This report explores three questions. First, it assessed the specific aspects of the policy environment needed for going paperless. Second, it examined the economic benefits of further policy reforms across these areas. Third, it set out the challenges for going paperless stemming from new social and environmental sustainability regulations.
Analysis of the policy environment highlights that in supporting the going paperless policy environment, the regulatory environment underpinning trade facilitation at the border is increasingly intertwined with the broader regulatory environment for digital trade. Discussions in support of the policy environment are taking place across a wide range of fora.
The report also highlights that the implementation of ambitious reforms across these areas can yield important economic benefits. Automating border processes, when accompanied by streamlining of documents and processes and increased co-operation among border agencies, delivers the greatest trade benefits. A 10% improvement in the TFI score globally for these areas is associated with an increase of up to 18% in global goods exports. In addition, the domestic and international regulatory landscape also matters. Controlling for these reforms, a 0.1-point reduction in the global DSTRI for electronic transaction frameworks, e-payments and connectivity is associated with an increase in global exports of 37%.
Understanding the role and impacts of these policy areas can also help countries in implementing or managing sustainability-related requirements. The going paperless policy environment has an important role to play in supporting technical interoperability when implementing such regulations and can help minimise transaction costs. However, an analysis of selected sustainability regulations reveals that linkages to border processes are often missing from implementation guidance. There is a need for countries that are implementing sustainability-related requirements to clarify for traders and border officials the role of documentary requirements; of data platforms and cross-border exchange of information; of border formalities and procedures; and of border agency co-operation.