OREANDA-NEWS. March 15, 2012. A training seminar on international best practices of introduction Single window for foreign trade was held at Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

This event is considered as a logical step in implementation of initiatives and priorities indicated by the leadership of the Republic of Uzbekistan. On 25 August 2011 decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov On Measures to Eliminate Bureaucratic Barriers and Further Enhance the Freedom of Entrepreneurship has been enacted which is subsequently became the basis for Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan On introduction on step-by-step basis the system of Single window for carrying out export operations dated 17 November 2011.

The main purpose of the seminar was to acquaint government officials involved in foreign economic activity with best international practices in introduction of the Single window system for foreign trade. The seminar was organized jointly with UNECE, UNCTAD, UNDP project Support to Foreign Trade and Investment Promotion in Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade.

The seminar was attended by more than 50 representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade, State Customs Committee, Central Bank, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Uzbekekspertiza, Uzbek Agency for Communication and Information, Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

During the seminar international experts from UNECE and UNCTAD made presentations on existing systems of single window" for foreign trade. Particularly the issues of introduction of e-customs, effective interagency cooperation, risk management, harmonization of data, including data collection, identification, analysis and reconciliation of data has been considered. Also various systems, standards, codes, and principal decision on integration of data were demonstrated to the participants of the seminar.

Special attention of the participants was driven to developing of the appropriate master plan for the phased introduction of the "single window" system for carrying out export operations in the Republic of Uzbekistan and carrying out analysis of existing business processes.

International experts noted during the seminar that the key success factors during the implementation single window system include strong government support, coordinated work of project team and customs, the proper use of international standards and latest IT technologies, also creation of appropriate organization structure, financial and human recourses capacity to make the system sustainable and developable.

The active exchange of opinions and huge number of questions from participants of the seminar confirmed the urgency and importance of this event in the implementation of "single window" system for export operations in Uzbekistan according to international standards.

Based on the result of seminar in the framework of the UNDP project Support to Foreign Trade and Investment Promotion in Uzbekistan jointly with UNECE it is planned to develop and distribute among representatives of interested government agencies the additional materials, which can be used as a guide in implementing the "single window" system in Uzbekistan.