The International Trade Centre
The International Trade Centre (ITC) is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO), with its mission focusing specifically on small and medium-sized enterprises. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and maintains a variety of tools and resources for policymakers and SMEs. These include the following from their Market Info & Tools web page.
E-learning
Training on a variety of trade topics for policymakers and MSMEs is available through the SME Trade Academy, including on topics like the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement or how to develop e-commerce content.
Market Analysis Tools
These are the ITC’s tools for MSMEs and policymakers. They provide information on export and import statistics from more than 220 countries and territories on about 5,300 internationally traded products.
These tools include:
- Trade Map
- Market Access Map
- Investment Map
- Trade Competitiveness Map
- Procurement Map
- Export Potential Map
- Sustainability Map
Market Information
Market information is provided by the ITC for MSMEs and policymakers through resources including the Market Insider blog and the Global Trade Helpdesk. The Global Trade Helpdesk is an initiative in coordination with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the WTO, linking to many ITC market analysis tools and other important trade resources.
Library
An online library of trade-information sources is publicly available. The library’s online catalogue is available to all users, as is a full list of ITC publications. Relevant reports for policymakers include the ITC’s flagship SME Competitiveness Outlook (SMECO) and policymaker guides such as Getting Down to Business: Making the Most of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement.