Collaborative Border Management - Coursework Example

Collaborative Border Management Name Institution Course Professor Abstract Traditionally, the function of border management agencies such as customs has been to collect revenues and taxes on goods allowed into the country and keeping unwanted goods and individuals out. Due to the need for effective border management, the forces that drive border management agenda have since changed. Collaborative border management is a model that is used in achievement of the needed reforms. It is a broad term but it generally entails description of how improved efficiency and effectiveness in terms of regulation can be achieved through greater coordination that exists between border agencies. The relationship between regulatory authorities and trading community in engagement at transport and supply chain sectors can be thought as a foundation of collaborative border management. Borders foster legitimate trade between countries. Due to this, new border management agenda deals with more than just customs clearance. One of the new agenda is growing awareness of traders’ costs created by inefficient and outdated border formalities. Collaborative border management has benefits to the government and private sector. Collaborative border management benefits private sector by enabling speedy clearance and release of their goods at the border. On the other hand, the government benefits through reduction of costs and increased integrity and transparency. Introduction The world is increasingly becoming a global place whereby key dynamics that influences growth of economies and social development are integration and interconnectedness. Trade is number one driver that spurs economic growth. Producers are specializing and reaping the benefits associated with economies of scale through integration of world markets. Firms and households are also given the chance by trade to purchase knowledge, goods and services produced in any part of the world. It is for these reasons that policymakers are increasingly realising the need of having reform in trans-border regulation in order to remove bottlenecks and unnecessary barriers to trade. Collaborative border management is a model that is used in achievement of the needed reforms. It is a broad term but it generally entails description of how improved efficiency and effectiveness in terms of regulation can be achieved through greater coordination that exists between border agencies. This essay discusses the nature of forces that drives the border management agenda and the benefits of collaborative border management to both the government and private sector. Border Management Border management is a complex task due to various players that are having conflicting interests. For many centuries, borders have function as silent tribute to state sovereignty (Polner 2011, p.49). Country competitiveness is largely determined by investment in national infrastructure and business environment as it determines production costs and therefore profits. Removing unnecessary regulation and reduction of administrative red tape at the borders is crucial as part of the whole agenda of lowering operating costs. O’Dowd (2002, p.24) assert that borders are places where political and economic opportunity for countries, agencies and other interest groups both legal and illegal. Different countries have different border environments with some retaining them as places of barriers while others acquired new function of ‘bridging’ (O’Dowd 2002, p.24). Forces driving border management agenda Traditionally, the function of border management agencies such as customs has been to collect revenues and taxes on goods allowed into the country and keeping unwanted goods and individuals out. However, due to the need for effective border management, the forces that drive border management agenda have since changed. The environment at the border is exposed to political transformation and other forms of external influence (Polner 2011, p.50). Security threats is one the forces that precipitates border management agenda. In United States for example, US policy changed the meaning of borders for all the countries that exports to USA in response to September 11, 2001 attack. It implemented Customs-Trade Partnership against Terrorism which considered country of export as beginning points for borders. In other words, Bowman (2006, p.2-3) states that borders saw them being ‘pushed out’ consequently not coinciding with geographical borders. Therefore, they acquire a new meaning from perspectives of security and trade. And as Hale (2009, p. 2) pointed out, failure to address border security issues raises the risk of debates on border management and security being turned into zero or negative conflicts between citizens and the state. In essence, border management policies are seeking to combine measures of security in regulating migration, combating criminal activities and ensuring trade agreements compliance (Hale 2009, p.2). Globalisation has both negative and positive benefits. It allows technological progress and a faster movement across borders. In contrast, it contributes to terrorists and criminal groups operations (Polner 2011, p.50). Thus, border management is presented with numerous evolutionary challenges. In general, rising expectations by the private sector, foreign investment competition and demand for good governance and integrity drives the border management agenda (Doyle 2011, p. 12). Private sector is expecting free flow of goods at the borders while investments in foreign goods and services have intensified necessitating customs and other border management agencies to clear bottlenecks at the borders. This is not normally the case as some of these agencies frequently have overlapping tasks meaning that there is presence of in-fighting and bureaucratic management at the border management (Cottam 2006, p. 271). Borders foster legitimate trade between countries. Due to this, new border management agenda deals with more than just customs clearance. One of the new agenda is growing awareness of traders’ costs created by inefficient and outdated border formalities. Pezzulo (2013) contends that port and airport infrastructures are put under pressure due to delays in border movement processing. Regional trading agreements proliferation is the second new agenda driving border management. The customs work is made more complex in the process. These trading agreements need more borders to be open which can translate into rise in levels of controlled, undesirable and banned goods (Ali 2007, p. 29). Multiplication of procedural and policy requirements and increased political pressure on agencies to boost competitive (Doyle 2011, p.12) is also catalysing border management agenda. Duplication and delays in international supply chains is widely being acknowledged as needing immediate elimination. The elimination of problems that is brought about by inspection regimes and multiple reporting requirements and encouragement of standards compliance through clear definition of trade facilitation benefits is also gaining support. World Customs Organization (2008) suggested that improvements that are meant to speed movement of goods through customs are being undermined by failure of the other management border agency to modernize and reform its border management agency by using selective risk based inspection techniques and similar modern approaches. Collaborative Border Management A concept that is currently referred to as collaborative border management was started by various institutions from mid 20th century. The intention is the increased need of agencies at the border to coordinate its actions for improvement of border procedures effectiveness and efficiency (Polner, 2011, p. 51). Management of borders in any country is therefore critical for many facets such as economic growth and dealing with security threats. According to Lines (2012, p. 115), borders purpose and function in the history of the world has been and still remains to be delineation and demarcation, that is differentiation of one sovereign nation from another. Borders also act as a channel of immigration for many migrants both legal and illegal. Due to this, approaches which are coherent, transparent and comprehensive to border management processes and immigration are needed in helping minimization of negative migration impact and preserve migration integrity as natural social process (International Organization for Migration 2014). The need for common aims by the international community and border agencies is what collaborative border management is based on. Collaborative border management model suggests that agencies involved in border management has the possibility of increasing control while offering more efficient services and this is achieved while their own organizational mandates and integrity are retained (Kunaka & Carruthers 2014, p. 156). Delays at the border are normally caused by non-existence of information sharing and coordination by national regulatory agencies. This issue have been addressed in the recent decades by countries through creation of national single windows by regulatory agencies hence consolidating their work. Collaborative border management has benefits to both the government and private sector in a number of ways. Benefits of Collaborative Border Management to Government Customs and border agencies are facing increased expectations and pressures from different quarters at the moment. Hence, collaborative border management becomes important as it has significant impact. It facilitates sharing of information and making compliance both attractive and easier (Accenture 2012). The benefits of collaborative border management to the government are many but they include the following. The overall cost of border management operations are lowered by this approach. Through enhanced collaboration between different border agencies, costs of running border management are reduced significantly as there is no duplication of roles. It enhances security which is a top priority for many governments. Moreover, it also improves intelligence and enforcement (Doyle 2011, p.11). It is through collaborative border management that single management authority at the borders has been adopted by many countries. Government benefits through an integrated border management as they are able to earn increased integrity and transparency. It enables the government to deploy resources in a more efficient and effective manner (Popescu 2011, p. 127). Although collaborative border management has immense benefits to the government, it has not been fully exploited. Benefits of Collaborative Border Management to private sector Private sector is mostly interested in facilitation of trade in a friendlier and transparent manner as it promotes competitiveness and growth. They are constantly searching ways of cutting costs in a bid to increase business profits. Collaborative border management benefits private sector by enabling speedy clearance and release of their goods at the border (Doyle 2011, p.11). It reduces the costs through reduction of delays as well as informal payments. As with the government, private sector also benefits from a collaborative border management as this model allows deployment of resources in a more efficient and effective way. Transparency is increased and explanation of rules and procedures are smoothened leading to application of clearance and other exports importation documents more predictable. In conclusion, collaborative border management agenda is being driven by many forces due to its benefits to the government and the private sector. The relationship between regulatory authorities and trading community in engagement at transport and supply chain sectors can be thought as foundation of collaborative border management. Private sector is demanding facilitation of trade hence border management agencies especially customs role has increased needing a more sophisticated approach in its operations. Collaborative border management is therefore implemented slowly though not fast enough as private sector would have wanted. Forces that drive border management agenda such as demand for integrity, awareness of costs and rising expectations at the private sector signals urgent overhaul of border management. This should be done in a faster pace by the government to tap the benefits of collaborative border management such as lowering of costs, and increased integrity and transparency among others. Private sector also benefits through faster clearance, reduction of costs and efficient deployment of resources. References Accenture. 2009. Collaborative Border Management, accessed 06 August 2014, . Ali, S. H. 2007. Peace parks conservation and conflict resolution. Cambridge: MIT Press. Bowman, G. W. 2006. Thinking outside the border: homeland security and the forward deployment of the US border. Houston Law Review, 44(2):189-251. Cottam, M. 2006. Border Management Issues in NAFTA, In A. Bryden & Caparini, M. (eds), Private actors and security governance, Lit, Berlin, pp. 271-290. Doyle, T. 2011. The future of border management, In G. McLinden, E. Fanta, D. Widdowson, & T. Doyle (eds). Border Management Modernization, Washington D.C: The World Bank, pp. 11-22. Hale, G. 2009. In Search of Effective Border Management. Toronto: Canadian International Council. International Organization for Migration. 2014. Integrated Border Management. Accessed on 05 August 2014. < http://www.iom.org.bd/page/integrated-border-management/>. Kunaka, C. & Carruthers, R. 2014. Trade and transport corridor management toolkit. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank. Lawrence, R. Z., Hanouz, M. D., & Moavenzadeh, J. 2009. The Global Enabling Trade Report 2009. Geneva: World Economic Forum. Lines, B. 2012. Lines and Flows: The Beginning and End of Borders. World Customs Journal. 6(1). Accessed 05 August 2014. < http://www.worldcustomsjournal.org/media/wcj/-2012/1/Special_Report.pdf>. O’Dowd, L. 2002. The changing significance of European borders, In J. Anderson, L. O’Dowd & T Wilson (eds), New borders for a changing Europe: cross-border cooperation and governance. London: Frank Cass. Pezzullo, M. 2013. Border Management and Its Role in Supporting National Economic Competitiveness. Accessed 07 August 2014. . Polner, M 2011. ‘Coordinated border management: from theory to practice’. World Customs Journal , vol. 5, no. 2, accessed 05 August 2014, < http://www.worldcustomsjournal.org/index.php?resource=26>. Popescu, G. 2011, Bordering and Ordering the Twenty-first Century Understanding Borders. Rowman & Littlefield Pub. Group, Lanham. World Customs Organization (WCO) 2008, Customs in the 21st Century: enhancing growth and development through trade facilitation and border security. WCO, Brussels. Read More