Logistics Data Exchange for the EDI Customs Clearance System based on XML

Because of the disconnection between the Logistics services trading platform and the EDI customs clearance system, the logistics clearance data needed to be gathered manually, and the efficiency of customs clearance was rather low. In view of this problem, a logistics data exchange method based on the XML technology was proposed, which firstly achieved the batch extraction and conversion of the logistics clearance data that came from the Logistics services trading platform. Then, the data was transferred to the customs broker. Finally, the data was parsed by deserialization and submitted to the EDI customs clearance system automatically. The logistics data exchange method achieved the connection between the logistics services trading platform and the EDI customs clearance system, and raised the efficiency of customs clearance

Studies in Trade and Investment: The Development Impact of Information Technology in Trade Facilitation

International trade has been, and continues to be, one of the most important factors in the growth and development of the Republic of Korea. Because of the importance of trade, the Republic of Korea has always been interested in ways of making trade easier and faster. By the late 1990s, the Republic of Korea was one of the most "wired" countries in the world. Given the rapid pace of IT adoption, it made sense for the Republic of Korea to utilize IT for customs procedures and trade facilitation. The Government of the Republic of Korea vigorously pursued extensive use of IT for cargo clearance in order to reduce transaction costs and regulatory burden for traders, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).Trade facilitation, ICT, IT, SMEs, international trade, customs, the Republic of Korea

Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Adjustments to Information Technology (IT) in Trade Facilitation: The South Korean Experience

This report examines how IT was incorporated into cargo clearance procedures in Korea, and what its implications are for traders, SMEs in particular. After a short introduction in Section I, Section II examines the definition of SMEs in Korea, and SMEs’ role in Korean trade. In Section III, we describe the history of the adoption of IT in Korean cargo clearance. The introduction of IT to cargo clearance procedures in Korea can be roughly divided into two stages. The first stage includes the implementation of: Preparation for Customs Clearance Automation (1980s-1992), EDI Customs Clearance Automation Six Year Plan (1992-1997), Establishment of Paperless Customs Clearance System (1997-2001); and the Plan for Establishment of Infrastructure for Information Technology and Knowledge Management (2001-2003). The main accomplishment of the first stage was a Value Added Network / Electronic Data Interchange (VAN/EDI) which linked KCS and traders in 1996. The system was subsequently expanded so that traders could access the system through the Internet.. The second stage begun in 2003, and has nearly reached completion in 2008. The goal of the second stage is to build an e-trade system where IT is used at every stage of trade, encompassing not only government-business (traders) transactions such as cargo clearance, but all trade-related transactions including business-business transactions as well. This second stage involves the establishment of an e-trade network and “uTradeHub,” which ties not only government with traders, but other trade-related organizations and private agencies such as shippers, insurers, banks and financial institutions. These projects were carried out with considerations for SMEs in mind. Section IV describes the results of the adoption of IT into cargo clearance. We find that IT has significantly lowered costs and sped up the cargo clearance process. Section V includes some case examples of individual firms which use the e-trade network for cargo clearance. Lastly, section VI tries to draw some lessons for other countries which seek to adopt IT into cargo clearance. These lessons include: 1) Adopting IT to cargo clearance must be a part of a comprehensive customs procedure reform. 2) Legal framework must accompany the adoption of IT and e-trade 3) Single network and single standard may be more useful than variety 4) Keep It Simple 5) The e-trade system and paperless trade system is meant to be used by the widest number of people. 6) Trust must be built between SMEs and government agencies. 7) Usefulness of e-trade will increase exponentially when more countries join.SME, Information Technology, Trade Facilitation, Korea

Studies in Trade and Investment: The Development Impact of Information Technology in Trade Facilitation

This chapter examines the extent of automation of trade facilitation in Sri Lanka and assesses the impact of automation on SMEs in Sri Lanka. The focus of the study was on the experiences of the garment industry, which has been an important driver in the Sri Lankan economy in recent years.Trade facilitation, automation, garment industry, IT, SMEs, export, customs, Sri Lanka

