Interactive Session on Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and The Clear-in-Pune mission

Pune Customs House Agents’ Association (PCHAA) Interactive Session on Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and The Clear-in-Pune mission of PCHAA.

Mr. Samir J Shah, Chairman of the Freight Forwarder’s Association of India and Member of the National Committee on Trade Facilitation alongwith Mr. Santosh Vatsa, Jt. Commissioner of Customs, Pune were keynote speakers at this well-attended event.

Mr. Shah dwelt on Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), an international trade measure of WTO. India has recently ratified the Implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.

TFA has the potential to increase global merchandise exports by up to $1 trillion per annum, according to the WTO’s flagship World Trade Report released on 26 October 2015.

The Trade Facilitation Agreement entered into force on 22 February 2017 when the WTO obtained the two-thirds acceptance of the Agreement from its 164 members.
115 WTO Members have domestically ratified a Protocol of Amendment and notified the WTO of their acceptance of this Protocol. This Protocol of Amendment, which was officially opened for acceptance on 27 November 2014, will insert the Agreement on Trade Facilitation into the WTO Agreement.

Jt. Commissioner Vatsa explained in detail the initiatives of Government of India to facilitate Ease of doing business in international trade. Mr. Vinod Sharma - President, Mr. Rajdeepak Bhargava - Founder President alongwith Mr. Pradeep Kale of PCHAA coordinated this interactive session. Ease of doing business is a key element of the TFA and Government of India has formally committed itself to WTO and WCO norms.

WTC Pune and Pune Customs are also promoting the Clear-in-Pune mission to facilitate international trade in the Pune region