Trade Facilitation in ASEAN and ASEAN+1 FTAs: An Analysis of Provisions and Progress

Regional trade agreements concluded in recent years have increasingly included provisions on trade facilitation. Although ASEAN 1 FTAs vary in their scope, specificity and depth of commitments on trade facilitation, they tend to cover several core areas and affirm the application of international agreements, standards and instruments. A review of trade facilitation performance through a constructed Core Trade Facilitation Index shows that there are great disparities among ASEAN countries and their FTA partners. In considering the treatment of trade facilitation in a regional comprehensive economic partnership between ASEAN and its dialogue partners, attention could be given to defining a consistent set of trade facilitation principles, adopting specific measures, monitoring performance, implementing capacity-building measures and keeping abreast of developments in multilateral negotiations on trade facilitation.