Projects And Topics
The German Alliance’s projects measurably reduce the time and costs of trade procedures. They follow an established six-step project approach and are initiated, planned and implemented jointly by all interested partners.
The six-step planning and implementation process
Up-Scaling
An expansion of the project approach within the country or in other countries is examined.
Sustainability
The implemented measures are sustainably followed up and developed further in a public-private dialogue. All parties involved evaluate the project.
Implementation
The project partners jointly implement the agreed-upon measures for time and cost reductions in international trade.
Preparation
The project partners jointly analyse the current situation and develop a plan for implementing a reform project.
Scoping
Governments, business associations and companies examine possible project topics and jointly set the project focus.
Idea Development
Companies and governments continuously contribute ideas for projects. A structured query is conducted via a yearly idea contest.
The six-step planning and implementation process

Idea Development
Companies and governments continuously contribute ideas for projects. A structured query is conducted via a yearly idea contest.
Scoping
Governments, business associations and companies examine possible project topics and jointly set the project focus.
Preparation
The project partners jointly analyse the current situation and develop a plan for implementing a reform project.
Implementation
The project partners jointly implement the agreed-upon measures for time and cost reductions in international trade.
Sustainability
The implemented measures are sustainably followed up and developed further in a public-private dialogue. All parties involved evaluate the project.
Up-Scaling
An expansion of the project approach within the country or in other countries is examined.
Our topics
Trade facilitation is the core of our work. Additionally, our projects deal with topics such as gender sensitivity, environmental sustainability or legal frameworks. In our topic overview you will find blog posts from the secretariat and from our project managers on these and other exciting topics.
Join us
The German Alliance thrives on the active contributions of its partners. We invite all interested companies, business associations and government institutions to engage with us to make international trade faster and more efficient. You can actively participate in existing projects, initiate new ones and benefit from the exchange of knowledge.
Testimonials from our partners
-
Dr. Thomas Becker
HEAD OF POLICY AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS, BMW AGThe BMW Group stands for worldwide free trade. As a company that operates in international markets and maintains a global production network, barrier-free market access is a decisive success factor for us. The members of the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation are involved in tailor-made sustainable projects to remove barriers to cross-border trade. This benefits both the companies involved and the partner countries. The German Alliance for Trade Facilitation thus makes a significant contribution to growth, prosperity and employment in the global economy.
-
Jochen Dächert
VICE PRESIDENT GLOBAL CUSTOMS & FOREIGN TRADE, BASF SEOur chemistry is used in almost all industries. Our products are manufactured at more than 347 locations worldwide and supplied to customers all over the world. Free global trade is essential for this. The German Alliance for Trade Facilitation supports these efforts in very concrete ways in order to facilitate trade in different countries. In particular, cooperation with local authorities represents a high added value for globally active companies such as BASF, because free world trade enables us to supply our customers more reliably and faster.
-
Tanja Gönner
FORMER CHAIR OF THE MANAGEMENT BOARD, DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMENARBEIT (GIZ) GMBHOver 100% more customs clearances within one hour of the arrival of goods using digital customs processes: this success has been achieved by GIZ together with companies, associations and partner countries in projects of the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation. The partners in the German Alliance are working together to reduce time and costs in cross-border trade. GIZ ensures that German Alliance projects bring about sustainable changes for all parties involved, for partner countries and for the economy.
-
Dr. Gerd Müller
FORMER FEDERAL MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENTDeveloping countries need fair trade. In this regard, we are making much greater leaps in development than with public money. Reducing trade barriers helps developing countries to participate in local, regional and global trade. The costs of trade are reduced, and fair competition can take place. At the same time, these simplifications help local producers and create new opportunities for investment and development — and this is also true for German companies. We need the expertise of German industry so that we can improve trade with developing countries in a targeted manner. This is what we are achieving together with our partners in the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation.
-
Dagmar Mundani
GENERAL COUNSEL, SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AGMoving up the value chain and tapping into global markets is one of the main challenges for many developing countries. Often, high transaction costs impede the access of domestic businesses to global markets. Overcoming trade barriers is crucial to tackle this challenge. Government, business and development organizations need to join forces to work together on reducing red tape at the border and making trade and customs procedures faster and easier. In its targeted trade facilitation projects worldwide, the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation aims to reduce time and costs for trade procedures, benefiting businesses and governments alike.
We encourage companies to join forces with this important initiative.
