Toolbox for enhancing digital and sustainable trade facilitation along transit trade and transport corridors

other

Project Details

Relevant SDG targets

Project Purpose

Project Scope

The modern era of international trade involves increasingly complex interactions between people, firms, and organizations. Effective trade performance now requires connectivity across roads, rail, sea, telecommunications, financial markets, and information processing. Inefficient or inadequate systems in transportation, logistics, and trade infrastructure can severely hinder trade opportunities and competitiveness, especially for transition economies. 

Over the recent years, the United Nations Member States have been increasingly shifting towards the digital exchange of data and documents, which aims to improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance transparency, and enable better accessibility and data analysis for trade processes. This transition also holds the potential to foster greener and more inclusive economies.

One of the examples of recognition of the relevance of UN/CEFACT tools for digital transformation, in November 2023 is the adoption of the “Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor” by the SPECA participating States. There is an increasing importance of seamless connectivity across various modes of transport and information exchange for effective trade performance. The role of digital connectivity for countries’ integration into the global economy. 

This policy recommendation aims to be used at the global level since digital technologies and digital transformation have a strong potential for enhancing the integration of landlocked developing countries in the global economy, creating new opportunities for trade and transport to reap the full benefits of green and sustainable economic development.

Project Scope

The modern era of international trade involves increasingly complex interactions between people, firms, and organizations. Effective trade performance now requires connectivity across roads, rail, sea, telecommunications, financial markets, and information processing. Inefficient or inadequate systems in transportation, logistics, and trade infrastructure can severely hinder trade opportunities and competitiveness, especially for transition economies. 

Over the recent years, the United Nations Member States have been increasingly shifting towards the digital exchange of data and documents, which aims to improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance transparency, and enable better accessibility and data analysis for trade processes. This transition also holds the potential to foster greener and more inclusive economies.

One of the examples of recognition of the relevance of UN/CEFACT tools for digital transformation, in November 2023 is the adoption of the “Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor” by the SPECA participating States. There is an increasing importance of seamless connectivity across various modes of transport and information exchange for effective trade performance. The role of digital connectivity for countries’ integration into the global economy. 

This policy recommendation aims to be used at the global level since digital technologies and digital transformation have a strong potential for enhancing the integration of landlocked developing countries in the global economy, creating new opportunities for trade and transport to reap the full benefits of green and sustainable economic development.

The SPECA Roadmap leverages UN instruments and standards such as the TIR Convention, the CMR Convention, and the UN/CEFACT Package of Standards to optimize processes, address non-physical barriers and promote seamless movement of goods in the Trans-Caspian corridor. 

• The TIR Convention to simplify and harmonise the administrative formalities of international road transport.
• The CMR Convention standardizes contractual and carrier liability conditions of transporting goods by road in vehicles for reward if the origin and destination are in two different countries, and at least one of the countries is a contracting party. 
• The UN/CEFACT Package of Standards for data exchange along the supply chain offers a comprehensive suite of deliverables for seamless electronic multimodal data and document exchange, including a common business requirement specification (BRS) customized for the different modes of transport, and supporting deliverables. 
• White paper - Gaps In Aligning Digitization with Transit Procedures 
• White paper - Cross-Border Multimodal Digital Corridors for Regulatory-Related Movements of Consignment Data and Consignment Status Information for Trade Facilitation – 

There is a global relevance to the adopted SPECA Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange Along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, amidst the twenty-first-century crises disrupting supply chains and escalating logistics costs.

This initiative, involving SPECA landlocked developing countries (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), aims to streamline cross-border freight transport by 2027 through digital data exchange. From 2027 onwards, economic operators and authorities in these countries will use electronic transport data, aligned with UN standards, to enhance the efficiency of goods movement. 
The SPECA Roadmap could serve as a model for other transit corridors globally, particularly for transport corridors in Africa and Asia with similar challenges connecting landlocked and transit countries. 
The SPECA Roadmap key areas of focus include:

• Implementing international digital standards (e.g., e-CMR, digital signatures).
• Addressing legal and procedural gaps.
• Optimizing data flows across various transport modes.
• Phasing out outdated practices that hinder digital progress.

The timeline outlines specific steps:

• By 2024, eTIR systems and discussions on B2B data exchange will begin.
• By 2025-2026, multimodal eTIR, electronic bills of lading, and eCMR will be in use.
• By 2027, digital systems for rail and air transport will be operational.

