Shaping the Future: The Impact of Negotiable Cargo Documents on Trade Finance, Regional Connectivity and Digital Evolution
At its upcoming fifty-eighth session, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is expected to finalize a draft convention on negotiable cargo documents. The draft convention establishes negotiable cargo documents as new negotiable documents of title representing goods in transit across all modes of transport, which could be used to enhance flexibility in trade, bridge the trade finance gap and support the digital transformation of global trade. Once finalized, the draft convention will be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly for adoption in late 2025.
To raise awareness of the draft convention, the UNCITRAL secretariat is organizing a conference entitled “Shaping the Future: The Impact of Negotiable Cargo Documents on Trade Finance, Regional Connectivity and Digital Evolution”, in partnership with the International Trade Centre (ITC), the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT), and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The conference will feature four thematic panel discussions highlighting the key features of the draft convention:
- Unlocking Growth: How could Negotiable Cargo Documents Help Bridge the Trade Finance Gap for Small Businesses
- Enhancing Regional Connectivity: The Role of Transport Corridors and Negotiable Cargo Documents in Boosting Trade
- Transforming Supply Chains: The Impact of Negotiable Cargo Documents on Multimodal Transport
- From Paper to Bytes: The Digital Shift in Negotiable Cargo Documents
Participation in the upcoming conference is by invitation only.
A limited number of members of the public may be invited to attend the Conference. Those interested are asked to kindly complete this form.
Information sheet about negotiable cargo documents
Welcome Remarks
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
10:00-10:15 a.m. CEST
Keynote Address
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
10:15-10:30 a.m. CEST
Session 1: Understanding Negotiable Cargo Documents
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
10:30-11:10 a.m. CEST
This session will explain the background and current status of UNCITRAL Working Group VI’s ongoing work on developing a new convention on negotiable cargo documents.
- Professor Beate Czerwenka, Chair of UNCITRAL Working Group VI (Negotiable Cargo Documents)
- Ms. Yanying Li, Legal Officer (Secretary of Working Group VI), UNCITRAL Secretariat
Session 2: Unlocking Growth: How could Negotiable Cargo Documents Help Bridge the Trade Finance Gap for Small Businesses
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
11:30-12:30 p.m. CEST
Many small businesses face significant hurdles when accessing trade finance, particularly due to their lack of collateral or credit history. Traditional financing methods often leave them at a disadvantage when compared to larger enterprises. This gap in trade finance can prevent small businesses from participating in global trade, stifling growth and market opportunities.
This session will explore how negotiable cargo documents can provide small businesses with new opportunities to access trade finance. Experts will discuss the challenges small businesses face in securing financing, the potential of these documents to act as collateral, and how their use can unlock liquidity and open doors to global markets. Additionally, the panel will address the role of digitalization and collaboration among financial institutions, regulators, and technology providers in enhancing access to trade finance for small businesses, ultimately driving economic growth and financial inclusion.
Moderator and co-organizer: Ms. Eleonore Treu, Legal & Director of Trade Finance Week, ICC Austria
- Mr. Tomasch Kubiak, Policy Manager, ICC Banking Commission
- Ms. Gwen Mwaba, Director and Global Head of Trade Finance, African Export-Import Bank
- Mr. Mr. Oswald Kuyler, Senior Digital Trade Advisor, Asian Development Bank (virtually)
Session 3: Enhancing Regional Connectivity: The Role of Transport Corridors and Negotiable Cargo Documents in Boosting Trade
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
2:00-3:00 p.m. CEST
Transport corridors play a pivotal role in enhancing regional and international trade by providing efficient, integrated networks that connect key economic hubs, ports, and inland areas. These corridors facilitate the smooth movement of goods, reduce transportation costs, and improve access to markets, particularly for landlocked countries or regions with limited infrastructure.
This session will bring together experts to showcase the development of key transport corridors and their role in facilitating regional trade. In particular, experts will explore how negotiable cargo documents can streamline logistics and enhance the efficiency of trade along these corridors. By highlighting the benefits of these documents, the discussion will focus on how they can help unlock the full potential of transport corridors, supporting the growth of businesses across diverse sectors and advancing regional economic integration and development.
Moderator: Mr. Neale Harding Bergman, Senior Legal Officer, UNCITRAL Secretariat
- Mr. Fedor Kormilitsyn, Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
- Mr. Alexander Plekhanov, Director for Transition Impact and Global Economics, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- Mr. Pierre Bonthonneau, Senior Trade Facilitation Adviser, International Trade Centre (virtually)
Session 4: Transforming Supply Chains: The Impact of Negotiable Cargo Documents on Multimodal Transport
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
3:15-4:15 p.m. CEST
Using multiple modes of transportation (e.g., sea, rail, road, and air) to move goods is becoming increasingly vital in the global supply chain. Multimodal transportation offers efficiency, cost savings, and flexibility, allowing businesses to access a wider range of markets.
The new convention on negotiable cargo documents would promote the development of door-to-door transportation by enabling the use of a single negotiable cargo document, thereby simplifying the documentation process and enhancing operational efficiency.
This session will focus on the future impact of negotiable cargo documents on multimodal transport from the perspectives of freight forwarders, shippers, insurers and beyond.
Moderator and co-organizer: Mr. Fedor Kormilitsyn, Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Shipper Freight Forwarder Role Play Dialogue
- Ms. Andrea Tang, Legal Services Director, International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations
- Mr. James Hookham, Director, Global Shippers Forum
- Ms. Alison Wixley, Senior Claims Executive, Through Transport Mutual Services (UK) Ltd for the TT Club (virtually)
- Ms. Regina Asariotis, Head (a.i.) of the Trade Logistics Branch; Chief, Policy and Legislation Section, Division on Technology and Logistics, UN Trade and Development
Session 5: From Paper to Bytes: The Digital Shift in Negotiable Cargo Documents and the Role of Global Standards
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
4:30-5:30 p.m. CEST
The shift from paper-based to digital document and data exchange marks a significant transformation in global trade, promising quicker, safer, and more transparent transactions across borders. Yet, this transformation can only be successful if underpinned by interoperable standards and frameworks that facilitate the trusted electronic exchange of information across borders and sectors.
This session will explore the impact of digitizing negotiable cargo documents and other trade and transport documents and how it aligns with the broader agenda of trade facilitation, digital interoperability, and trusted data sharing. Among others, it will review how the use of a single electronic record (as a source of reliable data) for multimodal and unimodal transport, will allow all stakeholders (carriers, freight forwarders, customs, and financial institutions) to work with the same set of data and the same reliability standards, thus speeding up operational processes.
The discussion will also highlight how the digital shift supports multimodal and cross-border trade along transit corridors, while contributing to the objectives of the UN Digital Compact and the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.
Moderator and co-organizer: Ms. Kamola Khusnutdinova, Economic Affairs Officer, Trade Facilitation Section, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
- Ms. Nogaye Diop, Regional Rapporteur for Africa and project lead, United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (virtually)
- Ms. Pamela Mar, Managing Partner, ICC Digital Standards Initiative
- Mr. Juan Diego Chavarria, Technical Officer, World Customs Organization
- Mr. Luca Castellani, Legal Officer, UNCITRAL secretariat
Closing remarks
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
5:30-5:45 p.m. CEST