The stage of trade facilitation implementation in each country is based on the UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation. This is divided into four stages, namely no implementation, pilot stage of implementation, partial implementation, and full implementation (UNESCAP 2021). The full implementation of a trade facilitation measure refers to full compliance with commonly accepted international standards, recommendations and conventions such as the Revised Kyoto Convention, UN/CEFACT Recommendations or the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA); it is implemented in law and in practice; it is available to essentially all relevant stakeholders nationwide, and supported by adequate legal and institutional frameworks as well as adequate infrastructure, and financial and human resources.

Partial implementation of a trade facilitation measure refers to partial compliance with commonly accepted international standards, recommendations and conventions; or the process of rolling out the implementation of such measure; or the implementation of such measure on an unsustainable, short-term or ad-hoc basis; or the implementation of such measure in some—but not all—targeted locations (such as key border crossing stations); or some—but not all—targeted stakeholders involved in the implementation of such measure.

The pilot stage of implementation of a trade facilitation measure refers to the implementation of such measure that is available only to a very small portion of the intended stakeholder group (or at certain locations). No implementation of a trade facilitation measure refers to the fact that such measure has not been implemented, but it may still include initiatives or efforts towards implementation of the measure.

Table A.1.1 summarizes key indicators for cross-border paperless trade measures in the UN Global Survey. For digital signatures to work, a trusted third party known as a Certification Authority is needed to issue digital certificates that certify the electronic identities of users and organizations. Some examples of this are the Controller of Certification Authorities in Malaysia and Singapore. If such a certification authority does not exist, the situation is regarded as No implementation.