Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP)

Program

The Trade Facilitation Support Program (TFSP) was launched in June 2014 to assist developing countries in aligning their trade practices with the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA).

The program is designed to provide practical and demand-driven assistance, and supports client countries with:

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

Areas of assistance

  • Undertake WTO TFA gap assessments and implementation of reform action plans
  • Support in establishing and strengthening of National Trade Facilitation Committees
  • Assist in designing risk-based approaches for border clearance
  • Prepare for single window implementation
  • Support in ratification and notification of the WTO TFA
  • Facilitate knowledge sharing
  • Leverage global and regional partnerships to ensure optimal delivery of support

Progress

Since inception, the program has provided TFA implementation support to almost 50 countries, most of which are least developed countries. The largest share of countries receiving support are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Support is also provided to fragile and conflict-affected countries. 

The World Bank Group has helped countries significantly improve their alignment with the WTO TFA. The TFA Tracking Tool monitors progress towards meeting the TFSP’s objective of helping countries improve alignment with the WTO TFA, as well as for countries to monitor and report on their own progress. As of the end of June 2022, the overall WTO TFA alignment scores of TFSP supported countries had risen from 41% to 51%.


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).

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. 


Partners of Trade Facilitation Support Program
 

We work closely with global and regional partners in delivering joint initiatives and activities to ensure a coordinated rollout of technical assistance.

Feature Stories

January 30, 2023: How Innovation is Revolutionizing Global Trade

September 21, 2022: Supporting Safe Trade to Improve Nepal's Export Position

June 22, 2022: New Clearance Procedures Save Time at North Macedonia Border

August 5, 2021: Digital Trade Can Help North Macedonia Build Back Better Post-COVID-19

July 9, 2021: Montenegro Cuts Import Clearance Time: 8 Hours to 30 Minutes

February 25, 2021: Trade Facilitation Challenges for Women Traders in the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste

➡️View all Feature Stories >>

 

Blogs

August 6, 2022: Public-private collaboration facilitates the import of vaccines in Tonga

June 22, 2022: Lao PDR Trade Portal: Ten years old and growing strong

June 1, 2022: Time release studies: Making trade faster and more predictable in Europe and Central Asia

May 3, 2022: Helping women entrepreneurs break into global markets by overcoming challenges at the border

November 2, 2021: Trade facilitation: Critical to COVID-19 recovery

November 8, 2021: Managing organizational performance in Customs during a crisis period

➡️View all Blogs >>


Publications

March 8, 2022: Understanding trade facilitation barriers for women

February 25, 2021: Trade Facilitation Challenges for Women Traders in the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste
Regional | Fiji | Papua New Guinea | Samoa | Timor-Leste | Vanuatu

November 10, 2020: Risk Prioritization in Phytosanitary Management: A Step-by-Step Guide

➡️View all Publications >>


Videos

October 31, 2022: Single Window: A Path to Paperless Trade

February 25, 2021: Unlocking Trade for Women in the Pacific

June 22, 2020: Managing Risk and Facilitating Trade During the COVID-19

June 27, 2019: 360 Video: Making trade faster, cheaper and easier in Sierra Leone

February 6, 2019: 360 Video: Trading Across Borders in Guatemala and Honduras

➡️View all Videos >>

 

Trade Tips Podcast

March 1, 2022: Invisible Women

February 15, 2022: The Climate Conundrum

January 30, 2022: Around the World of Trade

January 15, 2022: Trade Tips Podcast: What You Can Expect

➡️View all Episodes >>

Select news articles about our work published in client countries

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

December 16, 2022: Supporting the Effective Implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in the Pacific

December 8, 2022: First World Trade Congress on Gender

November 11, 2022: Central America: Expediting trade in the region, key to development (Spanish)

September 19, 2022: Building trust: Trade in the age of digitalization

July 27, 2022: Creating an Enabling Environment to Increase Women's Participation in Trade

June 29, 2022: Five-Year Anniversary of the Trade Facilitation Agreement

June 26, 2022: Lesotho: Launch of National Single Window for Trade

April 1, 2022: Kosovo: Customs reduces clearance times

March 30, 2022: Roadmap for Electronic Single Windows in Montenegro and Kosovo

March 26, 2022: Pakistan: Launch of the Trade Information Portal | Portal

March 8, 2022: Gender equality and inclusion in trade

February 22, 2022: Supply chain resilience highlighted at fifth anniversary of Trade Facilitation Agreement

February 1, 2022: Global Forum for National Trade Facilitation Committees

November 26, 2021: Milestone review of Trade Facilitation Agreement

November 9, 2021: Boosting trade competitiveness in the Pacific

December 23, 2020: Vietnam Launches First-Ever Free Trade Agreement Portal

December 11, 2020: A Single Source for All Cross-Border Trade Information in Mongolia Portal

November 9, 2020: Lesotho Re-launches Trade Information Portal: New, Simplified and User-Friendly

September 30, 2020: Eswatini Launches Trade Information Portal: “Export-Import Made Easier”

September 16, 2020: Montenegro certifies first AEO

May 20, 2020: Zambia Launches Trade Information Portal

October 17, 2019: Kosovo Launches AEO with Support of the World Bank Group

September 18, 2019: Developing Country Participation Critical to ISO's Future

July 3, 2019: Aid for Trade Review opens with call to preserve trading system as driver for development

May 16, 2019: Shaw Launches New Trade Information Portal

April 1, 2019: Zambia: Donor partners witness trade improvements

September 11, 2018: IFC Helps Mongolia Government Facilitate Trade by Enhancing Risk Management of Border Agencies

September 2, 2018: Serbia, Macedonia Leaders Hail 'One-Stop Shop' Border Project

August 16, 2018: Agencies Explore Workable Single Window System Customized for Fiji

April 11, 2018: 26 Years Independent Customs Administration of the Republic of Macedonia

February 23, 2018: New book launched at STDF Policy Committee: “Driving safe trade solutions worldwide”

July 7, 2017: Seeking for Potential Bilateral Cooperation between the IPPC and the WB

December 17, 2015: Azevêdo welcomes efforts to help implement Trade Facilitation Agreement


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