Overview
Electronic single window is an electronic platform for the application and issuance of licenses, permits, certificates and other documents required for the importation and exportation of goods electronically. It is a single point of entry for the application submission, processing and issuance of such documents. A trader or any person who is importing or exporting goods submits application for receives the required documents from government regulatory institutions while he/she is at his/her office or any convenient place using the internet. This eliminates (or significantly reduces if not entirely eliminate at all) the requirement for visits to those institutions. Why electronic single window? The fundamental reason for implementing a single window is the time and cost of conducting international trade. Currently, importing and exporting goods to and from Ethiopia takes a longer time and a huge amount of transactional cost. In addition, a number of regulatory and licensing government agencies are involved. The processes of these agencies are not interconnected leading to the redundant submission of similar information by the trader. Hence, its very essential to arrange a platform that ensures the inter-connectivity of processes of those agencies and sharing of data among them. Benefits of electronic single window implementing an electronic single window benefit both traders and the government.
The benefits are: - For traders: Reduces time and cost of doing business; reduces the redundancy of documents submitted; Low compliance cost & Encourages to trade internationally. For the government: Increased transparency; Good governance; Reduced Administrative cost; High investment attraction & Better revenue. The implementation of electronic single window in Ethiopia is not the responsibility of one organization. It rather involves a number of institutions that issue licenses and permits for importation and exportation of goods. It also includes relevant private sector associations, banks and insurances.
However, according to WCOs recommendations and international practices, it’s essential to nominate a lead agency which leads and coordinates the implementation of the system. Hence, the Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority (ERCA) is playing the lead agency role.