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Photo: Ministry of transport of Colombia, www.mintransporte.gov.com there is a need for legislation updates and modernization. The imminent Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) makes it es- sential for improved inter-agency coordination, particularly among customs agencies and port authorities. Another im- portant element is technology. Though several of the region’s countries have single-window systems for import and export activities, this is not available in all of the region’s countries; however it is critical for improving trade. It is important to note that the single most important element to facilitate trade is improved logistics and more ef? cient multi-modal transpor- tation of goods to the hinterland and to neighboring countries.

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