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National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF)

Consequent to India’s ratification of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) in April 2016, the National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) has been constituted. The establishment of the Committee is part of mandatory, institutional arrangement of the TFA. This inter-ministerial body on trade facilitation will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary. Its Secretariat will be housed within the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), in the Directorate General of Export Promotion, New Delhi. The defined objective behind setting up the NCTF is to have national level body that will facilitate domestic co-ordination and implementation of TFA provisions. It will play the lead role in developing the Pan-India road map for trade facilitation. It will be instrumental in synergizing the various trade facilitation perspectives across the country and will also focus on an outreach programmes for sensitization of all stakeholders about TFA.