MARKET ANALYSIS TOOLS

INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS
NON-TARIFF MEASURES PROGRAMME
CAPACITY BUILDING SERVICES
SUCCESS STORIES

TRADE AND MARKET

INTELLIGENCE

ENHANCING THE TRANSPARENCY OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE

AND OBSTACLES THROUGH INNOVATIVE MARKET ANALYSIS
AND RESEARCH SOLUTIONS
Last updated: 30 April 2021
CONTENT

Market Analysis Tools

ITC has created a range of market analysis tools to help users
examine crucial trade related information of over 200 countries and
territories and to better understand supply and demand trends for
internationally traded products.
Trade Map p. 4 Procurement Map p. 9
Market Access Map p. 5 Standards Map p. 10
Export Potential Map p. 6 Investment Map p. 11
Rules of Origin Facilitator p. 7 Embedded solutions p. 12
Market Price Information p. 8

Integrated Solutions
Integrated solution portals combine our expertise in trade data,
data management and data dissemination. These national and
regional portals are customized to meet the needs of users.
National Trade Information Portals p. 13
EuroMed Trade Helpdesk p. 14
African Trade Observatory p. 15
Central Asia Trade Intelligence portal p. 16
Eastern Partnership Trade Helpdesk p. 17
Global Trade Helpdesk p. 18

Non-Tariff Measures Programme

The ITC Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) Programme aims at increasing
transparency and helping countries better understand the non-tariff
obstacles to trade faced by their business sectors.
NTM Programme p. 19 ePing p. 22
Services Trade p. 21 Trade Obstacle p. 23
Measures Initiative Alert Mechanism

Capacity Building Services

The TMI section offers a wide range of capacity building activities
for export oriented managers, trade support institutions and trade
policy makers to support market analysis, one of the foundations
of successful export strategies and trade policies.
Capacity Building Services p. 24

Success Story
The main objective of providing extensive trade and market
intelligence is to enable users and workshop participants to apply the
knowledge and skills they acquire in their daily work.
Success Story p. 25

Trade and Market Intelligence 1 Content

CHALLENGE TO GLOBAL TRADE

A key challenge for exporters is the scarcity of reliable trade information on

markets. They need to stay on top of competitive conditions in their current
markets, anticipate demand swings in turbulent times following the COVID-19
crisis and pinpoint long-term growth potential for their products. Moreover,
they need to be able to scan opportunities for new markets and look for
opportunities to diversify or add value to their existing product range. This can
be time consuming and costly and become an impediment to trade, especially
for SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises).
Meanwhile, importers worldwide also seek to optimize the potential offered by
preferential trade agreements, and improve the efficiency of their sourcing by
scanning for new and competitive supplier countries.
ITC’s interviews (see p. 20) with more than 33,000 enterprises in 74 countries
find that “lack of information and transparency” are among the main obstacles
to trade experienced by companies, particularly SMEs, across countries.
Countries need reliable information to enable companies, institutions and
policy makers to make better-informed trade-related decisions.
ITC addresses these issues with its market analysis tools and related market
data, and information sources, particularly targeting users in least developed
countries, where local sources of trade intelligence are often unavailable.

Trade and Market Intelligence 2 Challenge to Global Trade

MARKET ANALYSIS TOOLS

The International Trade Centre has developed a suite of online tools to make
global trade more transparent and to facilitate access to markets. These tools
enable business actors to identify export and import opportunities, compare
market-access requirements, monitor national trade performance and make
well-informed trade decisions.
The Market Analysis Tools suite covers the world’s largest databases on trade
statistics, tariff data, and rules of origin related to applicable free trade
agreements. Additional tools offer export potential estimations, market price
information, regional trade and investment data and much more.
The tools are unique in product detail,
as well as in breadth of geographic
coverage – particularly for developing
and least developed countries. The
tools are free for users in least
developed and developing countries,
as well as in the European Union. More
than 1,000,000 users have registered
to use the tools, which include
enterprises, governments, educational
institutions and many of the world’s top
500 companies.

