Review of the BIMP-EAGA Land Transport MOUs

This report reviews the impacts of the land transport accords forged by BIMP-EAGA countries to ease the movement of people and goods within the subregion. 
 
BIMP-EAGA countries agreed to exempt inter-state and transit transport operations from customs duties, customs security, taxes and other charges under two memorandums of understanding (MOU) signed in 2007 and 2009. The countries agreed to harmonize and simplify rules, regulations, and administrative procedures relating to cross-border bus and truck operations and to provide the supporting physical transport infrastructure and facilities.  
 
The MOUs also provided a clear policy framework for intra-EAGA land transport cooperation and committed countries to open their domestic transport markets to some degree of external competition. 
 
The report notes the MOUs were well received by the private sector as indicated by the large number of permits utilized. It also notes member countries’ efforts to streamline and simplify their respective domestic policies, regulations, and procedures to facilitate the implementation of the MOUs. Implementation of the MOUs has resulted in a more coordinated approach towards land transport infrastructure development in BIMP-EAGA, the report says. 
 
The report also prescribed additional reforms to further open up the sector. 
 
CONTENTS 
• Background 
• BIMP-EAGA Land Transport MoUs: An Introduction 
• Status of Implementation 
• Challenges and Proposed Solutions 
• Interaction between BIMP-EAGA MoUs and ASEAN Agreements 
• Concluding Remarks