The EU Nepal Trade and Investment Programme, in coordination with the Department of Customs, organised a public-private dialogue to jointly design the authorised business persons programme in line with the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement to reduce time and the cost of doing business.

Private sector representatives, including exporters and importers, were consulted. The programme aims to expedite the customs processes for trusted traders.

With technical support from the International Trade Centre, the Department of Customs is endeavouring to design, pilot and roll out its authorised business person programme based on globally recognised practices.

The programme is voluntary and open to importers and exporters, including MSMEs whose needs are being specifically catered for by the department within the programme.

“We can maximise the benefits and relevance of the authorised business persons programme by designing the programme with our private sector partners. The authorised business persons will be enriched after incorporating the inputs from the private sector, especially those involved in the global supply chain,” said Punya Bikram Khadka, director of the department.

Moti Mittal, the representative of the Nepal Overseas Traders Association, stressed the need to improve the trust between traders, and customs officials.

He lauded the collaborative approach adopted by the department for the design of the authorised business persons and the future introduction of this trust-based mutually beneficial programme that will provide preferential treatment to complaint trust-worthy traders.

Ram Chandra Parajuli, the representative of the Nepal Trans Himalayan Traders Association, said the competitive capacity of Nepali goods should be enhanced in international markets by expediting and simplifying the customs processes at a time when Nepal is scheduled to graduate from the Least Developed Country status by 2026.

He welcomed the introduction of the authorised business persons programme as such a project would enhance the international credibility and profile of exporters that will join.

“The authorised business persons programmes are globally recognised drivers for a predictable and transparent trading environment. Such programmes will not only foster the customs-business partnership and reduce the cost of trading across borders in Nepal but it will also raise the profile of the country, customs and its private sector worldwide,” said Richard Chopra, Senior Trade Facilitation Expert from International Trade Centre.

The EU-Nepal Trade and Investment Programme is conducting a week-long consultation with government officials and the private sector in Kathmandu to enhance the capacity of Nepali customs officials and the private sector in simplifying customs measures to facilitate exports and imports.