It is to be noted that a separate annex will be appended to the strategy on WAN in the future which will clarify issues such as interface options; bandwidth costs; control and security measures etc. Annex B – National Initiatives National ICT initiatives will be implemented taking into consideration national Governmental priorities, readiness of the Member State and the need to build on regional agenda. National ICT initiatives include but not limited to: B.1 SINGLE WINDOW CONCEPT Background Companies involved in international trade, regularly have to prepare and submit large volumes of information and documents to governmental and regulatory authorities to comply with import, export and transit-related regulatory requirements. This information and documentation often have to be submitted through several different agencies, each with its own specific (manual or automated) systems and paper forms. This extensive requirement, together with the associated compliance costs, constitutes a serious burden to both governments and the business community and is also a serious barrier to the country’s competitiveness. Southern Africa continues to lose export business because of Administrative NonTariff Barriers; these barriers include delays, lack of transparency and consistency in customs procedures, overly bureaucratic and arbitrary processing methods and documentation requirements for consignments, high freight and transport charges and generally, services that are not user friendly. Single window refers to an internationally recognized SADC ICT Strategy for addressing the need for coordination of multiple agencies involved in cross-border trade in any country.. The Single Window is defined by the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT) as “a facility that allows parties involved in trade and transport to lodge standardized information and documents with a single entry point to fulfil all import, export, and transit-related regulatory requirements”. 17 Draft SADC Customs ICT Strategy 2012 Page 17