9月4日，中国正式接受WTO《贸易便利化协定》（以下简称《协定》）议定书，成为第16个接受该协定的成员。
根据国际相关测算，有效实施《协定》将使发达国家贸易成本降低10%，发展中国家成本降低13%~15.5%。《协定》实施最高可使发展中国家出口每年增长9.9%（约5690亿美元），发达国家增长4.5%（4750亿美元），带动全球GDP增长9600亿美元，增加2100万个就业岗位。
倒逼口岸通关改革
按照《协定》相关条款，其目的在于建立“单一窗口”以简化海关及口岸通关程序、提高跨境贸易效率、提升全球贸易额。而在国内欲使《协定》落地，深化口岸现代化改革成为议程之一。
按照《协定》提倡的口岸行政管理“单一窗口”制度，各成员“应努力建立单一窗口，使贸易商通过与主管机构的单一接入点提交进口、出口及过境的单证或数据要求”，“成员应保证其负责边境管制和货物进口、出口及过境程序的主管机关相互合作并协调，以便利贸易”。《协定》承诺，对与跨境货物运输相关的成本和管理费用作出较大幅度削减，特别是对于发展中成员而言，预计这种贸易成本的削减幅度可能达到15%。
进出口货物更便利
“对中国企业而言，进出口货物将变得更加便利。”商务部称，《协定》要求成员公布进出口程序信息，中国企业能够从互联网快速获取进口国海关程序要求；《协定》还允许贸易商在货物抵港前向海关等口岸部门提交进口文件，并在货物的税率和费用最终确定前，允许贸易商在提交保证金的情况下放行货物等，这些措施都将有助于加速货物的放行和结关。
此前商务部披露信息显示，《协定》共分3个部分、24项条款。第一部分规定了各成员在贸易便利化方面的实质性义务，涉及过境自由、进出口规费和手续等内容；第二部分规定了发展中成员和最不发达国家在实施第一部分条款方面可享受的特殊和差别待遇，主要体现在实施期和能力建设两个方面；第三部分规定了机构安排等内容。
商务部表示，《协定》的生效和实施将便利各国贸易，降低交易成本，推动世界贸易和全球经济的增长。对中国来说，不仅将有助于中国口岸综合治理体系现代化，还将普遍提高中国主要贸易伙伴的贸易便利化水平，促进中国产品出口并营造便捷的通关环境。（中国进出口网）
On September 4th, China formally accepted the protocol on WTO "Trade Facilitation Agreement" (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement"), and became the 16th member to accept the agreement.
According to international related estimates, the effective implementation of the "Agreement" will allow developed countries to reduce trade costs by 10%, and developing countries to reduce costs by 13%-15.5%. Implementation of the "agreement" will allow the export growth in developing countries by 9.9% at most per year (about $569 billion), an increase of 4.5% in developed countries ($475 billion), thus promoting the world’s GDP to grow $960 billion GDP, and increasing 21 million jobs.
Urgent customs clearance reform
In accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Agreement", it aims to establish a "single window" to simplify customs and customs clearance procedures, improve the efficiency of cross-border trade and enhance global trade volume. In order to make the "Agreement" effective in China, deepen port modernization reform has become one of the agendum.
In accordance with the "Agreement" to promote the port administration "single window" system, the members "shall endeavor to establish a single window, so traders can submit import, export and transit document or data requirements through the competent authority’s single access point”, "Members shall ensure all relative authorities to cooperate and coordinate with each other in order to facilitate trade." "Agreement" makes commitment to reduce the cross-border transport of goods and related costs and administrative expenses at most, particularly for the developing members, it is expected that trade cost reductions could reach 15%.
More convenient imports and exports
"For Chinese enterprises, imports and exports will become more convenient." The Commerce Department said, "Agreement" requires members to publish information on import and export procedures, thus Chinese companies can quickly obtain the importing country customs procedures requirements from the Internet; "Agreement" also allows traders to submit import documents to the port authorities like customs before the goods arrives, and it also allows that traders can submit the deposits and goods can be released before the final determination of the tax rate and fee, these measures will help to accelerate the goods release and clearance.
Commerce Department previously disclosed information, "the Agreement" is divided into three parts and 24 articles. The first part sets out the substantive obligations of the members of trade facilitation, involving freedom of transit, import and export fees and formalities and so on; the second part describes the developing and developed countries’ relative special and differential treatment in implementing the first part of the terms, mainly in the implementation period and capacity building; Part three stipulates the content of institutional arrangements.
The Commerce Department said, the "agreement" implementation will facilitate international trade, reduce transaction costs, and promote world trade and global economic growth. For China, it will not only help China modernize the port comprehensive management system, but also increase the level of trade facilitation China's major trading partners, promote Chinese exports and create convenient customs clearance.
