The Cabinet Secretary may now head the National Committee on Trade Facilitation, instead of the commerce and revenue secretaries jointly chairing it. On February 17, the Union Cabinet approved India's proposal for notification of its commitments under the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the constitution of this committee wherein the decision of joint chairs was made public. Indianmandarins has learnt that since the committee needs to handle inter-ministerial issues between the commerce and finance ministries to implement the agreement, the government has since decided that the Cabinet secretary may be the best person to chair the committee. With the change, the other two secretaries may become members of the committee. The trade facilitation agreement, which is part of the WTO's Bali ministerial package of 2013, contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit. It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other appropriate authorities on trade facilitation and customs compliance issues. It will come into force after it is formally accepted by two-thirds of the WTO membership.