Browsing: Bureau Veritas

• A single window system allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfill their needs.
• It centralizes all information and procedures related to the import, export, and transit of goods in a country.
• The single windows concept is transferable to various typologies, from Maritime Single to Port Community systems, Trade Single Window, and National Single Window applications.

Trade in Africa has become a widely discussed topic, plagued by infrastructural, innovation, and technical challenges. These issues have hindered the process, affecting economic growth, impeding intra-country business, and slowing the development of regional economic corridors.

It is evident that a sustainable trade environment is essential to enhance trade, which currently lags behind international standards.

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) came into effect in May 2019, holding the promise of transformation for the continent. It aims to foster and …

• As AfCFTA becomes a part of the daily business environment, governments and businesses need to know how product standards and regulations protect traders and the society.
• Governments need to create an enabling environment for investors, which becomes more attractive to foreign direct investment if harmonization of standards exists.
• Other trading blocs such as the European Union are strong because they collaborate on standards and compliance regulations.

The African continent presents huge potential for growth, and the recently introduced African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement promises to underpin trade facilitation and economic expansion, becoming the largest free trade area since the formation of the World Trade Organization in 1995.

The longest journey starts with a single step. Governments, public bodies, private institutions, and investors are engaging in conversations with a pointed focus on compliance standards, verification of conformities, and regulatory alignment to encourage safe import and export.

Africa’s current population …