A new action plan will be established for further digitalization by 2028. This approach has the potential to revolutionize trade corridors at the global level involving multimodal transport.

 leverages UN instruments and standards such as the TIR Convention, the CMR Convention, and the UN/CEFACT Package of Standards to optimize processes, address non-physical barriers and promote seamless movement of goods in the Trans-Caspian corridor. 

• The TIR Convention to simplify and harmonise the administrative formalities of international road transport.
• The CMR Convention standardizes contractual and carrier liability conditions of transporting goods by road in vehicles for reward if the origin and destination are in two different countries, and at least one of the countries is a contracting party. 
• The UN/CEFACT Package of Standards for data exchange along the supply chain offers a comprehensive suite of deliverables for seamless electronic multimodal data and document exchange, including a common business requirement specification (BRS) customized for the different modes of transport, and supporting deliverables. 
• White paper - Gaps In Aligning Digitization with Transit Procedures 
• White paper - Cross-Border Multimodal Digital Corridors for Regulatory-Related Movements of Consignment Data and Consignment Status Information for Trade Facilitation – 

There is a global relevance to the adopted SPECA Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange Along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor, amidst the twenty-first-century crises disrupting supply chains and escalating logistics costs.

This initiative, involving SPECA landlocked developing countries (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan), aims to streamline cross-border freight transport by 2027 through digital data exchange. From 2027 onwards, economic operators and authorities in these countries will use electronic transport data, aligned with UN standards, to enhance the efficiency of goods movement. 
The SPECA Roadmap could serve as a model for other transit corridors globally, particularly for transport corridors in Africa and Asia with similar challenges connecting landlocked and transit countries. 
The SPECA Roadmap key areas of focus include:

• Implementing international digital standards (e.g., e-CMR, digital signatures).
• Addressing legal and procedural gaps.
• Optimizing data flows across various transport modes.
• Phasing out outdated practices that hinder digital progress.

The timeline outlines specific steps:

• By 2024, eTIR systems and discussions on B2B data exchange will begin.
• By 2025-2026, multimodal eTIR, electronic bills of lading, and eCMR will be in use.
• By 2027, digital systems for rail and air transport will be operational.

A new action plan will be established for further digitalization by 2028. This approach has the potential to revolutionize trade corridors at the global level involving multimodal transport.

Project Deliverables

Exit Criteria

Impact Analysis

To develop the policy recommendation and accompanying implementation instruments to support United Nations Member States in enhancing digital and sustainable trade facilitation along trade and transport corridors, the project will hold expert meetings and take into consideration their inputs to deliver the final draft of the recommendation (deliverables) that will be submitted for open consultation and  approved by the Bureau and the Plenary.

It is expected that the policy recommendation will have a positive impact on the trade community by leveraging: 

-    The UN/CEFACT Package of Standards facilitating data exchange among stakeholders through multiple transport modes (including road, rail, sea and others) creating a harmonized environment for electronic data transfer. To do so, the policies for national trade facilitation have to be harmonized with International Standards such as the TIR Convention, CMR Convention and UN/CEFACT data exchange standards.
-    The transition to digital exchange of data and documents to make customs clearance and border management processes more effective. To achieve this, trade facilitation policies need to reflect paperless and digitalized aspects of trade and customs documents.
-    Climate-smart connectivity and digital transport corridors to make trade more efficient and sustainable. It requires the promotion of greener trade facilitation policies and actions toward reducing carbon emissions and fuel consumption in logistics.

Project Team Membership and Required Functional Expertise

Geographical Focus

Beneficiaries

Sustainable and digital trade facilitation in developing and transition economies enhances their participation in global trade by lowering costs and increasing the efficiency and transparency of trade facilitation processes. In addition, it enables countries to be better positioned to attract Foreign Direct Investment and promote trade-led economic growth.

The private sector can benefit from greater market access. MSMEs and women-led businesses can benefit from more transparency and streamlining of procedures as well as lower trade-related and transaction costs.  

Countries adopting this policy recommendation will be more resilient facing future supply chain disruptions and become more competitive economies promoting inclusiveness, sustainability and innovation.

Initial Contributions

• UN/CEFACT Package of Standards for Data Exchange along the Supply Chain
• UN legal instruments and standards, such as the TIR Convention and the CMR Convention
• Pilot projects related to digitalizing intermodal transport corridors
• Roadmap for the Digitalization of Multimodal Data and Document Exchange Along the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor Using United Nations Legal Instruments and Standards
• Gaps In Aligning Digitization with Transit Procedures (White paper)
• Cross-Border Multimodal Digital Corridors for Regulatory-Related Movements of Consignment Data and Consignment Status Information for Trade Facilitation (White paper)

Resource Requirements