Trade facilitation: a conceptual review

With falling tariff levels, it is probably not surprising that the non-tariff area and trade facilitation, in particular, are receiving growing attention. Apart from the World Trade Organization (WTO), trade facilitation is a subject of substance within a wide range of international organizations in...

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Main Author: Grainger, Andrew
Format: Article
Published: Wolters Kluwer 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/1769/
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author Grainger, Andrew
author_facet Grainger, Andrew
author_sort Grainger, Andrew
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description With falling tariff levels, it is probably not surprising that the non-tariff area and trade facilitation, in particular, are receiving growing attention. Apart from the World Trade Organization (WTO), trade facilitation is a subject of substance within a wide range of international organizations including several United Nations (UN)-type bodies, the World Customs Organization (WCO) as well as those concerned with economic development, supply chain security, and sector-specific issues such as international transport and logistics. The resulting body of international trade facilitation instruments and initiatives, which include conventions as well as detailed technical recommendations, is extensive. This article provides a general review of key elements and topics that are associated with trade facilitation and sets them against underlying challenges and obstacles in practice as well as for research. While much of the current effort in trade facilitation begins with a top-down premise – whereby governments seek to implement international conventions and recommendations nationally – the author argues that trade facilitation is inherently an operations-focused topic and deserves to be approached from a bottom-up approach, too. Such approach not only provides a strong case for an interdisciplinary research agenda, it also brings into question whether current institutions concerned with trade facilitation have the necessary capabilities to apply themselves to the more operational aspects associated with international trade.
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spelling nottingham-17692020-05-04T20:23:54Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/1769/ Trade facilitation: a conceptual review Grainger, Andrew With falling tariff levels, it is probably not surprising that the non-tariff area and trade facilitation, in particular, are receiving growing attention. Apart from the World Trade Organization (WTO), trade facilitation is a subject of substance within a wide range of international organizations including several United Nations (UN)-type bodies, the World Customs Organization (WCO) as well as those concerned with economic development, supply chain security, and sector-specific issues such as international transport and logistics. The resulting body of international trade facilitation instruments and initiatives, which include conventions as well as detailed technical recommendations, is extensive. This article provides a general review of key elements and topics that are associated with trade facilitation and sets them against underlying challenges and obstacles in practice as well as for research. While much of the current effort in trade facilitation begins with a top-down premise – whereby governments seek to implement international conventions and recommendations nationally – the author argues that trade facilitation is inherently an operations-focused topic and deserves to be approached from a bottom-up approach, too. Such approach not only provides a strong case for an interdisciplinary research agenda, it also brings into question whether current institutions concerned with trade facilitation have the necessary capabilities to apply themselves to the more operational aspects associated with international trade. Wolters Kluwer 2011 Article PeerReviewed Grainger, Andrew (2011) Trade facilitation: a conceptual review. Journal of World Trade, 45 (1). pp. 39-62. ISSN ISSN 1011-6702 Trade Facilitation Review Trade and Customs Procedures
spellingShingle Trade Facilitation
Review
Trade and Customs Procedures
Grainger, Andrew
Trade facilitation: a conceptual review
title Trade facilitation: a conceptual review
title_full Trade facilitation: a conceptual review
title_fullStr Trade facilitation: a conceptual review
title_full_unstemmed Trade facilitation: a conceptual review
title_short Trade facilitation: a conceptual review
title_sort trade facilitation: a conceptual review
topic Trade Facilitation
Review
Trade and Customs Procedures
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/1769/