Will the single-window system aid governments in stopping the revenue leakage caused by customs fraud?
Single window is a tool for facilitation and greatly reduce the non – tariff barriers of compliance costs by facilitating better use of resources. The single window aims to expedite and simplify information flows between trade and government to bring meaningful gains to all parties involved in cross border trade. Single window is generally managed centrally by a lead agency, enabling appropriate government agencies concerned with cross border trade to have access to the information relevant to their functions
A single window is designed to overcome this complex system of data submission and regulatory control. It is designed to sit at the national junction of national and international trade data exchange, thereby presenting a single point of access to all other relevant trade systems. While the primary objective is the single electronic submission of data, establishing a single window necessitates a major rationalization of current approaches and requirements to trade administration and operations, especially the reuse, and elimination of duplication, of existing data wherever possible, together with widespread e-Government applications and trade related ministry and non-governmental organization (NGO) systems .The major types of organizations who are active in single window applications are:
· Importers, exporters (consignors and consignees);
· Trade professionals (freight forwarders, customs brokers and shipping agents);
· Shipping companies, airlines, road, rail and inland waterways, duty free zones, dry ports and multimodal cargo depot, and dry ports;
· Ports and airports, container terminals, bulk terminals, port gate operations and local port road and rail transport;
· Customs and Other Government Agencies (OGA): These typically include all agencies that have a trade compliance responsibility, licensing, permit issuing and/or inspection responsibilities
UN/CEFACT Recommendation No. 33 contains this broad definition of a single window: “As specified in UN/CEFACT Recommendation Number 33, the Single Window concept refers to a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfil all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements. If information is electronic, then individual data elements should only be submitted once”.
India’s has also established a “National Single Window System” (NSWS) as a step towards trade facilitation
How does NSWS help you?
The National Single Window System (NSWS) is a digital platform to guide you in identifying and applying for approvals according to your business requirements. The Know Your Approvals (KYA) module includes guidance for 32 Central Departments and 31 States. You are advised to check the relevant Government portals for any other required approvals. The portal hosts applications for approvals from 26 Central Departments and 19 State Governments. These approvals can be applied through NSWS.
Recently, the Regulation on the European Union Parliament has also established European Union Single Window Environment for Customs
Customs fraud has been a problem for governments all around the world, and they have used a variety of techniques to find revenue leaks, including supervised, semi-supervised, unsupervised, and post-clearance audit.
