F02 - International Economic Order and IntegrationReturn

Trade Facilitation is a topic of the discussion of the members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since almost its establishment, since the WTO Ministerial Conference in Singapore in 1996. The issue has been included into the agenda of the current round of negotiations that has been open as Doha Development Agenda in 2001 and remains in it also after exclusion of some topics from the agenda in 2004. Trade Facilitation is in interest of developed as well as developing countries. The core of the issue is facilitation and harmonization of procedures accompanying business operation. Progress in this field will have significant benefits for business sphere, but it requires an extended investment from the participating governments. The text sums up the area of Trade Facilitation and deals with interests of the EU in this field.