Revista del CEI - Centro de Economía Internacional

Trade Facilitation:Definitions, WTO Negotiations and ImpactMarcelo Saavedra andVerónica FossatiAbstractTrade Facilitation (TF) constitutes one of the issues recently incorporated to WTO multilateral trade negotiations. Itbasically consists in eliminating obstacles to trade in goods –which increase transaction costs− by means of thesimplification and harmonisation of customs procedures, documentation and information flows. Nevertheless,regardless of the potential benefits of making foreign trade procedures more efficient, there exist certain mechanismswhich hamper the negotiation and subsequent implementation of these measures.This work analyses different TF-related components: its definition, the impact of TF measures, and the progress ofnegotiations in the frame of the WTO, summarising the proposals put forth by members and other features of thenegotiations. Similarly, some TF measures implemented in Argentina, MERCOSUR and other integration processesare described.