Regional Organizations Cooperation Mechanism for Trade Facilitation

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The Regional Organizations Cooperation Mechanism for Trade Facilitation, or ROC-TF, is a cooperation mechanism between the subregional, regional, United Nations and other international organizations involved in trade facilitation activities in the Asia and Pacific region. The overall goal of the mechanism is to facilitate the exchange of information, identify synergies and promote collaboration for effective implementation of trade facilitation initiatives. The informal mechanism was established on the recommendation of ESCAP member States in July 2011.

As an initial step ESCAP, with the support of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), invited relevant regional/sub-regional organizations to take part in a dialogue on regional cooperation for trade facilitation, held on the side of the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum 2011. This meeting was attended by representatives of both ESCAP and ADB as well as, among others, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Secretariat, the World Customs Organization Regional Office and the Asia-Pacific Council for Trade Facilitation and e-Business (AFACT).

Following the recommendations made at the dialogue in 2011, electronic newsletters are published bi-annually and meetings are organized back to back with the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum

ROC-TF E-Newsletter

The ROC-TF electronic newsletter contains information, articles and briefs about projects, past and future activities, knowledge products of participating organizations and news related to trade facilitation.

ROC-TF Meetings

The ROC-TF meetings provide an opportunity for regional and global organizations active in trade facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region to share updates and information about their projects and activities. The meetings also seek to promote collaboration amongst organizations and strengthen regional cooperation on trade facilitation. Information about previous ROC-TF meetings is available below.