Window project and managing director of Netbay, a local gateway provider for Customs services, said the pilot project involved the exchange of data between two countries under the ASW initiative.

The project will enable a single submission of data and information, a single and synchronous processing of data and information, and a single decision-making process for Customs release and clearance.

The CEPT Form D and Export Declaration data exchange can be viewed as a concrete example of a cross-border and paperless electronic-government application to facilitate international trade in the region. The information exchange is based on ebXML and Web Service technology.

The other Asean countries - the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Burma, Cambodia and Brunei - will follow to connect their single windows to process Customs-related documents.

The concept of ASW is to connect 10 national single windows to process imports, exports, transport, banking and insurance and various matters of concern to other government agencies. However, Pichit said that in practice each country could start with only two participants before expanding to others.

The services of the national single window are linked to the port window, Customs window, licensing agencies and traders since the national single windows' role is to act as a one-stop centre.

International trade requires the involvement of many organisations such as the Food and Drug Administration, and fisheries, livestock, agriculture, foreign trade and land transport departments.

"Thailand's national single window has been linked to that of the Philippines' to exchange Form D. Expansion to cover other forms depends on the Customs Department," said Pichit. However, moving to ASW and the national single window requires both technical and legislative measures.

The technical side is about the certification service provider or certification authority that has been established for the government sector to issue electronic certificates for authentication-related applications. Meanwhile, the legislative side involves the Electronic Transaction Act.

Netbay is now studying these matters and the possibility of developing some kinds of services to suit the market demand as well.

Asina Pornwasin

 The Nation