E-business innovation and customs renovation for secure supply chain management

Includes bibliographyInformation technologies (ITs) and supply chain management (SCM) are increasingly considered as indispensable tools of competitiveness especially for companies facing excessive global competition, although these companies have not necessarily succeeded in taking full advantage of such cutting-edge technologies and management systems. Their use, especially of international SCMs, is limited to a small number of purchaser-suppliers groups that are formed primarily by transnational corporations (TNCs). The factors impeding a proliferation of SCMs at a global scale include the difficulties that companies face in establishing flexible electronic data interchange (EDI) systems with their business partners, the high costs involved in building seamless and real-time information sharing systems where long-term business partnerships do not exist, and uncertainty on and high costs involved in international trade such as trade finance and customs procedures. In addition, the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 in New York magnified national security concerns, which seem to have a negative effect on global SCMs. On the other hand, new technological innovations in web services and tracking/tracing are emerging from the efforts to overcome these hurdles. This paper examines the late efforts on e-commerce, customs modernization, and trade facilitation, in response to the recent dynamic progress in information and web technologies. In the first chapter, we study some cases of SCMs emphasizing the importance of the state of the art information systems as an important instrument of trade facilitation. The second chapter reviews the recent efforts by the international community for trade facilitation, as well as new technologies and services based on eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML) and radio frequency identification (RFID) that have a great potential to change the online business environment dramatically. The third chapter consists of case studies on renovations of customs and trade information systems in Asia, Europe and North America while the fourth chapter reviews the present situations and efforts in Latin America. Based on these chapters, policy implications will be derived in the last chapter

The Impact of Information Technology(IT) in Trade Facilitation on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka

This paper examine the extent of automation of trade facilitation in Sri Lanka and to assess the impact of automation on SMEs in the country.Impace of Information Techonology, SMEs, Sri Lanka

Improving the efficiency of Port Community Systems through integrated information flows of logistic processes

The aim of the paper is to investigate maritime logistic processes, focusing on efficiency and coordination. The topic is timely because, in the European context, the EU Directive no. 2010/65/EU imposes the adoption of digital procedures concerning documents and information, in order to facilitate the relationships between all the actors of a port community system (PCS). From a theoretical viewpoint, we adopt the evolutionary economic approach, since it helps to understand the change processes due to its focus on organizational routines and their institutionalization. From a methodological viewpoint, we adopt a case-study approach, investigating the port of Salerno (south of Italy), which is involved in the “Smart Tunnel Project”, whose aim is to create a platform for intelligent logistic services. As a result, we provide a model that aims to replace the old inter- organizational routines with new more efficient ones, also improving the knowledge of the logistic processes through a facilitation of the exchange of documents and information between all the involved actors

Studies in Trade and Investment: The Development Impact of Information Technology in Trade Facilitation

It is important to lay out a framework for understanding how trade facilitation (TF) affects the movement of goods, and where information (IT) fits in. This relationship, in turn, sets the stage for locating small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in international transactions. There is an increasing amount of substantial literature on TF and equally wide knowledge of IT. While it is not the intent of this chapter to survey these materials, to the extent that they are relevant to the following discussion, they will be referred to appropriately. Section A of this chapter elaborates on TF and the wide range of instruments that have been used and analyzed while section B details some actual experiences in the use of IT in TF. Section C examines small and medium-sized enterprises and IT in TF. Section D summarizes this chapter and considers the implications for inclusive growth.Trade facilitation, ICT, IT, SMEs,

The Impact of Information Technology in Trade Facilitation on Small and Medium Enterprises in the Philippines

The paper is focusing on electronic lodgment through web-based applications of value-added service providers as the IT-based trade facilitation measure, the survey of Customs Brokers conducted in this study revealed that lodgment time in the Philippines dropped to one hour or less as a result, compared to previous lodgment times of one and a half to one day.Information Techonology, Trade Facilitation, SME, Philippines