By Laxman Kafle
Kathmandu, Jan. 25: Nepal National Single Window System, one of the main provisions for the implementation of Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), is coming into effect from Tuesday.
According to the ministry source, the NSSW system was planned to be brought into effect from the 69th International Customs Day which falls on Tuesday (January 26).
“The concerned implementation authorities of NSSW are working actively to implement the system from Tuesday,” said Dr. Yogendra Kumar Karki, secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
The government was seeking to implement the NNSW system as an integrated collaboration platform for trade, transport and logistics operations that will optimise the processing of import and export information, reduce time as well as costs, and increase certainty and predictability for the trade community.
Similarly, the government is confident that the service recipients related to import and export will get online services and transparency and good governance will be maintained in the import and export processes.
For its implementation, an agreement has been reached between the Department of Customs and two departments and an office under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development on Sunday.
On behalf of the Single Window System Implementation Project, Director General of Department of Customs Suman Dahal and Chief of Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre Dr. Sahadev Humagai, Acting Director General of Livestock Services Dr. Damayenti Shrestha and Director General of Food and Quality Department Upendra Ray signed the MoU.
The system will be an important milestone in the implementation of the Word Trade Organisaion’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, which has entered the stage of implementation by digitalisation of the import-export process, the ministry said. Until now, while importing and exporting any goods, the businessmen/representatives have to be physically present to get the recommendation from the concerned departments and submit the documents prescribed by law along with the application.
After the implementation of this system, importing goods from foreign countries will require less time and cost. And the importers and exporters do not have to be physically present in the concerned department/office for preparing documents for trade. NNSW system ends irregularities in import, export: Minister Aryal
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Padma Kumari Aryal said that the implementation of single window system was a step towards building a level playing field in international trade.
Minister Aryal urged to play the role of facilitator to balance the trade deficit.
Minister Aryal also said that the system of providing paperless international trade services, which is being implemented, would be a milestone for trade facilitation.
She said that providing paperless services using technology would increase trade over time.
On the occasion, secretary Karki said that the service recipients would get service in a simple way through the single window system, adding that optimum use of technology was needed now. On behalf of the NNSW system implementation project, Director General of the Department of Customs Suman Dahal said that a new era of international trade facilitation was about to begin.
He said that the system that would be brought into effect from coming Tuesday would not only expand the relationship but also bring a big change in the working process.
This system will make the customs clearance process easier and faster which will be completely paperless and facilitate trade, he said.