The SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP)

The SECO-WCO Global Trade Facilitation Programme (GTFP) is the first joint initiative between the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO) and the World Customs Organization (WCO). Throughout its first phase, from 2018 to 2023, the GTFP supported fifteen Customs administrations (CAs), strengthening Customs management, facilitating cross-border trade, promoting the adoption of international standards and best practices, improving market access, and contributing to national and regional economic growth.

Based on the GTFP's positive results and remarkable impact, the SECO and the WCO decided to pursue a second phase of the Programme to further support our partners.

Overall objective

Building on the achievements and lessons learned of the first phase, the purpose of Phase II is to continue strengthening the organizational and technical capacities of beneficiary Customs administrations, to successfully lead, plan, and implement sustainable and transparent Customs reforms, with better involvement of the private sector and relevant stakeholders and apply international standards and best practices, particularly those of the WCO and the World Trade Organization (WTO), related to trade facilitation.

Areas of support

1. Organizational Development
Strengthening Customs' organizational capacity to manage reforms, ensure Customs administrations can fulfil their mission, and improve national and regional competitiveness.

2. Trade Facilitation
Supporting the implementation of efficient Customs procedures to facilitate the cross-border movement of goods and reduce trade-related costs. Also, include compliance topics related to trade facilitation measures to equipe Customs administrations with the technical skills and necessary expertise to implement effective and efficient Customs controls for ensuring compliance with laws, competitiveness, revenue security, and societal protection.

3. Continuous Learning and Public Goods
Promoting multidisciplinary cooperation among neighbouring Customs administrations through regional support, peer-to-peer learning, and best practice sharing. It also develops learning materials and expands the pool of experts for the global Customs community.

Partners

The GTFP Phase II is designed to assist the Customs Administrations of beneficiary countries in close coordination with the Ministries of Finance and Commerce, other government agencies, National Committees on Trade Facilitation, stakeholders, and the private sector involved in the importation, exportation, and transit of goods. Furthermore, it will be a coordinated endeavour with the SECO Headquarters in Switzerland, SECO Countries Offices and the Swiss Cooperation Offices (SCOs) in beneficiary countries.

Beneficiary Countries

(More countries can join the Programme at a later stage.)

For more details, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.