The digitalisation of trade documents and processes: Going paperless today, going paperless tomorrow

Global trade continues to depend heavily on paper-based documents and processes despite the rapid pace of digitalisation. This paper leverages different OECD trade policy indicators to identify the policy gaps hindering the digital transition of trade documents and processes, and to quantify the potential benefits of reform. The findings reveal that a 10% improvement in bilateral performance in automating border procedures, combined with streamlined documentation and stronger co-operation among border agencies, could boost global goods exports by up to 18%. The findings also highlight that a supportive policy environment for going paperless plays a critical role in enabling technical interoperability, particularly when implementing sustainability-related trade requirements. These findings offer actionable insights for domestic reforms and can inform ongoing international efforts at the WTO, within regional trade agreements, and through emerging digital economy partnerships.