Seychelles

10.4 - Single window

Articles	10.4.1 – 10.4.2 – 10.4.3 – 10.4.4 View measure text
Indicative date of implementation	1 January 2019
Definitive date of implementation	31 December 2025
Extension of time	Request received 8 March 2024 Original definitive date 31 December 2024 New date requested 31 December 2025 Date approved 31 December 2025 Reason Seychelles had benefited from Technical Assistance under the 11th European Development Fund (11th-EDF) for the implementation of certain Category B and C commitments. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government imposed travel restrictions as safety measures. Therefore, this hindered consultants' mobility access to Seychelles, which delayed the 11th EDF projects. Seychelles also encountered issues in obtaining timely responses from UNCTAD regarding the upgrade of the ASYCUDA system, which is necessary for the eventual implementation of a single window system. Subsequently, upon the response from UNCTAD, financial issues were encountered as the cost of the upgrade was quite substantial, bearing in mind Seychelles' economic size. The Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) was required to identify alternate funding to finance the upgrade. Moreover, the issue of retention of expert programmers to work on the project and the recruitment of local programmers to work alongside the contractors (necessary for knowledge transfer and continuity) were encountered. Presently, given the ending phase of the 11th EDF project scheduled for May 2024, the retention of the experts with the technical support needed for implementation of Single Window has yet to be determined completely; thus, this will affect the extended definitive date for implementation of the Single Window. Nevertheless, some of the projects are close to the completion phase, namely, continued integration of the latest World Customs Organization (WCO) new tariff schedule, except for Single Window, which is yet to commence due to challenges and work deliverables needed to be undertaken herewith presented below. Firstly, Seychelles would need to implement the legal framework for governance of the processes for information and data exchange between the Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) and the other principal stakeholders and authorities. Committee approval: Approved Link to notification G/TFA/N/SYC/1/Add.4 Request received 8 February 2023 Original definitive date 31 December 2023 New date requested 31 December 2024 Date approved 31 December 2024 Reason Seychelles benefited from Technical Assistance under the 11th European Development Fund (11th - EDF) for the implementation of certain Category B and C commitments. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Government imposed travel restrictions as safety measures. Therefore, this hindered consultants' mobility access to Seychelles, which delayed the 11 EDF projects. Seychelles also encountered issues of obtaining timely responses from UNCTAD regarding the upgrade of the ASYCUDA system, which is necessary for the eventual implementation of a single window system. Subsequently, upon the response from UNCTAD, financial issues were encountered as the cost of the upgrade was quite substantial, bearing in mind Seychelles’ economic size. Seychelles Revenue Commission is required to identify alternate funding to finance the upgrade. Moreover, the issue of retention of expert programmers to work on the project and recruitment of local programmers to work alongside the contractors (necessary for knowledge transfer and continuity) was encountered. Nevertheless, the majority of the projects have been completed or are close to the completion phase, except for Single Window, which is yet to commence. In light of the above, Seychelles would like to request an extension of the definitive date of implementation for the Single Window. Committee approval: Approved Link to notification G/TFA/N/SYC/1/Add.3
Assistance required for implementation	1. Drafting of legislation, policy framework, strategy and TOR; 2. Conduct Feasibility study for AW based Single Window; 3. Design, implementation and operation of single window; 4. Training of all stakeholders; 5. Funding to acquire the relevant equipment and software; 6. Implementation of the integrated IT infrastructure which will connect to the existing system/ or activate the ASYCUDA SINGLE WINDOW MODULE. Tags: Information and communication technologies (ICT), Legislative and regulatory framework, Infrastructure and equipment, Diagnostic and Needs Assessment, Human resources and training
Donor / Agency	To be determined
Progress reported	To be determined