Welcome to the Trade Facilitation Index Portal
Improving trade efficiency
This portal will educate, enable, inform and service traders by encouraging trade related engagements amongst RSA and its trader community.
Explore the world of trade facilitation
Trade facilitation refers to the ease with which a country’s cross border processes enable the seamless flow of legitimate trade in a way that reduces unwarranted delays. The TFI Portal is your gateway to valuable insights into the Trade Facilitation Index and its associated indicator scores. Designed with the trading community in mind, our platform serves as a central hub for sharing TFI research findings, fostering engagement, and driving positive change in international trade facilitation through our Customs modernisation programme.
We as Customs and Excise cultivate ethos with a direct impact on the Business’s sustainability and effectiveness through:
Unlock the power of TFI research
The Trade Facilitation Index (TFI) is a comprehensive tool that assesses and benchmarks trade facilitation performance across countries. With indicator scores that shed light on various aspects of trade facilitation, you are equipped with the knowledge you need to navigate the complexities of international trade effectively.
Join the conversation
Collaboration with the trading community is key to improving trade facilitation worldwide. The trading community is invited to engage with SARS Customs and Excise and share their valuable insights and suggestions, which will help us enhance our services.
Your Input Matters
By participating in this initiative, you contribute to the continuous improvement of our services and support our mission to streamline global trade processes. Your feedback will help us identify areas where we can make a real impact, further modernising customs procedures as part of the SARS Customs Modernisation Programme (CMP) and enhancing trade facilitation. It will also provide valuable feedback which will assist policymakers and relevant authorities such as SARS and other agencies in gaining a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by traders. This platform was created for traders to provide voluntary and anonymous information on their views of the trade facilitation indicators.
Types of queries permitted
INFORMATION AVAILABILITY | Online feedback |
Information accessibility | |
INVOLVEMENT OF THE TRADE COMMUNITY (CONSULTATIONS) | Public participation and consultation |
Consideration of public comments | |
APPEAL PROCEDURES | Accessibility of appeal procedural rules |
Transparency of appeal mechanisms | |
Timeliness of appeal mechanisms |
FEES AND CHARGES | Transparency of fees and charges |
Proportionality of penalty disciplines | |
Transparency of penalty disciplines | |
FORMALITIES – DOCUMENTS | Acceptance of authenticated copies of documents |
Documentation for advanced clearance/declaration procedure (pre-arrival and departure) | |
FORMALITIES – AUTOMATION | Electronic exchange of data for automated border procedures and payments |
Electronic document submission for pre-arrival documents |
FORMALITIES – PROCEDURES | Customs handling and prior processing |
Single submission point for required documentation, post-clearance audits and authorised operators | |
BORDER AGENCY CO-OPERATION – DOMESTIC | Domestic cross-border trade management co-ordination |
Domestic inspection co-ordination | |
BORDER AGENCY CO-OPERATION – INTERNATIONAL | International cross-border co-operation and co-ordination |
Cross-border alignment | |
GOVERNANCE AND IMPARTIALITY | Border management ethical practice – ethical conduct |
Border management ethical practice – systems and processes |
What to expect on the TFI news channel
We endeavour to have one survey conducted each year going forward and we encourage active participation from all stakeholders involved in trade facilitation:
- Trade Facilitation Newsletter: This newsletter offers quarterly updates on current topics related to trade facilitation.
- Projects Related to Trade Facilitation: These projects focus on improving and streamlining trade processes.
- Adjustments to Portal Information: The portal receives adjustments based on input from traders.
- Survey Results: Insights and findings from surveys conducted in the context of trade facilitation.
