International Organization
View ResourceEnhancing Growth and Development through Trade Facilitation and Border Security
This is a document by WCO to develop a new strategic perspective and policies that will shape the role of Customs in the 21st Century.
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Integrated Services for MSMEs in International Trade (ISMIT): Opening the Global Economy to MSMEs
This paper goes through the different challenges that MSMEs can face in international trade. It then establishes the principles of platforms called “Integrated Services for MSMEs in International Trade (ISMIT)”, the benefits they can provide and their basic structure.
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UN/CEFACT to help smaller businesses access international trade through new digital platforms
The United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT), hosted by UNECE, has put forward a project to help MSMEs access the international trading market.
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WTO Trade Topics on Rules of origin
This is a WTO webpage on topics around rules of origin.
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WTO Agreement on Rules of Origin
This is the Agreement on Rules of Origin from the Uruguay round.
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World Customs Organization (WCO) Publications and Tools
Webpage on non binding informal publications developed by the WCO to assist their Members and traders in the field of Customs.
View GuideThe United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development is a UN body headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with a specific focus on developing countries. It supports enterprise development through training and projects, among other duties. A full list of their enterprise development resources, including UNCTAD’s entrepreneurship policy framework and a Global Initiative towards post-Covid-19 resurgence of the MSME sector, are available here. UNCTAD also offers the following MSME-relevant resources, including the following: Information on e-commerce and an e-commerce readiness assessment for national economies. Trade training and capacity building focused on non-tariff measures and other trade measures that can impact MSMEs. Information on transport, logistics and trade facilitation, including ASYCUDA. ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) is a computerized customs management system from UNCTAD that covers most foreign trade procedures, including manifests, customs declarations, accounting procedures, and transit and suspense procedures. ASYCUDA can speed up and facilitate the customs clearance process, benefiting all businesses, especially MSMEs.
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The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is a Paris-based body with 38 member countries. Among other areas of responsibility, its secretariat provides a broad range of policy research and data to support the economic development and inclusion of entrepreneurs and SMEs. Their SME, entrepreneurship, and tourism webpage can be accessed here. Other resources include: Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship is an important focus of the OECD. The OECD provides analyses and information on entrepreneurship policies, including case studies and reviews. In this context, the OECD examines primarily the obstacles and enablers of entrepreneurship for industrial transition and growth. Financing SMEs The OECD has included financing SMEs as one part of its research and policy recommendations. Through the documentation of SME finance trends and the sharing of knowledge and learning in this subject, the OECD seeks to strengthen SMEs’ access to credit. The G20 & SME Agenda The G20 & SME agenda, in particular as regards SME finance, has been pushed by the OECD as an important piece of international SME policy. Ways that the OECD has contributed to this work include through the G20/OECD High-Level Principles on SME Financing and the report on G20/OECD Effective Approaches for Implementing the G20/OECD High-Level Principles on SME Financing. Other examples include its contribution to platforms like the Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI). The OECD iLibrary The OECD iLibrary is an important resource that provides searchable access to OECD research, including on SMEs. SME Digitalisation SME Digitalisation, and the OECD “Digital for SMEs Global Initiative,” is a platform for OECD governments, large business, industry experts, and the SMEs themselves to work together on the digital transformation of SMEs. The initiative’s focus is on providing research, SME experience sharing, and a space for policy dialogue on SMEs and digitalization. SME Performance Analysis An SME Performance analysis by the OECD in conjunction with national and local governments can be undertaken to analyze the potential of SMEs in a specific economy and examine how to unlock this capacity. SME Ministerial Meeting The 2018 SME Ministerial Meeting was a ministerial-level conference of 55 OECD Member and Non-Member countries, as well as international organizations and associations. Held in Mexico, the conference was held to discuss ways to enhance SME productivity and inclusive growth. At the end of the session, the 55 countries adopted the Declaration on Strengthening SMEs and Entrepreneurship for Productivity and Inclusive Growth (also available in French). SME Sustainability The OECD Platform on Financing SMEs for Sustainability is a multi-stakeholder platform seeking to facilitate SMEs’ access to sustainable finance and to increase momentum toward the green transition. The OECD has also launched a global dialogue on SME Sustainability reporting to create a supportive ecosystem that empowers SMEs to embrace sustainability as a pathway to growth, resilience, and innovation.
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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.
