Tunisia

Single Window Development and Implementation

Experience of Tunisia

UNECE CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP ON

TRADE FACILITATION IMPLEMENTATION:

TOOLS, TECHNIQUES AND METHODOLOGIES

18 – 20 October 2004, Geneva

UNECE UN/CEFACT

Summery• Background : the context of the virtual

single window• Structure and services • The technical architecture• Particpant• Business Model• Recquirement and user fees• Expected results• lessons learned• Future plan

Tunisia

BACKGROUND

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Context of the single window

• The membership of the world Trade organisation

• Agreement of association with the European Union (1995)

• Up Grade of the compagny

• Up grade of the environment of the compagny

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BEFORE TTN

o Long Processes

o Different formalities

o Many documents with redundant information ( 20 )

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Services AT NATIONAL LEVEL :

1. CUSTOMS FORMALITIES:

2. FOREIGN TRADE FORMALITIES:

3. EXCHANGE FORMALITIES:

4. PAYMENT FORMALITIES:

5. TECHNICAL CONTROL FORMALITIES:

6. TRANSPORT FORMALITES :

7. CONTROL ON PRODUCTS ORIGIN:

CustomsCustoms

Foreign Trade Department

Foreign Trade Department

BanksBanks

Transporters Port Authorities

Transporters Port Authorities

Technical Control departments

Technical Control departments

Chamber of Commerce and industry

Chamber of Commerce and industry

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Traitement of documents On foreign trade

BanksBanksImporterExporterImporterExporter

Central Bank

freightforwardfreightforwardMinistery

of tradeMinistery

of trade

CustomsCustoms

BrokersBrokers

Technical control authorities

Technical control authorities

Shipping AgentShipping Agent

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Consequences

Long delays for release of Imported goods :

customs clearance time : from 5 to 17 days, average 10

congestion in “Radès port”, Tunis, Tunisia

• negative impact on competitiveness • waste of resources,

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Measures taken in Tunisia

COFPRO ( National Facilities Commitee)

THE « LIASSE UNIQUE » project

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The Project stages (the important dates)

•1st stage: October 2000:

* Documents standardization (EEC/UN Standards)

* Simplification of foreign Trade processes

•2nd stage: April 2002

• Digitalization of foreign trade documents

• Creation of « the virtual single window » or

« Virtual One Stop Desk ».

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Structure of the single window

Shipping Agencies

Transport Documents

Technical Control

Departments

Ministery of Trade Banks Customs Central Bank

Foreign Trade Formalities

Importer Exporter Transitaire

Tunisie TradeNetTunisie TradeNet

Central Server

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Technology

• UN/EDIFACT

• XML

• Mailing: SMTP – X400

• Web

• SMS

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Technical Architecture

Central server

RTC

Opérateurs Importateurs Exportateurs,Déclarants,Agents Maritime,

Transporteurs… ,

PartenairesBanques, Ministère du Commerce,

DépartementsTechniques, OMMP, Douane

WEB SERVER EDI Server

Archive Server

Actors

Frame Relay

Operators Exporters importers, Customs brokers

Shipping agents, Carriers … ,

PartnersBanks, Ministries,Technical

Departments, Harbour Authority, Customs

Flat fileEDIFACT MessagesWEB form XML Messages

Firewall

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PARTICIPANTS

Partners

•Banks

•Trade Ministry

•Central bank

•Technical control department

•Customs

•Habord authorities

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Partners Users

•Importers

•Exporters

•Brokers

•Shipping agencies

PARTICIPANTS

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Business model

The virtual single window is managed by TTN « Tunisie TradeNet »

TTN : Corporation, Created in February 2000

Mission Statement : • The management of the unique windows.• Compagny specialized in computer engineering

Capital : 2M TND (about 1.5 M €). Public share-holders:

CIMPF/OCT/OMMP/CTN/ONT/ATI/Tair/STB/BNA/ ONP

Investment : about 3M €

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Business Model

Brokers Compagnies

Custom

declaration

1 € 1.5 €

Other formalities 2 € 3 €

User fees

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Requirement

Hardware

•PC min PIII

•Printer laser jet

•Scanner

Software

•Windows min98

•Browser

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Expected Results of the Single Window• Bring closer the administrative, banking and

harbour services of the operators through a Virtual Single Window of the Foreign Trade.

