Trade Facilitation

The unbundling of the Singapore issues and the jettisoning of all but one, trade facilitation, has led to an 'explicit consensus' to commence negotiations on the issue on the basis of specified 'modalities'. Some of the major concerns of developing country and LDC members seem to have been taken on board, even though many others are yet to be addressed. A useful starting point for the new Negotiating Group on Trade Facilitation may be the work of the Boksburg Group in identifying the needs and concerns of a wide cross section of developing countries and its suggestions on the elements of an agreement.