Overview

Cross-border paperless trade, or cross-border trade digitalization, refers to international trade taking place on the basis of electronic data and documents. It has great potential to boost trade competitiveness and support effective engagement in the digital economy. Implementation of paperless trade measures could reduce international trade costs in the region by 25%, saving the Asia-Pacific region $600 billion annually, according to the recent study by ESCAP.

Implementation of cross-border paperless trade is challenging and cannot be achieved without close and sustained collaboration between countries, including through the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific.

In line with its mandate to support trade facilitation and promote cross-border paperless trade under the Framework Agreement, ESCAP has created a Cross-border paperless Trade (CBPT) Database, as included in the Draft road map for the implementation of the substantive provisions in the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific.