2021年亚太贸易便利化报告（英）-87页_11mb

Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Report 2021 Summary

Core Content

The Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Report 2021 examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trade facilitation and supply chains of critical goods in the region. It highlights the disruptions, recovery efforts, and resilience strategies adopted by countries to ensure the flow of essential items such as vaccines, personal protective equipment (PPE), and food. The report also emphasizes the importance of digital and sustainable trade facilitation in enhancing trade efficiency, economic recovery, and regional cooperation.

Main Views and Key Information

Trade Facilitation and Digitalization

• Trade costs in Asia and the Pacific have remained high, especially in South Asia, with intraregional trade costs reaching ~128% tariff equivalent.
• Digital trade facilitation has gained momentum, with the implementation of 31 general and digital trade facilitation measures rising to 64.9% in 2021, up from 58.9% in 2019.
• Australia and New Zealand led in implementation with 96.8%, followed by East Asia (82.5%), Southeast Asia and Timor-Leste (74.3%), and Central Asia and the Russian Federation (71.4%).
• The Pacific subregion lagged behind, with an implementation rate of 40.1%, but still made substantial progress despite the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Impact of the Pandemic on Supply Chains

• The pandemic disrupted global and regional value chains, especially for critical goods like vaccines, PPE, and food.
• Export bans, strict border controls, and public health measures exacerbated the supply chain issues.
• Supply chain vulnerabilities were exposed due to concentrated production, limited inventories, and inadequate logistics infrastructure.

Supply Chain Resilience

• Supply chain resilience is essential for ensuring the availability of critical goods and economic recovery.
• Digital and paperless trade is crucial for seamless cross-border movement of goods, especially during health emergencies.
• Sustainable trade facilitation is needed to support vulnerable groups and sectors, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs), women, and the agricultural sector.

Case Studies

• Vaccines: Supply was limited due to concentration in a few countries and production bottlenecks. The Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade is seen as a tool to enhance digital trade and reduce trade costs.
• PPE: Early stages of the pandemic led to shortages, with export restrictions and concentrated supply chains limiting availability.
• Food Supply Chains: Domestic and international disruptions affected the movement of labor and goods, leading to wastage and price volatility. Export bans on basic food items further strained regional supply chains.

Policy Implications

Global and Regional Cooperation

• Regional cooperation is vital for sustaining trade and ensuring equitable access to critical goods.
• APEC economies implemented new trade facilitation measures to address supply chain disruptions.
• The COVAX facility and the Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility were established to support equitable vaccine distribution.

Open Trade and Trade Facilitation

• Open trade and trade facilitation are key to economic recovery.
• Countries should avoid export restrictions and non-tariff measures to maintain smooth trade flows.
• Transparency on trade restrictions is essential to build trust and support recovery.

Digital Technology

• Digital technologies can enhance supply chain monitoring, streamline customs procedures, and improve data sharing.
• Single windows and e-registration of travel documents are recommended to facilitate trade and reduce costs.

Targeted Assistance

• Targeted support is needed for vulnerable economies and groups.
• Agricultural reforms should focus on improving access to digital infrastructure, rural financing, and value chain development.
• Trade finance programs are essential to support SMEs in the PPE supply chain.

Role of Multilateral Institutions

• Multilateral institutions such as the World Customs Organization (WCO) and World Health Organization (WHO) played a key role in standardizing the import of critical goods.
• The WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and the UN Framework Agreement are key tools for reducing trade costs and enhancing digital trade.
• Multilateral development banks should continue to support regional trade facilitation policies and build institutional capacity.

Conclusion and Way Forward

• Trade facilitation is a crucial tool for reducing trade costs and enhancing supply chain resilience.
• Digitalization and sustainability are interlinked and synergistic in trade facilitation.
• Regional cooperation, open trade, and targeted support are essential for post-pandemic recovery and sustainable development.
• Accelerating digital trade facilitation could cut trade costs by over 13% in the region.
• Inclusive and resilient trade mechanisms are needed to support SMEs, women, and vulnerable sectors.

Key Tables and Figures

• Implementation rates of trade facilitation measures in 2021: 64.9% (up from 58.9% in 2019).
• Pacific subregion implementation rate: 40.1% (lowest among subregions).
• Full digital trade facilitation could reduce average trade costs by more than 13%.

Key Boxes

1. Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific: A UN treaty that entered into force in early 2021, providing a dedicated, inclusive, and capacity-building platform for digital trade facilitation.
2. Food Supply Chain Disruptions in Select Asian Countries: Highlighted the impact of domestic and international disruptions on food supply and price volatility.
3. Trade Facilitation for Essential Goods during the Pandemic: Showcased the importance of trade facilitation in ensuring swift movement of medical and essential goods.

Conclusion

The Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Report 2021 underscores the need for digital and sustainable trade facilitation to mitigate the impact of the pandemic and build resilient supply chains. It calls for greater regional cooperation, inclusive policies, and targeted assistance to support vulnerable economies and groups in recovery and sustainable development.