WTO貿易便捷化協定如何有助於新絲路？

How the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Contributes to the New Silk Road?

易便捷化（trade facilitation）問題在國際貿易自由化導向中堪稱是相當重要的議題，其含括摒棄行政貿易障礙（這些增加了貿易運作的實質與時間累贅，成為中小企業的出口瓶頸，終而不利於國家競爭力與經改），簡化國際貿易交易程序與強化透明度，俾利增加進出口貨品的量。自1996年世界貿易組織（WTO）新加坡部長級會議以來，貿易便捷化即為該組織成員討論的課題之一。此一問題也被含括在2001年杜哈（Doha）發展回合議程之內，且仍被納入現階段談判的議程之中（儘管有些議題已在2004年被排除）。貿易便捷化既符合已開發國家利益，也符合發展中國家的利益。此問題的核心是企業運作所伴隨而來的程序的便捷化與和諧化（harmonization）。此一課題若有進展，將會對企業界有重大助益，但這需要參與政府擴大投資。貿易相關手續的便捷化可視為大大有助於新絲路倡議的工具，因為貿易便捷化將可減少企業交易與國際貿易的成本，即有關供給鏈（supply chains），將有助於增加貿易量與交易。本文聚焦於討論貿易便捷化，且提供歐洲聯盟（EU）對此課題的觀點。

Trade Facilitation is a topic of the discussion of the members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since almost its establishment, since the WTO Ministerial Conference in Singapore in 1996. The issue has been included into the agenda of the current round of negotiations that has been open as Doha Development Agenda in 2001 and remains in it also after exclusion of some topics from the agenda in 2004. Trade Facilitation is in interest of developed as well as developing countries. The core of the issue is facilitation and harmonization of procedures accompanying business operation. Progress in this field will have significant benefits for business sphere, but it requires an extended investment from the participating governments. Trade facilitation in trade related procedures could be recognized as one of the important contribution to the New Silk Road, as it will ease the trade exchanges and reduce cost of business transaction namely in relation to supply chains, and it will contribute to the increasing trade volume exchanges. The text sums up the area of Trade Facilitation and provides also the EU perspective in this field.