Cost and Benefits of Implementing Trade Facilitation Measures under Negotiations at the WTO: an Exploratory Survey

After a review of implementation cost information found in WTO members proposals to the NGTF and relevant research and policy studies, results of an expert survey on the implementation costs associated with 12 trade facilitation measures (TFMs) relevant to the negotiations are presented. Long-term savings greatly exceed the perceived implementation costs for all measures considered. However, TFMs under consideration by the NGTF for possible inclusion in revised GATT articles V, VIII and X should be selected carefully as overall cost implications for Governments differ significantly across measures, as does time needed for implementation in LDCs.