Building the ASEAN Community- ASEAN Transport Facilitation: Connecting Borders through Seamless Transportation
An integrated and efficient transport system will enhance regional connectivity and facilitate free flow of goods and movement of people, which is one of the critical elements for the realisation of a single market and production base under AEC. Within such transport system, apart from good physical infrastructure networks (roads, railways, ports and airports), transport regulations and procedures governing the movement of transport means play no less important role in facilitating the free flow of goods and movement of people.
Recognising the important role of transport, ASEAN has been addressing the issues related to transport facilitation since 1990s. ASEAN Member States concluded the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit (AFAFGIT) in 1998 and the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Inter-State Transport (AFAFIST) in 2009 to simplify and harmonise transport and customs procedures for goods in transit and inter-state transport of goods. The ASEAN Framework Agreement on Multimodal Transport (AFAMT) was concluded in 2005 to facilitate the development and operationalisation of efficient multimodal transport services adequate to the requirements of international trade.
The ASEAN Member States have agreed to implement AFAFGIT with the support of an automated customs transit system in three pilot countries, namely Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. The ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) would act as a catalyst for the implementation of AFAFGIT and provide full end-to-end computerisation of transit operations with single electronic customs transit declaration. This implementation will facilitate smooth movement of trucks and drivers across borders with no transhipment for transit goods required at the border points. The pilot testing will be conducted during May – October 2016 with one mode of transport (road), limited category of goods, for small number of customs offices and selected transport operators crossing particular designated transit transport routes.
With the implementation of ACTS and AFAFGIT, traders are allowed to transport their goods freely between different countries, from point-to-point with fewer obstacles and delays. Customs and transport procedures will be minimised and the goods can be transported in each transit country with the same truck. Movement of goods will be much faster with the reduced procedural complexity. This will lead to lower cost for traders which in turn will help to increase intra-regional trade within ASEAN.
To support greater people mobility within the region, as mandated by the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, the development of the ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Cross-Border Transport of Passengers (ASEAN CBTP) is underway. The ASEAN CBTP will lead to an increased flow of people through facilitation of seamless passenger traffic and a reduction of transport costs within ASEAN to further promote, develop and enhance tourism, investment, trade and cultural exchange among ASEAN Member States.
1. ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Goods in Transit
2. ASEAN Framework Agreement on the Facilitation of Inter-State Transport For more information, please visit http://www.asean.org/communities/asean-economiccommunity/category/overview-17 or send an email to aimo@asean.org
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Source: asean.org
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