Finance Ministry says Sri Lanka has reached 95.8% implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, exceeding global average of 87.6% Notes all TFA measures due by 2027 completed, with focus shifting to broader ‘TFA Plus’ reform agenda Advance Rulings regime extended to Custom…
Finance Ministry says Sri Lanka has reached 95.8% implementation of WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, exceeding global average of 87.6% Notes all TFA measures due by 2027 completed, with focus shifting to broader ‘TFA Plus’ reform agenda Advance Rulings regime extended to Customs valuation, while CargoFlow digital queue management system rolled out at Customs 75 companies awarded Authorised Economic Operator status; Post-Clearance Audit implemented ahead of WTO deadlines Remaining structural reforms, including National Single Window and Border Agency Cooperation, targeted for completion by 2030
Sri Lanka has implemented 95.8% of its commitments under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), placing it ahead of the global implementation average of 87.6%, with the Government now pursuing a broader package of trade reforms aimed at reducing costs, improving predictability, and strengthening integration into regional and global value chains. The Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry said implementation is being coordinated through the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC), established under Article 23.2 of the Agreement. The Committee, supported by a Secretariat comprising Sri Lanka Customs and the Department of Commerce, brings together 12 Government agencies and seven national trade chambers to drive the reform agenda. According to the Ministry, all measures notified under Categories A, B, and C with definitive implementation dates falling on or before 2027 have now been completed. Attention has shifted to its ‘TFA Plus’ agenda, comprising reforms that go beyond the Agreement’s minimum obligations to reduce the cost of trade, improve certainty for importers and exporters, and support Sri Lanka’s participation in regional and global value chains.
Among the latest measures, the Ministry highlighted the extension of the Advance Rulings regime to Customs valuation under Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2488/02 of 12 May 2026. The reform expands advance rulings beyond tariff classification and rules of origin, enabling importers to obtain valuation decisions before importation and reducing uncertainty surrounding Customs clearance. The Ministry also pointed to the introduction of CargoFlow, an in-house container queue management system developed by the ICT Directorate of Sri Lanka Customs following the 2025 Time Release Study. The system provides real-time visibility of container movements, digitally records transactions at examination yards and port exit gates, and will support data collection for the 2026 Time Release Study. It said two operationally significant measures have also been implemented ahead of schedule. The Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) program, due for completion by end-2026, has awarded AEO status to 75 companies, while the Post-Clearance Audit framework, scheduled for completion by end-2027, has already shifted part of Customs revenue verification from the point of importation to the post-clearance stage. Looking ahead, the Ministry said Border Agency Cooperation and the National Single Window remain the Agreement’s two outstanding structural commitments, both carrying implementation deadlines in 2030. The National Single Window is being implemented by the Project Implementation Unit of the Ministry’s Trade and Investment Policy Department, with Sri Lanka Customs serving as the lead agency.