Helping users examine the ANNUAL USER SURVEY

export and import statistics of
over 220 countries and ITC market analysis
territories to better understand tools contributed to
supply and demand trends for $1 billion in trade
around 5,300 internationally transactions
traded products. (2017-2020)

marketanalysis.intracen.org
For more information:
Marketanalysis.intracen.org [email protected]
@ITC_MktAnalysis
#ITCdata
ITCmarketanalysistools

Trade and Market Intelligence 3 Market Analysis Tools

TRADE MAP

An online database on international trade statistics, which

presents useful indicators on export performance,
international demand, alternative markets and the role of
competitors from both the product and country perspective.
www.trademap.org

Trade Map covers the annual trade flows

(mirror and direct) of over 220 countries and
territories and 5,300 products defined at the
2, 4 or 6-digit level of the Harmonized
System. Different trade indicators (values,
quantities, trends, market share and unit
values), and times series since 2001 can be
displayed in table, graph or map format.
Search results can easily be exported to an
excel file.

Trade Map data availability 2019

Direct data
Mirror data

Annual trade flows of over 220

countries and territories in
direct and mirror data.

STRENGTHS
The strength of Trade Map lies in its constant update of monthly and
quarterly data from both developed and developing countries that cannot be
found in other tools, as ITC collects this directly from national authorities.
Trade Map users can select from many trade indicators the specific ones
they want to visualize. New indicators are regularly added to the list .

Trade and Market Intelligence 4 Market Analysis Tools

MARKET ACCESS MAP

A web application to better understand and analyse

pertinent market access conditions applied by more than
200 countries and territories.
www.macmap.org

Market Access Map provides information on applied customs tariffs including

MFN tariffs and preferences granted unilaterally and in the framework of
bilateral and regional trade agreements.

STRENGTHS
Users can find ad valorem equivalents (AVEs) for non-ad valorem duties in
order to compare tariffs across countries, perform product aggregations at a
sectorial or regional level and simulate tariff reduction scenarios. The
application also covers tariff rate quotas, even though these can not be
translated into AVEs.
Additionally, trade agreements are listed together with their corresponding
rules of origin and certificates of origin,
Other data covered are trade remedies, bound tariffs of WTO members, non
-tariff measures (NTMs) and trade flows to help users prioritize and analyse
export markets as well as to prepare for market access negotiations.

Find applied customs tariffs,

including MFN and preferential
tariffs, non-tariff measures, trade
agreements and much more to
access markets.

Trade and Market Intelligence 5 Market Analysis Tools

EXPORT POTENTIAL MAP

A free innovative tool that identifies products, markets

and suppliers with (untapped) export potential as well as
opportunities for export diversification for 226 countries
and territories and more than 4,000 products.
exportpotential.intracen.org

Export Potential Map puts big data to

work for trade development. It
empowers diverse stakeholders, from
trade advisors, policymakers to private
companies to drive inclusive trade-led
growth.

STRENGTHS
The tool translates rigorous trade
analysis into practical information about export opportunities. Based on an
economic model that draws on trade, tariff, GDP and geographic data, the tool
helps evaluate countries’ potential to ramp up exports. It measures:

The Export Potential The Product Diversification

Indicator Indicator
identifies markets that offer room identifies new products with favourable
for export growth in established chances of export success in regional
export sectors. and global markets.

Investigate and
visualize your export
and diversification
opportunities.

Trade and Market Intelligence 6 Market Analysis Tools

RULES OF ORIGIN
FACILITATOR
A free online portal designed to help MSMEs understand
easily the applicable rules of origin to their products and
get the most benefits from available trade agreements via
a simple search function.
findrulesoforigin.org

Rules of origin are the most common source

of complaints when it comes to non-tariff
barriers to trade based on ITC Business
Surveys Series. The struggle to delve into
thousands of pages of complicated legal
texts without the necessary technical
background increases the cost of exporting
under trade agreements significantly.

STRENGTHS WHAT DOES IT INCLUDE?

The portal provides information on
rules of origin based on the relevant Procedures for
trade agreements for your query, all the issuance of Origin and
accessible through a quick search at the certificate certification
of origin provisions
the product level.
The user can download the
necessary documentation such as Contact
Period of institutions
certificates of origin or the full texts validity of the
of agreements. certificate of
origin
Additionally, information on trade
agreements and applied customs Product-specific rules of
duties for the latest year (MFN and origin with accompanying
preferential tariffs) is also available footnotes and product notes
in a very user-friendly interface.
You can also compare rules of origin
and certification provisions, and
applied tariffs across different trade
agreements.

