Single Trade Window - Architectural Approach

Currently a business seeking to trade through the UK Border - whether importing or exporting - needs to interact with a number of Government Departments through separate processes, often asking for the same information. The Single Trade Window will provide a single gateway for businesses to complete their import, export and transit obligations at the border, submitting information once and in one place. It will not replace the back-end systems operated by individual Government Departments but deliver the technology and structure that shares information with these systems, maintaining each individual Department's independence when processing the required data. The STW will benefit traders by:

• Rationalising data requirements by only asking for any piece of information once
• Providing a single point of access and consolidated communication both from and to the trader
• Offer easy to use guidance that puts the trade at the centre of what the customer needs to do

In addition to Trader benefits the STW will provide support HMG by:

• Eliminating data errors and inconsistencies by only asking for each piece of information once
• Sharing data between consuming systems in real time, to facilitate earlier analysis for risking improving the flow of goods through the border and enabling better targeted intervention.

The Single Trade Window Programme has developed its strategic business case and a cross-HMG approach, reflecting the numerous Departments that interact with the UK Border, and is listed on the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) register of Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP). Following the Spending Review 2021 (SR21) process, the Programme is now taking forward its plans for delivering its ambitious but transformational agenda. Over the course of its lifecycle, the Programme will need to deliver:

• Services that offer an outstanding transactional experience for customers when they submit information on border transactions, including tailored support, guidance and visibility of the progress of their submissions and goods
• Functionality that enables data to be quickly, accurately and safely shared across organisations, and is capable of being analysed and presented in different ways depending on the specific needs of the user