Legal Instrument

UN/CEFACT Recommendation No. 33, published by the Economic and Social Council in 2005, establishes key principles for implementing Single Window systems, recognizing their complexity while providing a simplified framework for understanding. At its core, this system aims to streamline the submission of trade-related data across international borders. Drawing on the Buy-Ship-Pay model, it explains how information flows between trade and transport parties and regulatory agencies, while promoting a single submission point to avoid repeated data entry. Notably, Recommendation No. 33 represents the first comprehensive effort to systematically document both the design and implementation aspects of a Single Window system for international trade. It has since become the authoritative reference point for understanding and implementing Single Window systems globally.