ITC at the Fifth Global Review of Aid for Trade (en)

Minimizing costs to businesses associated with non-tariff measures will be at the centre of ITC’s activities at the World Trade Organization’s biennial event on development assistance aimed at helping countries increase their participation in global trade.

The Fifth Global Review of Aid for Trade will be held at the WTO’s Geneva headquarters from 30 June to 2 July 2015, under the theme of ‘Reducing Trade Costs for Inclusive, Sustainable Growth’.

The event will bring together participants from around the world — including trade and development ministers, other government officials, heads of multilateral and development agencies, representatives of the private sector and civil society — to discuss how to reduce high trade costs, which act as a brake on the integration of many developing countries and least-developed countries (LDCs) into international trade.

A joint agency of the WTO and the United Nations, ITC is contributing to the Global Review through presentations and speaking sessions about the integration of developing countries into the global economy.

A main focus for ITC at the event will be how to reduce the impact of non-tariff measures (NTMs), such as standards and technical regulations, on small and medium-sized enterprises.

ITC is organizing a session on Tuesday 30 June (16:30-18:00, Room S2) that will look at how the rising number of NTMs, while reflecting higher consumer expectations for product quality and safety, can also impose significant financial and time costs on SMEs. Based on ITC surveys in 23 developing countries, experts will demonstrate how trading businesses experience NTMs in their daily operations. The concerns pointed to by businesses offer evidence on which to base effective policy and regulatory changes to reduce trade costs. A new ITC website dedicated to information about NTMs will be unveiled at the event.

Other events that ITC will either co-host or participate in at the Fifth Global Review include issues such as trade for LDC development; how sustainability standards can be made to help lower trade costs; and why more needs to be done to empower women to create inclusive supply chains.

Throughout the event, participants will have to opportunity to visit the ITC SME Trade Academy, which can be found in the Delegates Lounge behind the WTO Atrium, near the staircase access to Rooms S1, S2, and S3.

Visitors to ITC’s stand will have the chance to learn how trade costs can be reduced through access to trade intelligence, skills training, and interactive tools. And not only that: visitors will also have to opportunity to taste some delicious chocolate from Fiji.

Full overview over ITC’s participation at the Fifth Global Review of Aid for Trade.