Easy access to the data related to the Single Window of each country

Summary

This guide is mainly centered around 5 complementary parts:

The first part entitled “Background” is an overview of the economic, regulatory, institutional and technological framework for the implementation of Single Windows. It also deals with the guide’s objective to enable Governments, donors and stakeholders to have practical idea of the conditions for the implementation and operation of a Single Window serving its intrinsic purpose of reducing the cost and time of Foreign Trade transactions.

The second part covers the definitions, typology and review of best practices in the area of Single Windows. It proposes another definition that complements that of Recommendation 33 of UNCEFACT. This AAEC definition is worded as follows: “The Single Window for Foreign Trade is a national or regional facility mainly built around an IT platform, initiated by a Government or ad hoc authority to facilitate import, export and transit formalities, by offering a single point for the submission of standardized information and documents, in order to meet all official demands and facilitate trade related logistics”. The three main Single Window models are also highlighted. They are the Single Window for Foreign Trade Formalities (cf. 2.1.1), the logistics coordination Single Window (cf. 2.1.2) and the national integral single window (cf. 2.1.3).

The third part deals with prior strategic choices, at institutional, organizational, legal, regulatory and technological levels, and also with the various types of business models, of which Public Private Partnership is the most broadly used. At the legal level, two models stand out:

• The Single Window without mandatory recognition of electronic documents: this Single Window is a platform for the automation of data exchange processes. Changing the legal framework is not a precondition for the start of the project;
• The Single Window with mandatory recognition of electronic documents: this Single Window enables the digitization of all procedures. The electronic document replaces the paper document and it is therefore necessary to have a legal system that governs this new document format. Electronic signature will thus be a necessary technical element to reassure stakeholders.

The last two parts focus respectively on the various practical steps of implementing, performance evaluation and consolidation of the Single Window. Building the broadest possible consensus around the Single Window project with the mobilization of all stakeholders is a critical step. The model for evaluating the stakeholders’ level of commitment to the success of the project helps work out all possible cases. Beyond the consensus, the contribution of public authorities at the highest level is vital. A set of tools and indicators should also be developed to enable continuous monitoring of the Single Window’s performance and propose areas of improvement for its consolidation.

The dynamic nature of the analysis in this guide, the multiplicity and diversity of experiences that inspired it, as well as the international scope of the standards which form the basis of its development, make it a precious tool for any decision maker, especially African decision makers, who wish to set up a Single Window in the optimum conditions of success.