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Background:
The Motor Vehicle Agreement is an important step toward creating a cross-border integrated road transport market in South Asia. Integration should result in a more competitive market, lower prices, and higher quality. The BBIN MVA was signed in June 2015 during a meeting of Transport Ministers of the BBIN countries held in Thimpu, Bhutan recognizing the fact that the promotion of cross border transport leads to an increase in regional trade. The BBIN MVA (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal Motor Vehicle Agreement act) initiative predominantly focused on establishing seamless connectivity in the BBIN sub-region and all four member countries were equally driven towards this goal. Later, Bhutan decided to opt out of implementing the BBIN-MVA and decided to participate in the deliberations in an observer capacity.
The Passenger Vehicle Protocol was in principle agreed to in the February 2020 JWG meeting. It was also agreed that Cargo Vehicle Protocol would be completed by the planned JWG meeting in May 2020, at which the three countries would sign an MVA implementation MoU. However, the JWG has been postponed indefinite due to the COVID-19 crisis. It is understood that there are still some major issues pending to finalize the Cargo Vehicle Protocol. These include (a) Standard operating procedures, (b) Vehicle weight, axle load and dimension; (c) Road design and construction standard; (d) prescribed routes; (e) rates of tax and fees, (f) Transit fees and charges as per international conventions (infrastructure cost recovery), (g) dispute settlement clause, and (h) visa harmonization etc.
In this context, CUTS International proposes to undertake a study with support from the World Bank Group to evaluate the current landscape for MVA operationalization and identify, country by country, key obstacles, and potential solutions needed to advance the MVA, including at the province (state) level.
About Project
- Identify the international best practices to facilitate off-border clearance and how those can be adopted for BIN countries.
- Identify the key obstacles with respect to infrastructure, regulatory environment and local political economy that are hindering the advancement of the MVA.
- Understand the stakeholders’ perception related to implementation of MVA
- Analysis of transit protocols in the BIN region and understanding of what needs to be done for BIN countries to adopt international best practices
- Understand how the BIN MVA can help women in participating in cross border international trade and how priorities of the private sectors stakeholders can be established in the three countries
- Inception Report
- Draft Research Report
- Final Research Report
- Preparing inception report
- Literature Review
- Stakeholder mapping for BIN countries
- Conduct a pilot survey in BIN countries
- Conducting stakeholders’ interviews in BIN countries to gather their perception
- Collating, processing, and analysing data and information collation and a draft report will be prepared with the preliminary results of the survey
- Organising one workshop in each BIN countries with the relevant stakeholders from that country to validate the research findings
- Organising Dissemination Webinar
- Finalizing the analytical report with the incorporation of feedback from stakeholders from the webinar.
Project Goals-
The overall goal of the proposed study would be to evaluate the current landscape for MVA operationalization and identify, country by country, key obstacles, and potential solutions needed to advance the MVA, including at the province (state) level.
Project Objectives-
Specific objectives of the project includes-
Project Deliverables-
Project Activity-
CUTS International
Established in 1983, Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS International) is a non-profit non-governmental organization, engaged in promoting consumer sovereignty in the framework of social justice, economic equality and environmental balance, within and across borders. It is a leading Southern voice working on three verticals: Rules-based trade; Effective regulation; and Good governance. More information is available here: http://www.cuts-international.org/pdf/Programme_Brochure.pdf
CUTS operate out of 14 Centers spread across India, Africa, South East Asia, Europe and USA. More information is available here: http://www.cuts-international.org.
CUTS Calcutta Resource Center (CUTS CRC), more details available at (https://www.cuts-crc.org/).
Partner organisations
Unnayan Shamannay
Happy Rahman Plaza (4th Floor)
25-27, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue
Banglamotor, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
Tel: 880-2-9664720, 58610332
Fax: 880-2-58610624
Email: us.info1994@gmail.com, shamunnaybd@gmail.com
Website: http://www.usshamunnaybd.org/
Nepal Economic Forum
P.O. Box 7025
Krishna Galli, Lalitpur-3, Nepal
Ph: +977-1-5548400
Email: info@nepaleconomicforum.org
Website: http://www.nepaleconomicforum.org
Expected Outcomes
- Provide a better understanding of stakeholder perceptions about the MVA, and the challenges for its implementation and operationalisation.
- Better understand the challenges faced by women in participating in cross-border international trade, and whether (or, Not) and how the BIN MVA can help them in participating in EXIM trade.
- It would help in establishing priorities of the private sector stakeholders in the three countries and identify more efficient solutions to improve transport connectivity in Eastern South Asia.
Events
- Coming soon…
Key Resource Group
- Coming soon…
Media
- Coming soon…
Publication
- Coming soon…
Contact Us
Consumer Unity & Trust Society
Calcutta Resource Centre
99/5/9A, Dr. Amiyo Bose Sarani, 3rd Floor
Bullygunge Place
Kolkata 700019
Ph: +91 33 4068 3154
Telefax: +91 33 2460 4987
Email: calcutta@cuts.org
Website: https://cuts-crc.org/
For any immediate assistance related to this project, please contact-
Mr. Arnab Ganguly: +91 9874410391
Mrs. Bijaya Roy: +91-8182869528
Ms. Rageshree Bose: +91-9831445094