In a session on trade facilitation and Africa, in parallel to the UN/CEFACT Forum, EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton warned that "the current economic crisis could push a further 90 million people in developing countries into poverty this year." She emphasised that while aid was important and the European Commission was committed to delivering on its aid promises, developed countries should also be working "to better equip developing countries ... to take full advantage of the economic recovery when it comes."
In order to allow them to reap the benefits of trade, Commissioner Ashton recommended the adoption of simplified, transparent trade procedures, citing studies which show that globally the cost of trade procedures may range from 2% to 15% of the value of traded goods. She spoke about the benefits that some developing countries had already realised and about how both the EC and African countries agree that in light of these obvious benefits a rules-based agreement through the Doha round of trade talks was the way forward. She also emphasised that this was not only a problem for the developing world. A lack of transparency is often enough to stop small and medium-sized enterprises from exporting at all and in the EU only 3% of SMEs export outside the community.
Return to SITPRO News: Issue 68, Spring 2009
