Members advance work on 2026 review of Trade Facilitation Agreement

The TFA - aimed at expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit - is the first WTO agreement in which developing and least-developed country (LDC) members determined their own implementation schedules in accordance with their national priorities and capacities, and sought to acquire implementation capacity through the provision of technical assistance and capacity building (TACB) support.

2026 TFA review underway

Members advanced discussions under the second review of the TFA, reiterating that the process should be member-driven, open, transparent, inclusive and mindful of different levels of development and implementation capacity.

Members highlighted interest in strengthening understanding of the implementation and impact of the TFA and in identifying areas where further guidance could support effective implementation. Various members also expressed interest in expanding experience-sharing sessions, including through thematic or peer-to-peer formats, incorporating private sector perspectives, and strengthening dialogue with national trade facilitation committees (NTFCs) and regional groups.

A revised calendar for the review was circulated under G/TFA/W/112/Rev.2, and a voluntary draft template for written submissions was shared to help structure member contributions.

The Committee is required to review the operation and implementation of the TFA. The first review was carried out in 2021 and is contained in document G/TFA/2.

TFA implementation

The WTO Secretariat reported that Tonga ratified the TFA on 26 January 2026, bringing the total number of ratifications to 162 out of 166 WTO members - nearly 98% of the WTO membership. The Committee reviewed 15 notifications submitted since its last meeting and examined measures with definitive implementation dates for 2026-2027.

Developing and LDC members have currently committed to implement 83.7 per cent of TFA provisions, while the overall rate of implementation commitments stands at 87.4 per cent. The Secretariat also reported that 364 extension requests have been submitted to date, with three quarters pertaining to Category C measures.

Category C measures are TFA provisions that developing and LDC members have indicated they will implement after a transitional period with the necessary technical assistance and capacity building. More information is available in the TFA database.

Experience sharing

China presented smart customs practices supporting pre-arrival processing at railway ports. The Republic of Moldova shared its experience in expanding its authorized economic operator (AEO) programme through inter-agency cooperation with food safety authorities.

All presentations are available in the TFA Database.

Technical assistance and capacity building

Members received an update on the work of the Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility (TFAF), including its 2025 annual report and 2026 work plan. The TFAF reported increasing demand for its grant programme in 2025, with six out of 13 eligible implementation grant applications approved, while all seven project preparation grant requests were approved. Due to its current budget situation, the TFAF will focus in 2026 on managing approved grants and providing in-person advisory support to members. Several delegations called on donors to maintain contributions to the TFAF, stressing its importance for supporting developing and LDC members in implementing Category C measures.

Other Committee work

The Committee continued its exchanges on customs procedures, with ongoing discussions on Indonesia's customs procedures for intangible products and customs penalty regimes in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, raised by the United States.

The next formal meetings of the Committee are scheduled for 11-12 June and 20-22 October 2026.

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