WTO Members Begin Preparations for 2026 Trade Facilitation Review and Evaluate Capacity-Building Assistance

At the Committee on Trade Facilitation meeting on 1-3 December 2025, WTO members laid the groundwork for the second review of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in 2026, held its annual dedicated session on technical assistance and capacity building support, and continued experience-sharing sessions on digitalization and authorized economic operators (AEOs).

Context

· Meeting held 1–3 December 2025 to prepare for the second review of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) in 2026.

· Focused on technical assistance & capacity building (TACB), digitalization, and authorized economic operators (AEOs).

TFA Review 2026

· Members emphasized the review must be open, transparent, inclusive, and evidence-based.

· Areas of inquiry:

o Implementation progress and challenges.

o Effectiveness of technical assistance.

o Successes vs. provisions still posing difficulties.

· First review was conducted in 2021 (document G/TFA/2).

Technical Assistance & Capacity Building

· Annual TACB session held under Article 21.4.

· Featured experiences from Belize, Burkina Faso, EU, Japan, Norway, Paraguay, UK, Zambia.

· Updates from WTO Secretariat, TFAF, World Bank, UNCTAD, WCO, OECD, ITC, Global Alliance on Trade Facilitation.

· New technical assistance tracker launched in TFA database.

· TFAF survey highlighted geographic imbalances and need for better notification of assistance gaps.

Experience Sharing

· Digitalization:

o China: smart customs practices.

o Indonesia: national trade facilitation committee & single window.

o US: sequencing single-window implementation & user experience focus.

o Türkiye: single window development.

· AEOs: China and Hong Kong shared implementation practices.

· Members discussed themes for 2026 experience-sharing.

TFA Implementation Status

· 81% of provisions implemented by developing & LDC members.

· 161 ratifications (DR Congo joined in July 2025); 5 members yet to ratify.

· 2025 peak year for Category C measures (159 due).

· 356 extension requests submitted overall; majority for Category C provisions.

· Key challenges: single window, border agency cooperation, advance rulings, authorized operators, risk management.

· Increase in transparency notifications noted.

Other Committee Work

· ACP, African Group & LDC Group presented roadmap for sustainable financing of TFAF.

· Concerns raised on customs procedures in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand.

· LLDC Group & WTO Secretariat working on transit corridors report (draft open for comments).

· Next meetings scheduled: Feb 25–26, June 10–11, Oct 20–22, 2026.

Bottom Line: WTO members are preparing for the 2026 TFA review, focusing on evidence-based evaluation, strengthening technical assistance, addressing Category C implementation challenges, and enhancing cooperation on digitalization and AEO practices to advance global trade facilitation.

[ABS News Service/05.12.2025]

The TFA - aimed at expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit - is the first WTO agreement in which developing and least-developed country (LDC) members determined their own implementation schedules in accordance with their national priorities and capacities, and sought to acquire implementation capacity through the provision of technical assistance and capacity building (TACB) support.

TFA review in 2026

Members prepared for the second review of the TFA scheduled for 2026, highlighting that the process should be open, transparent and inclusive. Members also emphasized that the review should be evidence-based, focusing on both successes achieved and challenges encountered. Areas suggested for inquiry include what notifications reveal about implementation progress and difficulties, the status and effectiveness of technical assistance support, which TFA provisions have worked well, and which still pose challenges.

The Committee is required to review the operation and implementation of the TFA. The first review was carried out in 2021 and is contained in document G/TFA/2.

Technical assistance and capacity building

The Committee held its annual TACB dedicated session in accordance with Article 21.4 of the Agreement. The session featured remarks by the Director-General of Customs and Indirect Duties of the Republic of the Congo, Mr. Guénolé Mbongo Koumou. It also featured two panels on mobilization and coordination of TACB, showcasing experiences from Belize, Burkina Faso, the European Union, Japan, Norway, Paraguay, the United Kingdom and Zambia.

The Committee also heard updates from the WTO Secretariat, the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility (TFAF) and partner organizations including the World Bank, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the World Customs Organization (WCO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Global Alliance on Trade Facilitation.

The WTO Secretariat presented a new technical assistance tracker on the TFA database, providing more granular information on notified arrangements with donors for trade facilitation implementation. TFAF presented findings from its survey on TACB gaps, recommending that geographic imbalances in support distribution be addressed and that more information on assistance gaps be notified.

Experience sharing on digitalization and authorized economic operators

On digitalization, China made a presentation on smart customs practices in promoting trade facilitation, Indonesia shared information on its national trade facilitation committee and single window, while the United States delivered two presentations on sequencing implementation towards a single-window system and on how a focus on user experience can boost trade facilitation and compliance. Türkiye also delivered a presentation on the development of its single window.

Regarding AEOs, China and Hong Kong, China made presentations on their implementation practices. Members also discussed possible themes for experience sharing in 2026. The Chair, Mr Edem Kossi of Togo, is to hold further consultations.

All presentations are available in the TFA Database.

TFA implementation

The WTO Secretariat reported that nearly 81 per cent of TFA provisions have been implemented according to commitments by developing and LDC members. Following the ratification of the TFA by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in July 2025, the number of TFA ratifications now stands at 161, with just five members yet to ratify. The year 2025 marked a peak period for Category C implementation, with 159 measures due for implementation this year.

Category C measures are TFA provisions that developing and LDC members have indicated they will implement after a transitional period with the necessary technical assistance and capacity building. More information is available in the TFA database.

The Committee reviewed 14 extension request notifications under Article 17 of the TFA, covering 37 measures. As of this year, extension requests have been submitted for 356 measures, with about three quarters of extension requests pertaining to Category C provisions. The number of requests peaked this year, covering 93 measures. The provisions that generally pose the greatest challenge for members include single window, border agency cooperation, advance rulings, authorized operators and risk management.

Additionally, the Committee noted a significant increase in the number of transparency notifications.

Other Committee work

The African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group, the African Group and the LDC Group presented a joint communication (G/TFA/W/119) with a roadmap for sustainable financing of TFAF. In the context of a challenging financing environment, several members voiced support for maintaining TFAF's coordination role in supporting developing and LDC members in implementing Category C measures. The Chair indicated readiness to guide consultations with members heading into 2026.

The Committee continued its exchanges on customs procedures, with several members maintaining engagement with Indonesia on measures regarding customs procedures for intangible products. The United States also expressed concern that certain customs procedures in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand created incentives to impose customs penalties.

The Committee heard from the Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) Group and the WTO Secretariat Development Division regarding ongoing work on a report on transit corridors and the importance of linking economies through trade facilitation initiatives. Members still have an opportunity to comment on the draft report before it is finalized next year.

The next formal meetings of the Committee are scheduled for 25-26 February, 10-11 June and 20-22 October 2026.