Sri Lankan government to establish National Single Window to facilitate trade and boost exports
The Government of Sri Lanka has decided to establish a National Single Window (NSW) to facilitate trade and boost exports by 2030, The Sunday Morning Business has reported.
The “definitive date” of 31 December 2030 which was recently confirmed by the Sri Lankan Government to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is eight years later than the “indicative date” of 31 December 2022 initially provided by the Government.
National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) Secretary General/CEO Shiham Marikar says that exporters have been requesting for the NSW to be implemented for years now and delaying it by eight years is disappointing.
“This is a really long time for implementation. Exporters will be unhappy with this move. The progress is really slow,” Marikar has said.
He has added that he understands almost 50 line agencies have to be digitalised and undergo certain changes which will consume a considerable time in Sri Lanka, but emphasised that the Government should pressurise these line agencies to make the relevant changes sooner.
According to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance, three systems have already been developed and brought online for testing as of now – National Plant Quarantine Service, Department of Animal Production and Health, and Sri Lanka Standards Institute. However, for the implementation of the NSW, the Government has to develop the infrastructure of the rest of the line agencies.
The Sunday Morning Business has also spoken to the Lanka Fruit and Vegetable Producers, Processors, and Exporters Association (LFVPPEA) Chairman Zuraish Hashim who has noted that if Sri Lanka is going to take long to implement the NSW, the country will never be able to meet international requirements.
“People who are behind the NSW know the importance of it, so they have to push this. Otherwise, due to such delays, we will go further down in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index and that in turn will impact our foreign direct investments (FDI). Everything is interconnected,” Hashim has said.
OSL take:
The government of Sri Lanka is engaged in a continuous programme to uplift and develop the country’s business environment in order to boost the country’s overall economy. This has resulted in the expansion of business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, especially in the field of technology. Foreign companies could explore business opportunities in Sri Lanka’s programme to uplift and upgrade business technologies.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/11092019/Z_4 |