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WHAT IS A SINGLE WINDOW?
As specified in UN/CEFACT Recommendation Number 33, the Single Window concept covered in these
Guidelines refers to a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized
information and documents with a single entry point to fulfil all import, export, and transit-related regulatory
requirements. If information is electronic, then individual data elements should only be submitted once.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON MODELS FOR A SINGLE WINDOW?
Although there are many possible approaches to establishing a Single Window, three basic models were
discerned from the review undertaken by the UN/CEFACT International Trade Procedures Working Group
(ITPWG/TBG15) of various systems that are currently in place or being developed2
. However, before
considering these models, it is important to point out that:
• Although many business and trade practices are common to all countries, each country will also have
its own unique requirements and conditions.
• A Single Window should represent a close cooperation between all involved governmental authorities
and agencies, and the trading community;
• A Single Window does not necessarily imply the implementation and use of high-tech information and
communication technology (ICT), although facilitation can often be greatly enhanced if Governments
identify and adopt relevant ICT technologies for a Single Window.
The three basic models for the Single Window are:
a) A Single Authority that receives information, either on paper or electronically, disseminates this
information to all relevant governmental authorities, and co-ordinates controls to prevent undue
hindrance in the logistical chain. For example, in the Swedish Single Window, Customs performs
selected tasks on behalf of some authorities (primarily for the National Tax Administration (import
VAT), Statistics Sweden (trade statistics), the Swedish Board of Agriculture and the national Board of
Trade (import licensing))
A Single Automated System for the collection and dissemination of information (either public or
private) that integrates the electronic collection, use, and dissemination (and storage) of data related to
trade that crosses the border. For example, the United States has established a program that allows
traders to submit standard data only once and the system processes and distributes the data to the
agencies that have an interest in the transaction. There are various possibilities:
i. Integrated System: Data is processed through the system
ii. Interfaced System (decentralised): Data is sent to the agency for processing
iii. A combination of i and ii.
An automated Information Transaction System through which a trader can submit electronic trade
declarations to the various authorities for processing and approval in a single application.
In this approach, approvals are transmitted electronically from governmental authorities to the trader’s
computer. Such a system is in use in Singapore and Mauritius. Moreover, in the Singaporean system,
fees, taxes and duties are computed automatically and deducted from the traders' bank accounts.
When establishing such a system, consideration could be given to the use of a master dataset, which
consists of specific identities, which are pre-identified and pre-validated in advance for all relevant
transactions3
.