When governments announce trade deals, the headline is usually about tariffs. For traders moving goods across borders, tariffs are only part of the story.
Waiting times at crossings, repeated inspections, differing product standards and unpredictable fees can add more to the cost of a shipment than the duty itself.
That is why practical reforms, such as shared documentation, joint border posts and mutual recognition of standards, often matter as much as the agreements signed in capital cities.
