Trade facilitation in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam

Other Projects

THE PROJECT

Timeline: 2017 – 2018

Donor: Germany (GIZ)

Beneficiary: Cambodia, Thailand, Viet Nam

 

Background

The assignment commissioned by GIZ was undertaken in the period November 2017 – August 2018 to assist Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam in facilitating trade in selected agricultural goods. The tasks were implemented within the GIZ Facilitating Trade for Agricultural Goods in ASEAN project for the three countries.

Although in general, the level of intra-ASEAN trade is low, trade in agricultural goods (fruits and vegetables) between Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam is significantly higher. The project looks into the applicable procedures and regulations to identify possibilities for facilitating trade in safe agricultural products among the three countries, especially having in mind sanitary and phytosanitary and other import, export and transit procedures. The assistance seeks to reduce trade costs and improve economic well-being while strengthening health interests in the three countries.

Objective

The objective was to contribute to facilitating trade in Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam in the selected crops (lychee, longan, mango, banana, dragon fruit and chilli), focusing mainly on the SPS, TBT and other export and import measures and procedures. The primary objective was to provide recommendations for simplifying, aligning and streamlining regulations and procedures for transit, import and export of such crops towards reducing trade costs, increasing efficiency of the process and contributing to food safety.

 

The tasks were implemented within the GIZ Facilitating Trade for Agricultural Goods in ASEAN project for the three countries.

Activities

The following activities were implemented:

  1. Preparation of methodology and outline of country reports on “Assessment of Framework for Trade in Fruits and Possibilities for Facilitating Safe Trade.”
  2. Training of local GIZ staff from the three countries in Bangkok on technical issues, mapping and interviewing techniques;
  3. Backstopping in preparation of the country reports (mapping of existing procedures, identification and analysis of main trade barriers and country gaps)
  4. Participation at national validation workshops in Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City in March/April 2018
  5. Preparation of the regional report (“Regional Report on Possibilities for Facilitating Safe Trade in Selected Agricultural Products in Trade between Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam”)
  6. Presentation of findings and discussion on regional recommendations in the regional workshop held in Phnom Penh in April 2018.