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Business-to-Business Interactions in a ‘Single Window’ Environment The entire international trade supply chain exists to fulfil the needs of the buyer, who is interested in the value represented by goods supplied by the seller. Developments in electronic business have enabled buyers to use facilities that help navigate the supply chain processes of finding, ordering, shipping and paying processes online. Just as the buyer seeks to receive goods, the seller is interested in securing payment for goods. Several online facilities have emerged which perform complex business transactions in an online platform to fulfil the business needs of buyers and sellers, giving them a ‘Single Window’ experience.

Trade hubs, trade portals and port community systems are examples of facilities that allow business-to-business interaction as part of the Single Window concept. Some of these systems are sometimes available to a closed group of users, while others are accessible on open platforms.

Developments in cloud computing and e-commerce technologies have resulted in the concept of “data pipelines” which help transport supply chain data of the right quality to the right party at the right time, and include regulatory agencies like Customs. CASSANDRA, a research project funded by the European Union, involves a consortium of 26 innovative industry leaders in the fields of supply chain management, logistics, IT and Customs, and is attempting to do just that. The project aims to make container security more efficient and effective by addressing the visibility needs of both business and government in the international flow of containerized cargo by developing a data sharing concept that allows an extended assessment of risks by both business and government.

Internet: <www.cassandra-project.eu> (adapted).

Based on the text above, which talks about facilities for both buyers and sellers in terms of trading and electronic business, write an essay that encompasses

1 how beneficial a ‘Single Window’ environment can be for international trade; [valor: 3,00 pontos]

2 how a ‘Single Window’ environment can help Brazil in its trades within MERCOSUL countries; [valor: 3,00 pontos]

3 the possible drawbacks one can find as for in cloud computing and e-commerce technologies. [valor: 3,50 pontos]