-
Steven Pope
VICE PRESIDENT CUSTOMS & REGULATORY AFFAIRS, DHL EXPRESS EUROPEAs the world’s most international company, at DHL, in offering logistics solutions to our customers, we see firsthand the negative impact of overly bureaucratic and costly customs and border controls. The German Alliance for Trade Facilitation offers us and many other German businesses the opportunity to help change the landscape, working together with the German government to improve the trading environment via well-defined, outcome-oriented projects in target countries. Combining the expertise of the business community with the development expertise of GIZ maximizes the opportunity to deliver real sustainable growth. Supporting trade is our business, and supporting the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation was an opportunity that we could not and would not want to miss.
-
Eckart von Klaeden
VICE PRESIDENT EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, DAIMLER AGWith its broad range from premium cars to heavy commercial vehicles, Daimler AG is one of the largest international automobile manufacturers. Our value creation is global and interconnected, which is why we rely on free trade. In the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation, we are therefore committed to the sustainable removal of trade barriers of all kinds. The German Alliance’s very concrete and specific projects in developing and emerging countries strengthen local companies and facilitate their integration into global value chains. In this way, the German Alliance creates win-win situations for everyone involved.
-
Dr. Thomas Becker
HEAD OF POLICY AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS, BMW AGThe BMW Group stands for worldwide free trade. As a company that operates in international markets and maintains a global production network, barrier-free market access is a decisive success factor for us. The members of the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation are involved in tailor-made sustainable projects to remove barriers to cross-border trade. This benefits both the companies involved and the partner countries. The German Alliance for Trade Facilitation thus makes a significant contribution to growth, prosperity and employment in the global economy.
-
Jochen Dächert
VICE PRESIDENT GLOBAL CUSTOMS & FOREIGN TRADE, BASF SEOur chemistry is used in almost all industries. Our products are manufactured at more than 347 locations worldwide and supplied to customers all over the world. Free global trade is essential for this. The German Alliance for Trade Facilitation supports these efforts in very concrete ways in order to facilitate trade in different countries. In particular, cooperation with local authorities represents a high added value for globally active companies such as BASF, because free world trade enables us to supply our customers more reliably and faster.
-
Tanja Gönner
FORMER CHAIR OF THE MANAGEMENT BOARD, DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT FÜR INTERNATIONALE ZUSAMMENARBEIT (GIZ) GMBHOver 100% more customs clearances within one hour of the arrival of goods using digital customs processes: this success has been achieved by GIZ together with companies, associations and partner countries in projects of the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation. The partners in the German Alliance are working together to reduce time and costs in cross-border trade. GIZ ensures that German Alliance projects bring about sustainable changes for all parties involved, for partner countries and for the economy.
-
Dr. Gerd Müller
FORMER FEDERAL MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND DEVELOPMENTDeveloping countries need fair trade. In this regard, we are making much greater leaps in development than with public money. Reducing trade barriers helps developing countries to participate in local, regional and global trade. The costs of trade are reduced, and fair competition can take place. At the same time, these simplifications help local producers and create new opportunities for investment and development — and this is also true for German companies. We need the expertise of German industry so that we can improve trade with developing countries in a targeted manner. This is what we are achieving together with our partners in the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation.
-
Dagmar Mundani
GENERAL COUNSEL, SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AGMoving up the value chain and tapping into global markets is one of the main challenges for many developing countries. Often, high transaction costs impede the access of domestic businesses to global markets. Overcoming trade barriers is crucial to tackle this challenge. Government, business and development organizations need to join forces to work together on reducing red tape at the border and making trade and customs procedures faster and easier. In its targeted trade facilitation projects worldwide, the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation aims to reduce time and costs for trade procedures, benefiting businesses and governments alike.
We encourage companies to join forces with this important initiative.
-
Steven Pope
VICE PRESIDENT CUSTOMS & REGULATORY AFFAIRS, DHL EXPRESS EUROPEAs the world’s most international company, at DHL, in offering logistics solutions to our customers, we see firsthand the negative impact of overly bureaucratic and costly customs and border controls. The German Alliance for Trade Facilitation offers us and many other German businesses the opportunity to help change the landscape, working together with the German government to improve the trading environment via well-defined, outcome-oriented projects in target countries. Combining the expertise of the business community with the development expertise of GIZ maximizes the opportunity to deliver real sustainable growth. Supporting trade is our business, and supporting the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation was an opportunity that we could not and would not want to miss.
-
Eckart von Klaeden
VICE PRESIDENT EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, DAIMLER AGWith its broad range from premium cars to heavy commercial vehicles, Daimler AG is one of the largest international automobile manufacturers. Our value creation is global and interconnected, which is why we rely on free trade. In the German Alliance for Trade Facilitation, we are therefore committed to the sustainable removal of trade barriers of all kinds. The German Alliance’s very concrete and specific projects in developing and emerging countries strengthen local companies and facilitate their integration into global value chains. In this way, the German Alliance creates win-win situations for everyone involved.