Single+Window+Tools

=Single Window Implementation Solutions=

Comprehensive guides
Comprehensive guides are guidelines that cover many of the relevant aspects for the implementation of a Single Window. There are currently two types publicly available: The UNNExt Single Window Planning and Implementation Guide published by UNECE and UNESCAP, providing the Single Window Implementation Framework (SWIF), and the Compendium on How to build a Single Window Environment published by the WCO.

Individual aspects of the implementation
In addition to these comprehensive guides, there are guidelines and other tools available for particular aspects of a Single Window implementation project. These aspects include: setting the legal framework, undertaking a business process analysis, organizing the data harmonization for Single Window, as well as policy/project management.

Legal issues
National exchange of trade data amongst the participating parties of a Single Window, requires a legal framework that enables and defines conditions for the electronic submission of documents, electronic signatures, user authentication, and data sharing and data archiving. UN/CEFACT Recommendation No. 35 and the WCO Single Window Compendium identify the following legal issues that arise with a Single Window implementation: privacy and data protection issues; sharing of access to data and sharing of data amongst agencies; liability issues; data quality; electronic documents and archiving; and identification, authentication and authorization. Legal issues also relate to the operation of a Single Window. This include aspects such as setting up the legal authority for the operation of the Single Window, defining the legal basis of agency cooperation through, for example MOUs amongst the participating agencies, and defining dispute resolution between the Single Window parties. Tool: Recommendation No 35 and its checklist provide guidance for analysis of the current legal framework and necessary changes.

Business Process Analysis (BPA)
The establishment of a Single Window for Trade requires the design of new services and changes to agencies' and other stakeholders' business processes. Undertaking a Business Process Analysis is useful tool for the design of a Single Window. According to the Single Window Implementation Framework (SWIF), //"Business Process analysis allows stakeholders to gain a better understanding about the operational aspects of intrational trade transaction."// It furthermore details: how business processes are carried out; how business processes relate to one another; who is responsible for creating them; what documents, rules and regulations are involved; and how this information flows. For further reading see the guide: Business Process Analysis Tools: UNNEXT Guide on Business Process Analysis, and the chapter on BPA in the SWIF.

Data harmonization
Full-scale Single Window operation involves information sharing, integration and exchange among stakeholders of the international supply chain. To ensure interoperability, each Single Window component has to employ common semantic rules that govern semantics, data element names, their representations, the structure of electronic messages and, ideally, a single set of generic semantic rules or data model. Data harmonization can be conducted as a sub-project of the Single Window project. UN/CEFACT Recommendation 34 provides a step-by-step approach to data harmonization that can be implemented by a national team of experts. For further reading see the guide: UNNExt Data Harmonisation and Modelling Guide Tool: UN/CEFACT Recommendation 34 on data harmonization

Policy planning
The establishment of a Single Window is a complex political reform project, mainly but not only because it involves multiple agencies. This process needs careful steering. The UN/CEFAC Recommendation No. 33 provides useful guidance, in particular with regard to the organization of the preparatory work. It introduces the various policy documents that may have to be developed and provides further details on their contents. Volume 1 of the WCO Compendium also introduces the various aspects that need to be taken into consideration in policy and project management. Tool: UN/CEFACT Recommendation No. 33, and Volume 1 of the WCO Single Window Compendium. = =