The Asia-Pacific report is part of a global Survey effort on the implementation of trade facilitation and paperless trade measures, undertaken jointly by the five United Nations Regional Commissions – ECA, ESCAP, ECLAC and ESCWA as well as UNCTAD.

Based on the 2023 United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation, this report examines the progress of trade facilitation reforms across 47 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The report offers a comprehensive analysis based on 60 trade facilitation measures, which are categorized into four groups – “General Trade Facilitation,” “Digital Trade Facilitation,” “Sustainable Trade Facilitation” and “Other Trade Facilitation.” These measures encompass both binding and non-binding measures of the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA) as well as measures extending beyond the scope of the TFA. The Survey shows continued progress in streamlining and digitalizing trade processes in Asia and the Pacific, with the regional average implementation rate for 31 “General” and “Digital” trade facilitation measures stood at 67% in 2023.

The report, based on the latest available data, reaffirms the substantial benefits that digital trade facilitation measures can bring to countries in the region. Empirical evidence shows that full digital trade facilitation implementation beyond the WTO TFA commitments could reduce average trade costs in the region by approximately 11%, almost 6 percentage points more than the expected reduction from compliance with both binding and non-binding requirements of the WTO TFA.

For other reports and the results of the UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2023, please visit http://wwww.untfsurvey.org