Nalin Fernando, Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security in Colombo was presented the new Electronic Certificate of Origin (eCoO) system by the International Trade Centre (ITC) team, led by Raghad Altalli, Programme Manager and Trade Facilitation Advisor.
The new eCoO system, implemented by the Department of Commerce (DoC), is a fully digital solution that would revolutionize trade by simplifying and significantly accelerating the issuance of Preferential Certificates of Origin, which are crucial in determining the origin of goods and their eligibility for preferential treatment under all trade agreements.
During her week long visit to Sri Lanka Altalli met with the Hon. Nalin Fernando in the context of the Trade Facilitation for SMEs project, implemented by the ITC, a joint agency of UN and WTO, and the Deutsche Gesellschaft for Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Nalin Fernando expressed his appreciation for the eCoO system, which will significantly benefit exporters and the DoC officials. He said, “I am pleased to see the implementation of the eCoO system, which is a game-changer for Sri Lankan exporters. It is a significant step towards improving trade facilitation in the country and promoting economic growth.”