Trade Single Window (TSW)

In the first Tranche, due for delivery from April 2013, the TSW will include registration (of customers and users), most lodgements (craft and cargo clearances such as import and export entries and cargo reports), status enquiry and response functions.

In the second Tranche, Customs and MPI will investigate options for providing further functions including remaining lodgements, a reference library, information updates, transaction history and other payments.

The second Tranche state will look to include MPI certification systems (eg, Animal Products E-cert, Phyto E-cert), if these are not provided earlier.

The Government has committed to the investment in the JBMS and the TSW to boost international competitiveness and help build a highly efficient and competitive supply chain.

For industry, this will mean new processes and information requirements. It will also mean industry will contribute to the ongoing costs of the system through a cost-recovery model.

MPI and Customs are still finalising the new processes and costs and will continue to consult with industry about these.

The following functions are currently planned for inclusion in the two Tranches of TSW.

Registration – the ability to register parties and places with all border agencies by submitting a single application, and to provide updated information at one time for all agencies (eg, licensing/approval of Customs Controlled Areas and MPI Transitional Facilities; and issuing of MPI account numbers and customs broker/client codes).

Lodgement – the ability to lodge goods or craft clearance information once via a single channel and receive border clearance responses from agencies.

Payment – the ability to make an online payment for cash entries, and ultimately receive a single invoice for border agency charges associated with a consignment or registration.

Status enquiry – the ability for any authorised party to check in one place, the status of a transaction with each border sector agency (eg, cleared by MPI, held by Customs).

Reference library – the ability to go to one place to get border clearance related information and requirements, collated by subject (eg, fact sheets, new regulations, permit requirements, forms and procedures).

Information updates – the ability to subscribe to receive electronic advice of updates and news according to the clients’ areas of interest (eg, tariff code amendments; new regulations and procedures).

Transaction history (reporting) services – the ability to review historic transactions (eg, past lodgements and registrations). 

Once implemented, the system is expected to deliver significant benefits to importers, exporters and others in the international trade supply chain. These will include improved coordination of processes and earlier certainty of border agency requirements when advance data is provided.

Compliant traders will be able to get their goods through the border with greater speed, consistency and certainty.

However, the potential benefits for industry will depend on how individual participants use the information from the Trade Single Window to make their supply chains more effective and efficient. 

​The following table contains details of the WCO3 messages that will be developed by the JBMS Programme.

These messages are intended to be in use from the time that TSW goes-live. Further details on the data requirements for each message will be made available by the JBMS team as they are confirmed.