Impact of BRICS Trade Facilitation on China's Exports Using Cross-Border E-Commerce

With the rapid growth of the global digital economy, cross-border e-commerce, as an emerging form of trade, has gradually become a powerful engine to promote the development of global trade. BRICS is an important force in the global economy, and the progress of the BRICS countries' trade facilitation level has an important impact on the global trade environment. This paper conducts an in-depth study of the dynamic changes in BRICS trade facilitation from 2013 to 2022, and uses an extended gravity model to analyze the specific impact of this change on China's exports using cross-border e-commerce. The results show that although the BRICS countries have made some progress in trade facilitation, the overall level still needs to be improved, and there are obvious differences among member countries. However, the improvement of trade facilitation among BRICS countries has undoubtedly brought significant positive effects to China's exports using cross-border e-commerce.

The Influence of the Implementation of Trade Facilitation Systems on the Time Required for Creating Delivery Orders: A Case Study of Tema Port

This study evaluated the impact of Ghana’s Integrated Customs Management System (ICUMS), implemented within the National Single Window initiative, on the efficiency of issuing Delivery Orders (DO) at Tema Port. Filling a gap in the existing literature, the research employed a quantitative approach to assess a specific time-related aspect of the cargo clearance process. Employing an Independent t-test on a dataset spanning 2026 Delivery Orders (924 pre-ICUMS and 1102 post-ICUMS) from July 2020 to July 2023, the study investigated ICUMS’s effectiveness in reducing DO issuance time. Results indicate a noteworthy decrease in average DO issuance time, from 11 days pre-implementation to approximately 9 days post-implementation, a reduction validated by statistical analysis through the independent t-test. In light of these findings, the study recommends ongoing refinement of the implementation, reinforcement of trade facilitation measures, and the adoption of best practices from successful global ports. Continuous stakeholder training and regular assessments of ICUMS performance are also endorsed. The study’s implications support the theoretical framework for Single Window systems and carry significant policy implications, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to streamline trade facilitation processes driven by Information Technology. Practically, the results serve as a management tool for stakeholders, highlighting areas for targeted interventions to reduce DO issuance times. Methodologically, this research contributes by applying robust statistical analysis to a specific component within the Time Release Study framework, offering a nuanced understanding of trade facilitation systems’ effectiveness in improving cargo clearance processes.

The Impact of Trade Facilitation on Economic Development： A Case of East African Community （EAC）

This study examined the impact of trade facilitation on economic development, particularly the impact of customs environment on trade flows over the period from 1995 to 2010. Five countries of the East African Community （EAC）, namely, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi, are involved. The study employs a gravity model for estimating bilateral trade flows between the EAC partner states. The ordinary least square （OLS） technique is adopted and applied for the regression analysis by using the Stata 10.0 software. Results suggest that, the customs environment of the importer is significant and possesses a strongly positive impact on East African trade flows. Results also find that the customs environment of the exporter is insignificant, even though it shows a negative relationship with the East African trade flows, hence a negative determinant. East African countries have to improve their customs environment, especially when undertaking an importation, in order to boost the overall trade flow in the block. They should also improve other trade facilitation indicators, such as port efficiency, regulatory environment, and infrastructure. The aid for trade, in terms of technical and financial assistance, should also be enhanced for the development of infrastructure, including roads, railways, ports, bridges, and border posts.

Can Trade Facilitation Prevent the Formation of Zombie Firms?Evidence from the China Railway Express

Using data on firms listed on Chinese A-share markets from 2009 to 2017,this paperapplies the difference-in-difference model to test the effect of trade facilitation onpreventing the formation of zombie firms.We find that the China Railway Express(CRE)significantly prevented the formation of such firms.Mechanism tests show:(i)the CRE has accelerated the speed of sales,which increased the overseas salesrevenue of firms;(ii)the economies of scale and the capital accumulation effectcaused by the CRE can help increase firms'solvency and development ability.Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the effect of the CRE on preventing theformation of zombie firms is mainly reflected in non-state-owned firms,firms inhighly competitive industries,and firms in the eastern region of China.We suggestthat China should continue to promote trade facilitation by expanding the CRE andstrengthening the market's dominant role in preventing the formation of zombie firms.Disadvantaged firms should seize the development opportunities brought by the CRE.

The Importance of the Creation of CEFTA-2006 for the Western Balkans＇ Trade Exchange of Goods

By integrating 32 bilateral free trade agreements, CEFTA-2006 became the first multilateral free trade agreement of the Western Balkan countries. Signed at the end of 2006, it was supposed to establish a free trade area among the following member-states： Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Monte Negro and Serbia.l The free trade area was supposed to be fully functional by the end of 2010 and should provide trade liberalization by elimination of all tariff and non-tariff barriers for agricultural and non-agricultural goods, as well as trade facilitation by simplification of rules of origin and transit procedures. It should also provide mutual recognition of national sanitary, phytosanitary and technical standards. The free trade area should also enable free trade of services, full protection of intellectual rights, fair rules of public procurement procedures and liberalization of capital investment. The beginning of the creation of the free trade area of the Western Balkan countries created a positive effect upon the increment of the trade exchange of goods among its member-states. However, the weak individual economic capacity of each of them immediately caused a decrement in the exports of goods towards trading partners out of CEFTA-2006. Positive effects realized in the beginning of the creation of the free-trade area were very soon annulated by the influence of the economic crises in 2008. At present, the region experiences a slight, but very slow recovery.