Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2016-01-06

Trade Facilitation

- It is of paramount importance to streamline the relevant procedures pertaining to the Customs and the International Trade, in achieving the Sri Lanka's expectation of becoming a Maritime Commercial Hub. The final text of the proposed Agreement on the Trade Facilitation was adopted at the 09th WTO Ministerial Conference held in Indonesia in December 2013, with the objective of further expediting and making easy the customs clearance and cross-border procedures followed pertaining to the import and export of goods. Member States of the organization adopted the protocol amendment in November 2014, to incorporate that Agreement into the Marrakesh Agreement, establishing the WTO and the said Agreement has to be ratified by the Member States. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, to ratify the said Agreement, was approved by the Cabinet.