Logistics sector will play a greater role for an economically integrated ASEAN
Singapore, Monday, 22 November 2010 - To facilitate collaboration between the ASEAN business community and the ASEAN governments, the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) organised its annual seminar on ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) 2015 today with focus on the logistics sector. The SBF seminar featured discussion on the challenges in the logistics sector faced by businesses in Singapore and the region as ASEAN gears up towards the AEC 2015.
Key industry experts in the logistics sector provided participants with insights on the supply chain integration, cross-border & multi-modal transport, behind-the-border market barriers, trades and customs facilitation. Some 50 participants representing businesses mainly from the logistics industry were apprised on ASEAN competitiveness as well as the advantages and challenges to be derived from ASEAN logistics integration as ASEAN moves towards the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015.
Chairman, ASEAN Business Advisory Council Singapore, as well as SBF Council Member and ASEAN Business Group Chairman, Dr Robert Yap, noted that "the business community of ASEAN hails the move to implement the ASEAN Connectivity Masterplan as very timely as ASEAN approaches the target date of 2015 for the achievement of the AEC. Too often, the ASEAN plans and signed agreements have not been implemented according to the respective timelines. Consequently, business plans are difficult to follow through and are subject to various changes along the way ... it is therefore heartening to know that the ASEAN Governments recognise that our region can no longer continue with business as usual. " Dr Yap is also the Chairman and CEO of YCH Group.
Other speakers at the seminar were Mr Dave Tan, Executive Director, Regional Office, Conference of Asia Pacific Express Carriers (CAPEC), who briefed the businessmen on ASEAN Connectivity- Impact of ASEAN Economic Community on logistics of doing business in ASEAN. Mr Koh Juay Meng, Managing Director, HITS Pte Ltd and President, Supply Chain Council, South East Asia, presented on the challenges for Singapore enterprises in liberalisation of ASEAN logistics sector. Presenting on the Ease of doing business in ASEAN - trade and customs facilitation issues was Mr Lee Tiow Yong, Assistant Director-General (Policy & Planning), Singapore Customs, while Asst. Prof Wong Marn Heong, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, covered ASEAN competitiveness - perspectives from Singapore & ASEAN business.
SBF's members in ASEAN-BAC serve to provide the connectivity between Singapore business and the ASEAN Governments on issues pertaining to the goals of regional economic integration.
Mr Kenneth Wong, Logistics Manager of Amos International (S) Pte Ltd, an SBF company member, said "We look forward to the successful implementation of the ASEAN Logistics roadmap. In a globalised economy like ours, our customers expect reliable services at competitive prices. We do a lot of import and export of our customers' cargo and spares within ASEAN. We place high emphasis in providing superior services and exceeding our customers' expectations. Therefore, it is important as a business entity that we do not lose competitiveness in terms of cost, time and reliability due to inefficiencies in cross-border documentary procedures or institutional rules and regulations. If the roadmap can iron out these issues, we will definitely see an improvement in our bottom-line and most importantly raise our competitiveness and value-add to our clients. At the macro level, it will certainly benefit all related companies throughout the supply chain in the ASEAN region."
Mr Stanley Lim, General Manager, Seagull Marine Services Pte Ltd, said, "As Singapore is a leader in logistics amongst ASEAN countries, the Logistics Roadmap will greatly facilitate Singapore in assisting the development of fellow ASEAN countries."
During the recent ASEAN Summit held in Hanoi on Oct 2010, the ASEAN Leaders approved the ASEAN Connectivity Masterplan which signify ASEAN's plans to deepen economic cooperation into practical effect. Envisaged to link up the 600 million people of ASEAN through a network of physical infrastructure and trade agreements by 2015, the Masterplan will also include links in the fields of culture and education to reach the ASEAN market.
ASEAN Connectivity entails physical connectivity (hard infrastructure, e.g., transportation, logistics facilities); people-to-people connectivity (tourism, education, culture); institutional connectivity (soft infrastructure, e.g, trade and investment facilitation, ASEAN Single Window (ASW), services liberalisation, capacity-building programmes). The overall aim is to improve the flow of goods, services, investments, labour, capital across ASEAN borders.
Enhanced ASEAN connectivity serves to achieve competitive growth; facilitate economies of agglomeration and integrated production networks; enhance intra-regional trade; attract more investments; promote deeper ties among ASEAN citizens; foster stronger sense of shared cultural and historical links.
ASEAN Master Plan on Connectivity involves sectoral bodies in the areas of ICT, Transport, Tourism, Energy, etc. There are initiatives for sub-regional and national infrastructure networks and other connectivity-related strategies. Enhanced East Asia Connectivity linked to key global markets involves cooperation, coordination and partnership with Dialogue Partners and external parties in expanding connectivity beyond ASEAN; such linkages would be deal with global norms, trends and regulations affecting connectivity
The ASEAN logistics roadmap comprises key areas such as market access including behind-the-borders barriers; trade and customs facilitation; cross-border and multimodal transport; public-private partnership.
Annex
Singapore's value of intra-ASEAN trade reached US$140,694 million in 2009, with its ASEAN trade to total trade registering 27.3 per cent.
Total ASEAN trade reached US$1.7 trillion in 2008, with intra-ASEAN trade amounting to US$458 billion. Total ASEAN trade grew by around 6%, with intra-ASEAN trade maintaining a constant share of around 25 % until 2008 when it reaches 26.8% due to the much slower growth of extra-ASEAN trade.
Source: ASEAN Secretariat
About ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY (AEC)
ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint was signed in November 2007 to transform ASEAN into a single market and production base by 2015. The aim is to achieve free movement of goods, services, investment, skilled labour and freer flow of capital within a pro-business environment. The ASEAN Charter was ratified by all ASEAN countries by December 2008, marking a milestone in giving ASEAN the legal basis to implement its various agreements.
Under AEC, Strategic Plan of Customs Development is to:
-- integrate customs structures
-- modernise customs techniques, guided by simple and harmonised customs procedures and formalities through the implementation of regional models of processing of cargoes and shipments (ASEAN Cargo Processing Model and ASEAN Customs Declaration Document in 2007) as committed;
-- establish ASEAN Customs Transit System to facilitate movement of goods and means of transport;
-- establish ASEAN Customs systems deal with special customs regimes such as Temporary Admission, Outward Processing and Inward Processing with the view to facilitate integration of production and supply chains;
-- modernise tariff classification, customs valuation and origin determination and establish ASEAN e-Customs;
-- adopt international standards and practices to secure a uniform system of tariff classification, a synchronised system of value assessment for customs purposes and a harmonised system of origin determination (origin conferring), and information exchange, where possible;
-- smoothen customs clearance;
-- strengthen human resources development;
-- implement ASEAN e-Customs;
-- promote mutual assistance for better customs efficiency and effectiveness.
ASEAN Customs Vision 2020
Over recent years, ASEAN customs co-operation has been gradually intensifying and the integration of customs systems within the region is a key element in the ASEAN Customs Vision 2020. The 2005 - 2010 ASEAN Strategic Plan for Customs Development (SPCD) sets out the concrete issues to be addressed.
One of the core components of the SPCD is the implementation of an ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) that will put into place the most efficient environment possible for the movement of goods and means of transport across national borders.
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