1st NCTF Meeting

In the afternoon of Monday, October 11, 2021, the National Committee for Trade Facilitation held its first meeting online, chaired by His Excellency Dr. Chou Vichit, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and Chairman of the NEC (NCTF) with the participation of HE Dr. Kun Nhim, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, Director General of the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia, Deputy Chairman of the NEC, HE Sok Sopheak, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Commerce, Deputy Chairman of the NEC Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Ladies and Gentlemen from relevant Ministries and Institutions who are members of the NEC. And represent development partners. The purpose of this meeting is to review the progress of the implementation of the WTO-TFA Agreement, promote the effectiveness of the implementation of the agreement, approve the implementation of the Roadmap for Trade Agreement 2022-2025 and the direction of implementation.

His Excellency Dr. Chou Vichit, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, praised the achievements and progress made by the NCDD and the Secretariat in the nearly two years since the establishment of the NCDD. In particular, ensuring the operation and functioning of the NCDD and the Secretariat, timely notification to the WTO Trade Facilitation Committee as determined by the agreement, finalizing the Draft roadmap and mobilization of resources for technical and financial assistance.
In total, the meeting decided to set the following work directions as follows:

1. To request the committee members who are representatives from the relevant institutions to set up a technical working group in their institution to cooperate with the secretariat working group to check the gaps in the laws, regulations, procedures or other infrastructure of Cambodia in accordance with the agreement. WTO-TFA to develop additional implementation plans or action plans to ensure that Cambodia’s implementation of the WTO-TFA is fully compliant.
2. Request the relevant institutions to promote the implementation of the provisions of the WTO-TFA Agreement in Category A and Category B
3. Request development partners to examine the possibility of continuing to provide targeted technical and financial assistance, especially on the provisions that Cambodia has designated as Category C, to promote the full implementation of the WTO-TFA.
4. Encourage ministries / institutions that are slow to participate in the implementation of the one-stop-shop system.
5. Request the Ministries / Institutions and the Cambodian Chamber of Commerce to participate in the preparation of a biennial action plan to implement the roadmap document on trade facilitation 2022-2025 approved by the meeting
6. Promote the launch of the NCDD website to disseminate information on the progress of work related to trade facilitation in Cambodia
7. Compile and publish a set of legal regulations related to trade facilitation agreements and distribute them to members of ministries / institutions and the private sector
8. Request HE Dr. Kun Nhim, Permanent Vice President of the NCDD and Chairman of the Secretariat, to continue to coordinate with the ministries / institutions, development partners and the private sector on trade facilitation work, along with some other necessary work to support the implementation of the work. Agree to the WTO-TFA and
9. Request the Secretariat to prepare a report on the progress of the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement to the Economic and Financial Policy Committee.

At the end of the meeting, His Excellency Dr. Chou Vichit, Minister and Delegate to the Prime Minister, expressed his pleasure and gratitude to His Excellency, Lok Chumteav, Neak Oknha, Lok Oknha, Ladies and Gentlemen for taking the time to attend the meeting. For the first time, we sincerely hope that Excellencies, Lok Chumteavs, Neak Oknha, Lok Oknha, Ladies and Gentlemen, will bring the results of today’s meeting to report to their leadership in order to continue the good cooperation within the framework of the National Mediation Committee. Trade. Continuing to actively advise and implement with a high sense of responsibility of relevant ministries and institutions and the private sector is an important basis to achieve full implementation of the provisions of the WTO-TFA in the future. Coming soon, which is a contribution to promote trade facilitation, increase the investment climate and competitiveness in Cambodia to be more attractive and better in line with the policy of the Royal Government of Cambodia under the wise leadership of Samdech Akka Moha Moha General Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.