Kazakhstan discusses ways to simplify, digitalize and co-ordinate trade and transport procedures at OSCE-organized workshop in Astana

A two-day national workshop for representatives of the public authorities of Kazakhstan and the country’s business associations, aimed at implementing the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement, organized and moderated by the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, was held on 27 and 28 November in Astana.

The workshop focused on minimizing the administrative burden on businesses and promoting secure and sustainable connectivity by reducing documentary requirements, adopting international documentary standards, enhancing communication and co-operation between authorities, and introducing a single entry point for submission and receipt of trade documents.

This activity was a continuation of the workshop held in October 2018. The workshop was designed to respond to the needs identified by the authorities of Kazakhstan in the national Draft Plan of Action on the Implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement. The workshop concluded with a document summarizing the main points and conclusions of the discussion.

Representatives of the Ministry of National Economy, the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry for Investments and Development, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Healthcare, the Ministry of Education, and the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Atameken enhanced their competencies in available international standards for trade documents, including in the phytosanitary sphere, and in approaches to enhance co-ordination between stakeholders for successfully introducing a single window environment.

“Kazakhstan, as a member of many international organizations, is working actively to base national measures on international standards. Kazakhstan is also in the process of introducing a single window, and the workshop has been useful in this context,” said Gulnur Smagul, Deputy Director of the Department of Foreign Trade Activity at the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan.

“As Kazakhstan is looking to strengthen its role in global transport, a strong regulatory framework, improved inter-agency co-ordination, and digitalization are key factors for success,” said Jonas Grätz, OCEEA Economic Adviser.

The workshop was facilitated by experts from the World Customs Organization (WCO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

This activity is part of an OSCE extra-budgetary project on promoting connectivity in the OSCE region. It is funded by Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Kazakhstan is one of the beneficiary countries alongside Moldova and Belarus.