In early 2018, GMS countries – Cambodia, P.R. China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam – signed the MOU on “Early Harvest” implementation of cross-border transport agreement (CBTA), which will enable easier movement of commercial and passenger vehicles along the CBTA Protocol 1 route network across the GMS. 

As the countries prepare to implement the provisions of the agreement, there is a need to support relevant stakeholders and build technical capacities through training of transport officials, briefing of operators, issuing administrative circulars and compiling and exchanging national registers with other countries.

Working across the areas of transport and trade facilitation and capacity building/institutional reform, Subproject 2 addresses the issues of strengthening transit operations, expanding transport and traffic rights and developing sub-regional trade logistics systems to pave the way for more competitive services.

Overall, the Project seeks to promote faster, easier, cheaper and more inclusive cross-border transport and trade; better coordination of national and sub-regional and regional commitments; and ultimately, a more efficient land-based trade within the GMS.

Since 2018, Mekong Institute has been engaged in the study and reporting of the ‘Early Harvest’ implementation specifically in the following:

• Gathering of primary data and feedback from Permit and Temporary Admission Document holders in the GMS countries
• Organizing national-level workshops to consolidate country-level feedback
• Conducting regional workshops to identify and validate feedback and issues of common concern.