Alavi, Hamid2012-08-132012-08-132008-04https://hdl.handle.net/10986/10614Although trade liberalization can create jobs and raise incomes, these benefits are easily undermined if excessive costs and delays hinder trade transactions - reducing a country's export competitiveness. This note shows how Tunisia embraced information and communications technology (ICT) to facilitate trade - cutting costs, saving time, and increasing international competitiveness. It also highlights the context and challenges, key initiatives, success factors, and impact of Tunisia's efforts. Trade clearances can improve dramatically when administrative and political commitment combines with advances in information and communications technology.CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGOADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSESAUTOMATED PROCESSINGAUTOMATIONBACK OFFICESBACK-OFFICECARGO HANDLINGCERTIFICATECOMMERCECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGYCOMPETITIVENESSCOMPUTER SYSTEMCONTROL PROCEDURESCUSTOMSCUSTOMS AGENCYCUSTOMS BROKERSCUSTOMS CLEARANCECUSTOMS CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTSCUSTOMS COMPUTER SYSTEMCUSTOMS DECLARATIONCUSTOMS DECLARATIONSCUSTOMS OFFICIALSDOCUMENT PROCESSINGE-GOVERNMENTELECTRONIC DATAELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGEELECTRONIC FORMATELECTRONIC FORMATSELECTRONIC PROCESSINGELECTRONIC PROCUREMENTEXCHANGE OF INFORMATIONEXPORT COMPETITIVENESSEXPORT DEVELOPMENTEXPORT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTEXPORT MARKETSEXPORT PROCESSINGEXPORT PROCESSING TIMESEXPORT TRANSACTIONSEXTERNAL TRADEFLOW OF INFORMATIONFREIGHTFREIGHT FORWARDERSHANDLING OPERATORHARD COPIESICTIMPORT TRANSACTIONSIMPORTED GOODSIMPORTED MERCHANDISEINFORMATION EXCHANGEINFORMATION SYSTEMSINSPECTIONINSPECTION PROCEDURESINSPECTIONSINTERFACEINTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICEINTERNATIONAL COMPETITIVENESSINTERNATIONAL MESSAGEINTERNATIONAL STANDARDSINTERNATIONAL TRADEINVESTMENT CLIMATEMANIFESTSMARITIME CARGOMERCHANDISE TRADEMIDDLE EASTNORTH AFRICAONLINE TARIFF PAYMENTSPHYSICAL INSPECTIONPORT AUTHORITYPORT DUTIESPORTSPRIVATE ORGANIZATIONSPRIVATE SECTORPRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENTPRIVATE TRADERSPROCESSING TIMESQUALITY ASSURANCEREGIONAL TRADE FACILITATIONREGULATORY FRAMEWORKRESULTRISK MANAGEMENTSERVERSHIPPINGSHIPPING AGENTSSITESSTORAGE CHARGESTECHNICAL COMMITTEETECHNICAL CONTROL AGENCIESTECHNICAL CONTROL DOCUMENTSTRADE DOCUMENTATIONTRADE DOCUMENTSTRADE FACILITATIONTRADE LIBERALIZATIONTRADE NETTRADE PROCEDURESTRADE PROFESSIONALSTRADE TRANSACTIONSTRANSPORT DOCUMENTSUSERUSER FEEDBACKUSERSVERIFICATIONVESSEL OPERATIONSWEBWORLD TRADEWorld Bank10.1596/10614