scope:

Purpose of this manual

States establish rules aimed at enforcing national laws dealing with cross-border movement of persons and goods, through which particular control procedures and practices are adopted for adequately equipping border-control authorities. Transport, in general, and specifically air transport, is subject to a series of restrictions which could negatively affect not only air navigation activities, but also inbound/outbound traffic flows and the performance and development of other dependent economic activities, such as international trade, tourism and services. Border controls that initially were outlined to protect national interests can become restrictions that slow down a State's development due to the economic impact added transportation and storage costs incur, as well as costs induced by inefficient processing activities.

Since national laws and regulations are assigned to, and applied by, specific public authorities and may differ depending on each State's internal organization, this manual has been designed to meet a variety of users' needs. Users will find guidance material related to the Standards and Recommended Practices of Annex 9 - Facilitation, grouped by specific facilitation subjects (i.e. aircraft, passengers, baggage, and goods) and "functions" performed in international airports.

This manual is designed to support the following objectives: increase the level of knowledge of facilitation issues and concepts; improve the results of facilitation programmes in States; and increase conformance with Annex 9.

This manual serves as both an instructional and a reference tool. As an instructional tool, it contains the information and actual elements needed for preparing and delivering training sessions. As a reference tool, it should be used by trainers and trainees during and after the completion of a training session.

Who are the users?

Users of this manual and related training and implementation programmes are members of facilitation coordinating bodies of Contracting States at the national and airport levels, as well as persons involved in international air transport activities. These coordinating bodies include control authorities, who are concerned primarily with legal and regulatory compliance; customers (air carrier operators and air cargo shippers), who are concerned with increasing productivity by minimizing the cost of operational delays and administrative procedures; and airport authorities, who are interested in improving facilitation conditions by reducing congestion in passenger terminals and cargo sheds.