Anti-Red Tape Authority Issues Guidelines for the Mandatory Onboarding to the TradeNet platform

On 6 March 2021, the Anti-Red Tape Authority released Memorandum Circular No. 2021-01 providing guidelines for the mandatory onboarding of all Trade Regulatory Government Agencies ("TRGAs") to the TradeNet platform. TradeNet is an inter-operable online platform developed by the Department of Finance and the Department of Information and Communications Technology in 2017, aimed at reducing processing time and harmonising the permitting and licensing processes concerning imports and exports. Its implementation is in line with Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018, as well as Administrative Order No. 23 issued in February 2020 directing all agencies to eliminate overregulation for efficient delivery of services. TradeNet is also envisioned to serve as the Philippines' link to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations ("ASEAN") Single Window to advance interconnectivity within the region and facilitate ease of trade among ASEAN member nations.

Memorandum Circular No. 2021-01 has enumerated TRGAs per cluster, which are included in the coverage of the mandate such as:

1. the Logistics and Port Operations Sector;
2. the Agriculture and Food Cluster;
3. the Chemical, Oils Minerals, Environment Cluster;
4. the General Merchandise and Retail Cluster;
5. the Tax and Duty Exempt Cluster;
6. the Relief Consignment and Foreign Donations Cluster;
7. the Monitoring and Oversight Cluster; and
8. the Ecozones and Freeport Zones Cluster, including a list of Priority Agencies which still use the old National Single Window.