The Barbados Electronic Single Window (ESW)
Effective January 2017, The Electronic Single Window (ESW) is coming to Barbados and if you are involved in exporting or importing, this is big news!
The Government of Barbados and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) entered into a loan contract in 2010, to cooperate in the execution of the Barbados Competitiveness Programme. This Programme is designed to improve Barbados’ competitiveness by addressing the key blockages to the efficient movement of goods in Barbados, and supporting other trade and investment activities to promote export development and increase private investment. The Programme also supports the development of benchmarks and statistics related to productivity of the private sector and business climate.
A major deliverable of this Programme is the ESW.
Developing an ESW is a strategic initiative for Barbados, as it constitutes a critical part of the country’s vision to be a regional logistics hub. To achieve this goal, it is not only necessary to have adequate infrastructure, it also requires that processes, technology and people be focused on trade facilitation, especially in terms of workflow efficiency and cost reduction.
The ESW will make your trade-related business transactions with the government more effective and efficient by providing a single, online point of contact between the trading community and government agencies to electronically obtain the required Licence, Permit, Certificate or Other documents (LPCO) to import or export products. As the ability to handle data efficiently has become a key element in international competitiveness, the ESW will not only help your business, it will support compliance management and trade facilitation to promote the growth of the Barbados economy and the safety, security and wellness of Barbadians.
Please click here to refer to their website for updates with respect to ESW development, implementation, training and special events.