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Move To Establish Legal Framework For Asean Single Window 
Posted on Monday, December 12, 2005 - 12:00 AM

Asean member countries are expected to establish a legal framework to expedite implementation of the Asean Single Window (ASW), a customs initiative to ensure faster clearance of goods and services.

Asean economic ministers said in a statement Monday that each Asean member country has different systems and documentation requirements for the clearance of goods.

Prior to the establishment of the ASW, Asean member countries would first establish their own National Single Windows.

They said an effective and efficient arrangement for the ASW would help in promoting trade facilitation and achieve better economic efficiency in line with Asean's move to establish an Asean Economic Community (AEC) by 2020.

Asean countries are also expected to work in partnership with the private sector to support the initiative.

The ASW initiative will strengthen coordination and partnership among Asean customs administrations and relevant government agencies and economic operators.

Economic operators include importers, exporters, transport operators, express industries, customs brokers, forwarders, commercial banks and financial institutions, insurers and those relevant to the international supply chain.

The initiative is expected to be fully implemented by 2008 at the latest for Asean 6 (Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia).

As for Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV countries), it will be in full operation at the latest by 2012.

On Friday, Asean economic ministers signed a pact to set up and implement the ASW, which is expected to facilitate the speedy clearance of imports through the standardisation of procedures and usage of electronic processing of trade documents at national and regional levels.