Trade Facilitation - Turkey
WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement is about to enter into force and many member states require technical assistance to assume the responsibilities of the Agreement. In this regard, Turkey, as one of the countries that have placed nearly all of its commitments under Category A, will always be ready to provide its full support on this issue.
Trade facilitation in the ECO region
Together with Iran and Pakistan, Turkey formed the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in 1985. This was expanded to include Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in 1992. The main stated purpose of the ECO is to foster sustainable socio-economic development, and cooperation projects have been launched in priority areas including energy, trade and transportation.
In 2011 Member States agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to develop a draft of the ECO Trade Facilitation Agreement (ETFA) aiming at simplification of customs procedures, harmonizing transit trade mechanisms and adoption of transparent customs regulatory regimes. Unfortunately no meaningful progress has been achieved so far.
Source:
- http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkey_s-development-cooperation.en.mfa
- Trade Policy Review, Report by Turkey, World Trade Organization (WTO), Trade Policy Review Body, WT/ TPR/S/259/Rev.1, 7 March 2012
- Trade Policy Review, Report by Turkey, World Trade Organization (WTO), Trade Policy Review Body, WT/ TPR/S/259, 3 February 2012