26 July 1991

32nd plenary meeting

Promotion of interregional cooperation in the area of international trade facilitation

The Economic and Social Council,

Recalling its resolution 1989/118 of 28 July 1989, in which it invited the regional commissions to formulate, jointly with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, a draft proposal for interregional cooperation for the facilitation of international trade and in particular the phased application of the Rules for Electronic Data Interchange for Administration, Commerce and Transport (EDIFACT),

Noting the support expressed by the regional commissions for the project, including relevant resolutions and decisions,

Noting further its resolution 1990/74 of 27 July 1990,

Conscious of the need for coordinated action at the global level to ensure the effective promotion of international trade facilitation,

Aware that elaboration and implementation of the project would require extrabudgetary resources,

1. Requests the regional commissions, jointly with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, to elaborate specific projects relating to interregional cooperation on international trade facilitation and present them to bilateral donors and funding organizations;

2. Invites all States to support these initiatives;

3. Requests the United Nations Development Programme and other funding organizations to consider favourably the specific projects submitted by the regional commissions and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development;

4. Requests bilateral donors to consider extending appropriate financial and expert assistance in the implementation of the projects.