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World Intellectual Property Organization
WIPO is the UN agency devoted to intellectual property (IP), with headquarters in Geneva. It is home to several IP treaties and also hosts several resources for policymakers, businesses, and other interested parties. A summary of these resources is provided below. WIPO IP Diagnostic WIPO provides an online IP self-assessment tool, which was launched in November 2021. The tool includes a questionnaire on several IP-related issues that may affect your business and generates a report upon the questionnaire’s completion. The tool is accessible online on the WIPO website. WIPO’s IP for Business Series of Guides WIPO also has several guides that outline how intellectual property issues can be dealt with by companies. The full series of guides can be accessed on the WIPO website, and a brief list of the key ones for MSMEs can be found below. Enterprising Ideas, A Guide to Intellectual Property for Startups (2021) Looking Good – An Introduction to Industrial Designs for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (updated and revised 2019). In Good Company: Managing Intellectual Property Issues in Franchising (revised 2019) Inventing the Future: An Introduction to Patents for Small and Medium sized Enterprises (updated and revised 2018) Making a Mark: An Introduction to Trademarks for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (updated and revised 2017) Creative Expression: An Introduction to Copyright and Related Rights for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (2023) There are also several other guides in development, which should be available on the WIPO website in due course. SME Support Institutions Platform (SSIP) WIPO has a directory of institutions that can help unlock the value of intellectual property SME Support Institutions Platform (SSIP). IP Management for SMEs Program The Intellectual Property Management Clinic for SMEs Program (IPMC) is a four-month program that supports innovative companies in formulating their IP strategies based on their business plan and intangible assets portfolio IP Management Clinic for SMEs. IP Office Business Solutions WIPO also provides support for national IP offices as they develop their own services for domestic users. Further information on the support available is on the WIPO website. IPGAP Database WIPO’s IPGAP Database serves as a comprehensive resource showcasing global policies and initiatives that enhance women’s participation in innovation and intellectual property (IP) IPGAP Database. IP Advantage Case studies and stories on how intellectual property (IP) works in the real world, and how its successful exploitation can contribute to development IP Advantage. IP Backed Finance Country Perspective reports on Unlocking IP-backed Financing tracking how countries are tackling IP-Backed finance IP Backed Finance.
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World Trade Organization
Recognizing the importance of MSME trade inclusion, the WTO provides a number of different resources to support trade policymakers and traders. Aid for Trade Aid for Trade – The WTO-led Aid for Trade (A4T) initiative has referred to MSME needs and issues on various occasions. The 2018-19 Work Programme for Aid for Trade looked into how trade could contribute to economic diversification, empowerment, and poverty reduction through the effective participation of MSMEs, women, and youth. The programme also reviewed how A4T addresses trade-related infrastructure constraints, including for MSMEs. The work programme for 2020-22 stressed the importance of MSME-dominated sectors in boosting economic development. The Enhanced Integrated Framework The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) helps least developed country governments address constraints related to competitiveness, growth potential, and supply chain weaknesses, including specific constraints faced by MSMEs. The EIF is a partnership bringing together various countries, donors, and partner agencies. ePing ePing, a joint project by the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the WTO, and the International Trade Centre (ITC), shares information on product requirements. Through the site, users are able to search sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and technical barriers to trade (TBT), receive alerts, and collaborate. Government Procurement The WTO’s Government Procurement Committee launched a work programme on MSMEs in 2012 to facilitate MSME participation in government procurement projects and to maximize their potential for growth. Increasing MSMEs’ participation in government procurement also ensures a more competitive bidding process, thus achieving better value for money in government purchases. Informal Working Group on MSMEs The Informal Working Group on MSMEs was launched at the WTO’s Eleventh Ministerial Conference in December 2017. The Group aims to identify and address obstacles to MSME participation in international trade. It currently consists of 91 WTO members and is open to all members. Documents issued by the Group are available on WTO Docs Online and are searchable as “INF/MSME/*”. Intellectual Property The Council for Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) is devoted to the implementation of the WTO’s intellectual property rules. In this context, WTO Members also exchange information about their policies aimed at supporting MSMEs’ creativity, inventiveness, and investments in research and technology. Members have recognized the particular significance of intellectual property rights for small businesses, whose intellectual capital is often their main asset. The MSME-related policies presented in that context include financial assistance schemes, efforts at streamlining application procedures, and enhanced transparency of intellectual property rules. The Standards and Trade Development Facility The Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) is a partnership that helps governments improve the implementation of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, among other responsibilities. These efforts help increase trading opportunities for MSMEs. Trade and Gender To improve the inclusiveness of trade, some WTO Members have also been exploring how to support women’s economic empowerment through trade. This work is closely linked to the work on trade and MSMEs, with more information available at the following link. The Global Trade Helpdesk Finally, together with the ITC and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the WTO is one of the agencies behind the Global Trade Helpdesk.
