Promoting and implementing trade facilitation in Timor-Leste during COVID-19 pandemic crisis
Timor-Leste has
yet to graduate from the Least Developed Country (LDC) status. As a LDC
country, there are still some gaps that impede international trade transactions
in Timor-Leste. Those challenges include an inefficient organization, equipment
issue, inadequate infrastructure and policy and regulatory hurdles.
The world has
traded across borders more now than at any time in history. Countries in Asia
as well as Australia and New Zealand account for most of Timor-Leste’s trade
and investment flows. Timor-Leste’s non-oil trade is heavily concentrated on a
small number of goods and services, since Timor-Leste is still at early stage
of economic development. Increasing foreign direct investments and greater diversification
of exports are critical to stimulate productive activity within the country and
reduce the reliance on oil and gas revenues.
Globally, the
COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt trade activities and threaten public
health and livelihoods. In Timor-Leste, the COVID-19 pandemic crisis has slowed
down the economic activities. Estimates suggest that the economy in Timor-Leste
contracted by about 7 percent in 2020, the largest decline since independence.
Although the borders between Timor-Leste and neighbouring countries were closed
for people movement during COVID-19 restrictions, Timor-Leste managed to
facilitate the movement of goods and cargo imported, exported and in transit.
In responding to
the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Timor-Leste has strategically
developed economic recovery plans, in which the provision of support to private
sector development is one of the key elements.
What is
TradeInvest Timor-Leste?
Promoting and developing Timor-Leste’s investment and export potentials is imperative. Timor-Leste's major objectives on private investments are to promote and facilitate both domestic and foreign investment and to increase the role of the private sector in the country's economic development and diversification, particularly by creating employment opportunities and stimulating export growth.
TITL, the
Investment and Export Promotion Agency of Timor, is apublic institute created
to perform its main functions in promoting, facilitating, monitoring and
advocating for private investments and exports in the country. The law
governing private investments and export promotion in Timor-Leste is
administered by TITL.
How didTradeInvest Timor-Leste contribute to facilitating
trade during COVID-19 pandemic?
Simplifying
procedures
One of the vital
steps towards the objective of economic integration in Timor-Leste is to
implement digital trade facilitation that involves a comprehensive upgrading of
Timor’s national single window platform for trade activities. Since 2016,
Timor-Leste’s Customs Authority has demonstrated a clear commitment to improve
the efficiency of customs clearance processes to facilitate trade. It is
evident that there is an increasing importance of digital trade facilitation
accelerated by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, TITL
has become the first relevant government agency to integrate into the national
single window system, in which a technical cooperation agreement between
Customs Authority and TITL was signed in February 2021 for the implementation
of the system.
One crucial role
of TITL is to promote and facilitate private investments in Timor-Leste. Under
the Timor-Leste’s Private Investment Law, the Government provides fiscal (e.g.
tax and customs) and non-fiscal (e.g. land lease) incentives to both national
and foreign investors wishing to obtain an investment certificate issued
through TITL. In performing its facilitation role to private investors holding
investment certificate, TITL has utilized digital trade facilitation and
implemented the national single window system aiming at decreasing bureaucratic
procedures, time savings and less paperwork for cross-border trade operations.
Trading in Timor-Leste becomes cheaper, faster, simpler and greener.
During the COVID-19 crisis, the role of technology in promoting trade facilitation has become increasingly prominent in Timor-Leste. TITL facilitates investment certificate holders in getting approval of their imported materials for investment projects, with 100% import tax exemptions by utilizing the electronic single window system, which is based on UNCTAD Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA). Up until now, TITL has utilized the electronic single window system and been able to handle up to 10 investment incentive beneficiaries to process declaration for import tax exemptions and clearance of imported goods as part of the government incentives provision. This has helped not only to make this kind of transactions cheaper, faster, simpler and greener but also safer, helping to avoid physical contacts as part of COVID-19 restrictions protocol in the country.
Another crucial role of TITL is to facilitate the disclosure of online information related to export promotion in Timor-Leste, creating a more transparent trade environment. Timor-Leste ranks 181 out of 190 in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index Report 2020. Some constraints include the absence of easily accessible platform for relevant information, high reliance on personal networks and lack of clarity about business set-up processes. This is quite evident for the business community in Timor-Leste with export orientation. Therefore, TITL promotes openness and accountability of Government’s actions by disclosing online information related to trade procedures in a way that public can readily and easily access and use it, especially in difficult times of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, information on trade procedures is provided by multiple sources such as TITL, Customs Authority and its registered Customs Brokers and other relevant line ministries and agencies. This makes accessing information difficult. TITL is working on improving the situation by consolidating information related to trade processes and procedures and making this information available through a user-friendly digital format. The online trade information portal will facilitate transparency and communication of regulations and information related to export, import and transit procedures with the national and foreign trade community, in line with Article 1.2 of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.
To support boosting implementation of trade facilitation in Timor-Leste during COVID-19 pandemic crisis, TITL is in the process of developing an online “Exporter Guide” aiming at facilitating and providing businesses with detailed information on all steps required for export and import. The digital platform will be expected to facilitate and assist traders in a user-friendly way by clearly describing regulatory requirements and mandatory processes as well as relevant stakeholders and their respective functions. This digital exporter guide will be made available to public via TITL official website.
In conclusion, trade facilitation and investment are a crucial part of Timor-Leste’s strategy for economic growth, job creation and poverty alleviation. This has been embedded in the Timor-Leste’s National Strategic Development Plan (SDP) 2011-2030.
Since its restoration of independence in 2002, Timor-Leste has struggled to attract foreign direct investments, develop domestic production and diversify exports beyond oil and gas sector. In order to integrate Timor-Leste’s economy into regional and global value chains, following aspects must be considered: strengthening institutional and regulatory framework, intensifying human resources development and improving overall economic competitiveness.
Despite the challenges and gaps, Timor-Leste has strengthened trade relations with the regional and international community and is currently working towards its accession into ASEAN and WTO membership as well as European Union-Economic Partnership Agreement (EU-EPA). This can provide a strong foundation to improve Timor-Leste’s economic competitiveness, facilitate international trade transaction and secure access to growing markets for Timorese goods and services.
TradeInvest Timor-Leste (TITL) has become part of the government institution in promoting and implementing trade facilitation in Timor-Leste during COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The successful implementation of the digital trade facilitation initiative was possible thanks to the private sector engagement. Hence, TITL should ensure the simplification, transparency and accountability related to trade and investment in Timor-Leste is effectively and efficiently provided to private sector players through a “public-private” dialogue platform as, for instance, in the framework of the Timor-Leste Trade Facilitation Committee.
TITL has understood its critical role in this context and is committed to accelerate implementation of simplification and transparency measures to make trade in Timor-Leste cheaper, faster, simpler, greener and, foremost, safer, as the shadow of COVID-19 keeps darkening the future of global recovery.
