Annex 9 to the Convention on International CivilAviation is entitled “Facilitation” and in theforeword to the fifth edition there is what might betermed a definition of facilitation … “all practicalmeasures, through the issuance of specialregulations or otherwise, to facilitate or expeditenavigation by aircraft between the territories ofContracting States, and to prevent unnecessarydelays to aircraft, crews, passengers and cargo,especially in the administration of the lawsrelating to immigration, quarantine, customs andclearance”. I am here to give a shipper's view offacilitation and therefore, am concerned only withcargo. I hope my views are not coloured byexperiences I have had as crew or passenger whichtend to be much more personal and immediate.