• Simplify and facilitate Customs and Foreign Trade formalities.

• Reduce delays and cut down costs of formalities treatment by computerisation and the setting in network of the various actors.

• Ensure a faster and more effective circulation of the documents and forms required by the various actors.

Processing of TCE

2 - 3 D

1 D

0 Goods Arrival

Validation, Amendments, Data Capture of Manifest

2 D

Deliver Manifest hardcopy to Customs and STAM

1/4 D

Goods discharged from vessel

STAM submits hardcopy report of unloaded cargo discrepancies to ship agent

2 - 4D

Shiping Agent reconciles discrepancies regarding cargo unloaded

2 - 5 D

1/2 D 1 -2 D

Shipping Agent delivers final manifest to Customs and STAM

Importer / Broker prepares customs declaration.and delivers to Customs

2 - 3 D Importer / Broker picks up processed declaration.

1 D

Payment of customs duty, storage charges and port dues

0 - 2 D

Confirmation of goods landed byShipping Agent and issue of delivery note

Goods removed from port area

1/4 D 15 mins

Prior to Trade Facilitation Initiative

1 2 3 15 10 5

After Trade Facilitation Initiative

Days

Figure C

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Lessons learned :

1st Difficulty : 1. The partners’ mobilisation

2. The needs identification 1st Recommandation:

1. The importance of government support

2. The Constitution of a project pilot commitee

with the chair of a Minister

3. Conception of a coherent functionnel pattern

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Lessons learned :

2 nd Difficulty :

1. Partners’ internal organisation 2 nd Recommandation :

1. Constitution of a pilot comitee per partner

2. Technical assistance for every structure

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Lessons learned :

3 rd Difficulty :

1. The membership

3 rd Recommandation:1. Marketing Startegy

2. NICT training

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Lessons learned :

4 th Difficulty :

1. Financing

Recommandation 4 :1. Own Funds > 50%

2. Long term Credit

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Lessons learned :

5 th Difficulty:

1. Partner’s reactivity

5 th Recommandation :1. The adoption of working guideline to the electronic

contex

2. Optimisation of the interface software

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Lessons learned :

Difficultés Recommandations

1. The partners’ mobilisation and the needs identification

The importance of government support The Constitution of a project pilot commitee

with the chair of a Minister Conception of coherent functionel pattern

2. Partners’ internal organisation

Constitution of a pilot comitee per partner Technical assistance for every structure

3. The membership Marketing Startegy NICT training

4. Financing Own Funds > 50% Long term Credit

5. Partner’s reactivity Adoption of working guideline to the electronic contex

Optimisation of the interface solutions

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Expected Evolution

Documents Entreprises - banks : • Banking guarantee for

Statements • Documentary credit• Apurement TCE• Unpaid washing

Documents Banks-Banks : • Bills of lading exchange between

Tunisian and European Banks.

Documents Entreprises-Entreprise:• Order• Delivery order• Invoice• Order to pay.

Bar Code technology

Documents Entreprises - banks : • Banking guarantee for

Statements • Documentary credit• Apurement TCE• Unpaid washing

Documents Banks-Banks : • Bills of lading exchange between

Tunisian and European Banks.

Documents Entreprises-Entreprise:• Order• Delivery order• Invoice• Order to pay.

Bar Code technology

The transport bundle

Exchanges of manifests with foreign partners :

• Interconnection with international networks (GEIS, …)

Documents Entreprises-administrations : • Social security declaration • Fiscal declaration,

Documents Entreprises insurances compagnies:

• Contract of insurances• Declaration of disaster

B2B market place:

Centralization of offers, demands and taking in charge of deals by sector (earthly transport, manufactured goods, raw materials, …)

Free trade zone network

The transport bundle

Exchanges of manifests with foreign partners :

• Interconnection with international networks (GEIS, …)

Documents Entreprises-administrations : • Social security declaration • Fiscal declaration,

Documents Entreprises insurances compagnies:

• Contract of insurances• Declaration of disaster

B2B market place:

Centralization of offers, demands and taking in charge of deals by sector (earthly transport, manufactured goods, raw materials, …)

Free trade zone network

UNECE UN/CEFACT

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION