Since 2008, the SADC region has been implementing the Free Trade Area (FTA) guided by the SADC Protocol on Trade (2006) and the Revised Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP) 2015 -2020. The main objective of the SADC Protocol on Trade (2006) is to liberalise intra-regional trade in goods and services, ensure efficient production, contribute towards the improvement of the climate for domestic, cross-border and foreign investment and enhance economic development, diversification and industrialisation of the region.

Addressing impediments to the movement of goods across the region, the SADC Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP) was developed and is operating since 2016, approved by the Ministerial Task Force on Regional Economic Integration. The TFP prioritizes the reduction of border-related trading costs through effective coordination, rationalization and simplification of trade procedures and documentation, implantation of a Simplified Trade Regime (STR), enhancing efficiency in border operations and improving cooperation in border management by its Member States. One core element for enhancing intra-regional trade in the SADC region is the SADC Certificate of Origin (CoO) for products produced or manufactured in SADC Member States as per the Protocol of Trade.

This survey was designed to find out about your experience as private sector actors of the SADC Member States with the SADC intra-regional trade, the Certificate of Origin (CoO) and your general awareness about the processes around the SADC Certificate of Origin (CoO). Further it aims to find out about your readiness and willingness to implement the SADC electronic Certificate of Origin (e-CoO) to be introduced in the near future.

Please be so kind and respond openly and honestly to the questions that follow. Your responses will allow the synthesis of information about important needs for improvement of processes and systems regarding cross-border trading in the SADC region which have the aim to provide better services to you as private sector actors in the SADC Member States.