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Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP)

The Program

The Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP) was launched in June 2014 to help countries improve their cross-border trade environments and align their trade practices with the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA).

TFSP’s funding assists countries—particularly developing countries—achieve the full and effective implementation of the WTO TFA measures and related trade facilitation reforms. This includes:

  • Identifying existing constraints and bottlenecks to cross-border trade
  • Designing and planning practical reform strategies
  • Increasing the predictability, transparency, and harmonization of systems and procedures in line with international standards covering import, export, and transit activities

In recent years, TFSP has also expanded into cross-cutting topics, such as gender, digitalization, public health, food safety and security, climate/the environment, and emergency preparation and response in times of crisis.

Key areas of assistance

  • Supporting the ratification of the WTO TFA and meeting the notification requirements
  • Undertaking WTO TFA Gap Assessments and/or other relevant diagnostics to identify needs and inform reform action plans
  • Supporting the establishment and strengthening of National Trade Facilitation Committees to lead reform efforts, promote coordination, and enhance public-private consultations
  • Assisting with the design of risk-based approaches for border clearance
  • Increasing digitalization and automation through implementation of Trade Information Portals and/or Single Windows 
  • Leveraging global and regional partnerships and knowledge

Progress

Since inception, TFSP has provided support to 58 countries worldwide, with the largest share in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

The program has a proven track record of helping countries to significantly improve their alignment with the WTO TFA. The TFA Tracking Tool helps countries to monitor and report on progress. 


Recognizing the important roles of both the public and private sectors in trade facilitation, the World Bank Group implements the TFSP by drawing on the unique expertise of both the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Donors

The program is funded by nine donor partners: Australia, Canada, the European Commission, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Partnerships & Collaboration

The World Bank Group works very closely with the WTO, and other partners and donors in supporting developing countries in improving border processes and procedures.

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Select news articles about our work published in client countries

July 20, 2024: World Bank’s Sweden-funded program to unlock trade through economic growth in MENA region

June 25, 2024: Pacific Regional Trade Facilitation Strategy launched in Geneva

April 11, 2024: Launch of the Timor-Leste Trade Information Portal: Livestream

April 9, 2024: Timor-Leste Launches Information Portal to Boost Trade, Expand Market Access

December 4, 2023: Shaping the future of the digital economy: The role of trade facilitation and digitization

May 16, 2023: Western Balkan Economies Seek Faster, Safer Trade Together

May 16, 2023: Trade Facilitation Regional Maturity and Capacity Building Conference taking place in Belgrade Serbia

April 23, 2023: Peru: Government announces new measures to improve the competitiveness of exporting companies (Spanish)

March 30, 2023: Timor-Leste: World Bank and MTCI sign MOU to provide trade information portal to support import and export activities

March 23, 2023: Export of plant products from May 2023 – Cote D’Ivoire will officially issue ephyto certificates (French)

March 21, 2023: Bosnia: Final workshop held on the creation of a roadmap for the establishment of a national single window for cross-border trade (Bosnian)

March 20, 2023: Kosovo: Introducing the National Single Window Guide (Albanian)

March 15, 2023: Timor-Leste: New Biosecurity Laws Passed

March 9, 2023: Western Balkans: Towards a New Generation of Regional Cooperation through Digitalization (Macedonian)

February 8, 2023: Kick off meeting for Time Release Study in Uzbekistan


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