Upcoming Event /

Other Meetings Proceedings - 3

4 to 5 September 2013

 

Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS)

Meeting of Senior Officials of the

National Transport Facilitation Committee (NTFC)

and Subcommittee Meetings

Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

4-5 September 2013

 

Introduction

In preparation for the 4th Joint Committee Meeting (4th JCM) of the Greater Mekong Subregion Cross-Border Transport Agreement (GMS CBTA) in November 2013, the GMS National Transport FacilitationCommittee Senior Officials Meeting (NTFC SOM) and Subcommitee Meetings will be held in Nay PyiTaw, Myanmar on 4-5 September 2013. The objectives of the meeting are to: i) discuss and finalize theJoint Statement for the six Transport Ministers and the Three-Year Strategic Blueprint/Action Plan forGMS Transport and Trade Facilitation (TTF), ii) provide updates on the status of implementation oftransport facilitation initiatives in the GMS, and identify issues and bottlenecks；iii) conduct a stocktakingof the deliverables under the GMS Transport and Trade Facilitation Action Plan from the 3rd JCM in June2010 in Vientiane, Lao PDR and iv) finalize program and agree on arrangements for the upcoming 4thJCM.

 

Background

Institutional Mechanisms for Efficient Transport Facilitation in the GMS. The Joint Committee of the GMSCBTA1, NTFCs 2 and its subcommittees3 were established in 2004 to ensure the orderly and effectiveimplementation of the GMS CBTA4, a landmark accord which consolidates in a single legal instrument, allof the key software (non-physical) measures for efficient cross-border land transport. The JointCommittee is the highest-level advisory body for software transport facilitation, which makesrecommendations on issues concerning the implementation of transport facilitation initiatives, the CBTA,its annexes and protocols, and related bilateral/trilateral transport facilitation agreements/MOUs. It is alsoa forum for addressing disputes and a platform for discussing emerging regional issues.

Joint Committee Meetings. The GMS countries agreed to host the Joint Committee Meetings every threeyears (on a rotation basis) to agree on a comprehensive Three-year Action Plan for Transport and TradeFacilitation in order to review progress made and set the direction for the accelerated implementation of TTF initiatives. The previous JCMs were held in: (1) Phnom Penh, Cambodia in April 2004, (2) Beijing,China in March 2007, and (3) Vientiane, Lao PDR in June 2010. The GMS countries agreed that the next4th JCM in 2013 will be held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar in November 2013 with support from the ADB, itsdesignated Secretariat.

 

Outcomes

It is expected that the country delegations will be able to:

i) Take stock of the implementation status of the GMS CBTA and relevant bilateral/trilateralagreements, identify implementation bottlenecks and ensure that all program deliverables are ontrack.

ii) Align the Three- Year Strategic Blueprint/Action Plan for Transport and Trade Facilitation withnational and regional priorities and needs.

iii) Exchange information on transport, customs, immigration and health issues under the GMSCBTA.

iv) Agree on the program and arrangements for the upcoming 4th JCM.

 

Wednesday 4 September 2013
12:00 - 14:00	Lunch Heads of Delegation Lunch Meeting, Venue__________ HOD's will discuss: Key issues in the 3 Yesr Blueprint/Action Plan and Joint Statement Date of 4th Koint Committee Meeting in November 2013 Possibility of setting up additional Subcommittee Meetings on Commerceand Guaranteeing Organizations Other Matters Other Delegates, Venue:__________
Session I: Subcommittee Meeting Back-to-Back Sessions
14:00 - 15:30	Transport and Customs Subcommitee Meeting Chairperson: Transport or Customs Official from Myanmar Co-Chairperson: Yushu FengPrincipal Economist (Regional Cooperation)Thailand Resident Mission, South-East Asia DepartmentAsian Development Bank This session will discuss recent developments, implementation issues, and exchange keyinformation on: Single Stop Inspection and Single Window Inspection Mechanims Coordination of operating hours of border offices Coordination of opening of additional border crossing points, routes, and transport corridors. Condition and availability of border crossing facilities, infrastructure and personnel National transport-related laws, regulations, formalities, practices and procedures. Coordination, harmonization and simplification of customs inspection procedures and formalities. The transport and customs subcommittee will endeavor to propose a work-program, and makerecommendations to the JC on resolving key issues and bottlenecks.

 

 

Meeting documents:

1. Status of CBTA Implementation: Achievements and Challenges (Stocktaking Matrix)
2. 3-Year Strategic Blueprint on Transport Facilitation in the GMS/Transport Facilitation ActionPlan
3. Draft program of the 4th Meeting of the Joint Committee for the Cross-Border TransportAgreement
4. Draft Statement of the 4th Meeting of the Joint Committee for the Cross-Border TransportAgreement

 

ADB Financed Participants from the 6 GMS Countries:

1. NTFC Focal point
2. Transport
3. Customs
4. Immigration
5. Quarantine
6. Commerce
7. Guaranteeing Organization
8. GMS National Coordination Office

 

 

 

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References

^1. The Joint Committee is headed by Chairpersons (Minister/Vice Minister level) of the 6 National Transport Facilitation Committeesin accordance with Article 29 of the CBTA.

^2. National Transport Facilitation Committees: the 6 GMS countries were mandated to establish permanent NTFCs chaired by aMinister or Vice Minister (or its equivalent), to bring together representatives of all parties concerned with implementing transportfacilitation agreements in accordance with Article 28 of the CBTA.

^3. Subcommittees established under the Joint Committee/NTFCs, include: (i) Transport, (ii) Customs, (iii) Health Inspection(Sanitary/Phytosanitary/Quarantine), (iv) and Immigration.

^4. The main CBTA framework agreement was ratified by all the 6 GMS countries in 2003, and its 20 Annexes and Protocols are atvarious stages of ratification by the countries.