The Government of Bangladesh plans to begin negotiations with Sri Lanka to sign a preferential trade agreement by July. Both countries aim to increase their bilateral trade volume.

Sri Lanka needs regional and cross-border food trade facilitation to ensure food security, according to the latest report of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka needs to improve warehousing and storage facilities, including cold storage. The country also needs to boost packaging and transportation services in the medium to long-term.

The Sri Lanka Department of Commerce launched in Colombo an enhanced trade information portal, which provides information on the country’s trade procedures. The portal benefits traders by providing transparent and up-to-date information on trade procedures and requirements.

Digital tools have helped Sri Lanka Customs provide efficient services to its users while maintaining health protocols to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Sri Lanka Customs has embarked on several modernization processes, which have helped maintain social distancing.

Construction of Colombo's first elevated highway commenced on 10 September 2019 with Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe laying the foundation stone to mark the start of construction. The project will help alleviate traffic congestion in Colombo’s densely populated areas, improve last-mile connectivity between the country’s expressway network and Colombo’s international port, provide better logistics services for freight operations, and facilitate regional trade.

The Asian Development Bank approved the proposed financing for the Maldives: SASEC National Single Window Project worth $11 million. This project will introduce a single electronic platform in Maldives to improve the speed and efficiency of cross-border control procedures by employing the latest technology. This project will improve the trade environment of Maldives, and help expand its trade with partners in the region, including India and Sri Lanka.

The National Export Strategy (NES) of the Government of Sri Lanka has been finalized by the Export Development Board (EDB) and is ready for submission to the Cabinet. The strategy aims to boost the performance of the country's focus sectors and improve the business environment by developing trade support functions in logistics, trade information and promotion, and national quality infrastructure.

Nepal has decided to join the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grid interconnection, a move meant to help facilitate trade in electricity and take full advantage of available energy sources. Nepal is expected to sign an MOU to join the grid interconnection at the Third BIMSTEC Energy Ministers' Meeting.

Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe visited India on 25-29 April 2017, for discussion with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a range of bilateral issues and matters of mutual interest. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe welcomed the signing of the MoU for Cooperation in Economic Projects, which outlines the agenda for bilateral economic cooperation.

Bangladesh has the potential to become a transport hub for India, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Myamar, according to Mr. AMA Muhith, Finance Minister, Bangladesh. Turning Bangladesh into a regional and transshipment hub would enhance economic cooperation and result in collective economic growth for the countries, Mr. Muhith said at the SASEC Finance Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, India.

Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, South Korea, and Sri Lanka, member countries of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), moved to expand trade and boost growth in the region by agreeing to increase the number of products under preferential tariff treatment to 10,677 items from 4,270 at the 4th session of the APTA Ministerial Council.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence under the Central Board of Excise and Customs organized the 4th Regional Customs Enforcement Meeting in New Delhi, India, as part of its Founding Day celebrations. The Heads of Customs Enforcement from Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Mauritius and Maldives were invited to participate in the said Meeting, which discussed issues of mutual concern, noted the need to share information and activate channels of coordination.

EPing, an online alert system for updates on the latest information on regulatory requirements for international trade, was launched by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the World Trade Organization, and the International Trade Centre. The system enables access to WTO member notifications on TBT and SPS measures, and facilitates dialogue among the public and private sector in the early stages of potential trade issues.

A conference held by the Sri Lanka Press Institute highlighted how enabling paperless trade will improve Sri Lanka's business competitiveness, and help the country achieve its ambition of becoming a regional logistics hub by enhancing its international trade processes.

The National Trade Portal and National Single Window are important components of the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA). This commentary by Ms. Ferdous Ara Begum, Chief Executive Officer, Business Initiative Leading Development of Bangladesh, discusses how these could improve trade, gives an update on Bangladesh's initiatives toward ratifying the WTO TFA, and recommends a region-wide Single Window for South Asia.

South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) investment projects increased to a cumulative $7.66 billion in the areas of transport, energy, trade facilitation, and ICT with the recent approval of India’s Bihar New Ganga Bridge Project. To date, 40 SASEC-supported projects are helping member countries strengthen regional connectivity infrastructure, promote economic growth, and foster regional cooperation. In addition, there are now 71 technical assistance projects worth $66.14 mi

Mr. Hun Kim, Director General, South Asia Department, ADB, describes how partnership of 6 South Asian countries through the ADB-supported South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Program is helping propel economic growth in South Asia, amidst an uncertain regional and global economic climate, by working to increase trade volumes to reduce the number of impoverished people in the region.

Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) signed a landmark Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) meant to allow smooth passage of goods and passenger vehicles in each other’s territories. In this blog post, Sanjay Kathuria, Lead Economist and Coordinator, South Asia Regional Integration, Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice, World Bank, asks if South Asia is truly ready for such a regional agreement.

Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka have expressed interest in adopting best practices of the Indian Trade Portal in setting up their own trade portals to promote international trade. Trade portals to be set up by Bhutan and Nepal will also be useful for cargo being routed through India, and will contribute to the common documentation system needed to implement the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement.

The new SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Senior Vice President Ajith Wathuhewa shared that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) business visa will be extended from 6 months to 3 years, to be made available by end 2016, to help increase SAARC inter-regional trade. A SAARC Industrial Park in Sri Lanka is also planned to increase trade in the region.

Dr. Selim Reihan notes that drivers of political economy can impact the region's integration agenda. In this essay, Dr. Raihan highlights the importance of exploring the political economy of regional integration to generate a better assessment of the factors driving and constraining regional integration, and create broader awareness among stakeholders to stimulate a more realistic and effective regional policy design and processes.

WTO members were advised to notify the WTO about their technical assistance and capacity-building needs, including the timeframe to ensure effective implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). The WTO Preparatory Committee on Trade Facilitation has received 81 “Category A” notifications and an increasing number of “Category B”and “Category C” notifications.

Sri Lanka's Colombo Port will be expanded through a public–private partnership initiative, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Sri Lanka Ports Authority and ADB signed a $500 million transaction advisory services agreement for upgrading of the port's East Container Terminal. The project is set to improve the port’s value proposition by bringing leading operations and technology from the private sector.

The 9th Session of the India-Sri Lanka Joint Commission discussed strengthening India-Sri Lanka cooperation in areas including energy and trade. The two countries are also preparing to open negotiations on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement. Further possible collaboration in railway development and renewable energy was also bookmarked by the Joint Commission.

A set of regionally agreed standards for 6 products, including sugar and cotton, in South Asia has been finalized by the South Asian Regional Standards Organization (SARSO), in response to the need to ease regional trade by harmonizing standards on key goods. SARSO aims to complete issuing formal notifications on these 6 products by March, to will allow goods marked 'compliant' to SARSO's standard and testing regulations to be exported to any SAARC county without need for laboratory testing.

Sri Lanka Customs launched its Single Window System, paving the way for smoother and more efficient cross-border trade transactions. According to Sri Lanka Customs Director General Chulananda Perera, the Single Window benefits traders by lessening delays and cutting down on cumbersome procedures. Mr. Dinesh De Silva, Chairman, Import Section, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce sees the Single Window System driving down costs for businesses.

Sri Lanka's Cabinet of Ministers has given its approval to ratify the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA), following a proposal made by Sri Lanka's Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. Rishad Bathiudeen. The TFA will maintain the country's competitiveness in global and naval trade.

ADB in cooperation with UNESCAP organized the Asia-Pacific Trade Facilitation Forum (APTFF) held on 30-31 October 2012.