Overall objective
To facilitate and increase Syrian trade flows and allow Syria to take full advantage of globalisation, thereby improving Syria’s macro-economic situation, create jobs and alleviate poverty.
Purpose
The purpose of the TEP is to introduce trade related reforms that will progressively bring the Syrian trade related regulatory framework and practices in line with best international standards and to imbed administrative and legislative modalities, procedures and mechanisms necessary for trade liberalisation. This will enhance the Syrian trade regime and facilitate the general trade climate in Syria in order to allow the country to benefit from current and upcoming free trade agreements and contribute to increase the competitiveness of Syria’s trading sectors.
Results to be Achieved
The project will provide the Project Management Unit (PMU) which will report to the Project Steering Committee and to the Delegation of the European Commission to Syria. The PMU as four long term experts and professional staff provided by the SEBC who will be responsible for the provision of technical assistance to all of the project beneficiaries in accordance with the Programme Terms of Reference. In addition to the full time PMU team, the project gas available to it 6500 Short-term Expert days to achieve the following result:
Component I: Enhanced capacity of trade institutions in Syria in order to fulfill the role of a traditional trade administration in a country involved in the Multilateral Trading System (MTS).
Result I.1 - Enhanced capacity of the Syrian administration to analyse trade related issues, design and coordinate trade policies and draft trade related laws and regulations and introduction of modern legislative drafting techniques.
Result I.2 - Strengthen the Ministry of Economy and Trade, and increase its capacity in terms of managing and implementing trade instruments and agreements.
Result I.3 - Support the establishment of the planned Export Promotion & Development Agency, in particular in respect to the creation, training and functioning of the pilot activity to send Syrian Commercial Attaches to selected partner countries.
Result II.1 - Compliance of Syrian Customs with international standards such as the Kyoto Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedures.
Result II.2- Adoption of modern customs release procedures including risk assessment and streamlined procedures, modern warehousing systems, inland clearing depots and transparency of customs regulations.
Result II.3 - Reinforced customs valuation, management of rules of origin and measures against piracy and counterfeiting.
Result II.4 - Enforcement of International standards in the area of Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary(SPS) requirements.
Component III: Revised trade regime compatible with the multilateral trading system.
Result III.1 - Support to the strengthening of directorates in the MoET responsible for preparing and drafting laws.
Result III.2 - Revision and simplification of trade legislation (incl. import and export licensing, Intellectual Property (IP), e-commerce, dispute settlement, SPS requirements and other relevant economic legislation).
Result III.3 - Examine possibilities for establishing Import and Export guarantee systems, and if relevant, provide TA to its establishment.
Result III.4 - Establish transparent system to access trade related information including access to legislation (in Arabic and English).
Trade Enhancement Programme (TEP)