From May 2018 to May 2019, 294 regulatory reforms were implemented worldwide to make it easier to do business. India was among the countries that showed the most notable improvement in doing business during the period. South Asia had the highest share of economies that implemented cross-border cooperation reform, which ensures easy customs clearance procedures, harmonization of compliance rules, and border control efficiency. For example, Nepal opened a new integrated check post with India, thereby decreasing the time to import and export.

Author: World Bank Group

Year: 2019

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Tags: WB, Ease of Doing Business, Customs, South Asia, Harmonisation

Many in South Asia face electricity shortages that affect their socioeconomic development. But the region has a large hydropower potential and other energy resources that may be harnessed to drive growth in the region. This report looks at legal, regulatory, technical, and commercial requirements for energy trade to advance in the region, and gives recommendations for implementing the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Framework Agreement on Energy Trade.

Author: Asian Development Bank and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation in Law

Year: 2017

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Tags: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Energy, Harmonisation, India, Industrialization, Maldives, Nepal, Regional Cooperation, South Asia, Sri Lanka, Trade, ADB RCI

This study examines the current status of Sri Lankan exports to India, focusing on non-tariff barriers (NTBs) existing between India and Sri Lanka, including conformity assessment procedures applied in the two countries. Providing a comprehensive analysis of issues related to standards and regulations faced by processed food exporters from Sri Lanka to India, the study highlights how India's non-recognition of testing and certification conducted outside its borders forms a significant barrier, one that is critical to the performance of Sri Lanka's exports to India. It proposes that the most workable solution is to implement a Mutual Recognition Agreement, which will allow recognized, competent and accredited conforming assessment bodies from India and Sri Lanka to accept certificates of conformity, letting Sri Lankan exporters take advantage of duty concessions offered by the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement.

Author: Verité Research

Year: 2015

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Tags: India, Sri Lanka, Trade, Harmonisation

This discussion paper published by the South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment assesses the potential gains of a sub-regional transit arrangement and the removal of other border-trade barriers, particularly the eastern South Asia sub-region (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal). It also discusses the link between transit and trade flows, provides profiles of intra-regional transit trade and current transit arrangements in South Asia, and identifies efficient regional transit corridors using linear programming or the Data Envelopment Analysis model.

Author: Prabir De and Arvind Kumar

Year: 2014

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Tags: South Asia, Trade, Transport, Economics, Economic Corridor, SASEC, SAARC, UNESCAP, Customs, Harmonisation, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka

The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Trade Facilitation Strategic Framework 2014-2018 builds on the momentum of member countries over recent years in forging ahead with many significant improvements to facilitate, and ultimately increase, trade in the subregion and with the rest of the world. It supports the mission of the SASEC Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy “to promote the prosperity of the subregion by facilitating the efficient movement of trade across the borders”, and focuses on five priority areas: customs modernization and harmonization; standards and conformity assessment strengthening; cross-border facilities improvement; through-transport facilitation; and institution and capacity building.

Author: Asian Development Bank

Year: 2014

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Tags: SASEC, Trade Facilitation, Regional Cooperation, Transport, Trade, Customs, Standards, Harmonisation, Regional Integration, ADB, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, South Asia, ADB RCI

The International Energy Agency (IEA) Energy Training and Capacity Building Programme brochure provides an introduction to the themes, contents, and training formats of the courses offered by the IEA. The modules are designed to benefit energy specialists and experts involved in formulating strategies and policies on a national scale, by assisting them in ongoing implementation and analysis and helping them meet forthcoming energy challenges.

Author: international Energy Agency

Year: 2012

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Tags: Energy, Harmonisation, Energy Efficiency, India, Myanmar, Training