Borders without Barriers: Facilitating Trade in SASEC Countries

Abstract

Through data analysis and country-level studies, this book provides a deeper understanding of the state of trade facilitation in member countries of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program. In an age when the reliability of supply chains matters as much as the time and cost of trading, an economy’s trade facilitation agenda needs to encompass measures streamlining border procedures and policies on regulatory reform and infrastructure development. This book identifies four common trade facilitation priorities among SASEC members: (i) implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement and other international conventions; (ii) logistics and infrastructure development, and related regulatory reforms; (iii) coordinated border management; and (iv) institutions and capacity building.