Trade and Market Intelligence 7 Market Analysis Tools

MARKET PRICE
INFORMATION
A tool to track most recent market price information from
multiple sources and geographic areas that can make a
difference for tomorrow’s business.
It enhances enterprises’ ability to spot business
opportunities and facilitates decision-making processes.
mpi.intracen.org

Where can I find information on prices? This

is one of the main questions asked by
exporters.
Having good information about pricing in a
given market is an essential element needed
to develop a sound business proposal. In
many cases, price information can be scarce,
dispersed, incomplete and outdated.

Most recent market price information & historical data.

STRENGTHS
The portal provides MSMEs, Trade Support Institutions and policy makers from
developing countries with accurate daily and historic market price information
for more than 300 products. Prices are broken down by variety, quality, location
and many other characteristics. Moreover, the tool is highly customizable. A
data entry tool will facilitate the dissemination of local price information in
partnerhsip with TISIs, cooperatives or other institutions.
The following sectors are covered:

Agricultural Soft Dairy/Livestock Culinary Spices Grains and

Commodities Fish and Seafood and Herbs Pulses

Fresh Fruit and Forestry/ Fiber/ Oilseeds, Oils

Ornamentals
Vegetables Textiles nuts and Fats

Trade and Market Intelligence 8 Market Analysis Tools

PROCUREMENT MAP

The only free-access web platform that combines information

on public tenders and contract awards with relevant
information on sustainability standards and information on
legislation implemented by countries to support women
entrepreneurs or SMEs in public procurement.
procurementmap.intracen.org

Procurement Map contains more than 150,000 active public tenders and/or
contract awards from 180 countries updated on a daily basis. The combined
information with sustainability standards and legislation supporting SMEs and
women entrepreneurs will enable companies to see their comparative
advantage when replying to tenders.

Helping businesses, especially

SMEs, navigate the myriad of
opportunities to bid for public
procurement contracts around the
world.

STRENGTHS
It offers information on policies implemented by 75 countries to support
women owned businesses and/or SMEs in public procurement.
Sustainability standards in public procurement are at the heart of the UN
Sustainable Development Goal 12 to “ensure sustainable consumption and
production patterns”. ITC collects the relevant ones and makes them
available in Procurement Map in addition to Standards Map (see p. 10).
Users can easily identify potential buyers thanks to an intuitive search based
on a target country and an economic sector. The product and service
classifications, respectively the Harmonized System (HS) and the Balance of
Payment (BoP), used to classify tenders are the same classifications used in
Trade Map and Market Access Map. Therefore direct bridges between all
these applications are available.

Trade and Market Intelligence 9 Market Analysis Tools

STANDARDS MAP

The world’s largest database for sustainability standards.

The free tool helps users to find trusted and neutral
information about voluntary sustainability standards,
codes of conduct, audit protocols, reporting frameworks
and company programs on sustainability.
www.standardsmap.org

Standards Map provides freely accessible comprehensive, verified and

transparent information on over 300 standards for environmental protection,
worker and labour rights, economic development, quality and food safety, as
well as business ethics.
Additionally, it allows users to access to a wide-range of information related to
sustainability initiatives, standards and trends. Businesses, the public sector,
consumers and standards setting organizations can better understand the
sustainability standards landscape and connect with business partners
through the platform.

Identify standards Compare standards

Review 300+ standards by product, Compare up to 4 standards side by
sector, area or and more. side across 1650+ criteria.

Monitor trends Self-assess

Make informed decisions regarding See where you’re at in your standard
production trends among standards. compliance process and assess your
business for sustainability readiness.

Trade and Market Intelligence 10 Market Analysis Tools

 INVESTMENT MAP

A unique tool that combines statistics on foreign direct

investment (FDI), international trade and market access
conditions into a single portal. It includes relevant information
on activities of foreign affiliates in developing countries.
www.investmentmap.org

The user friendly portal assists investment promotion agencies (IPAs) in

pinpointing the sectors that have successfully attracted FDI in a country as a
guide to identifying priority sectors for promotion. It also helps them identify
the countries with whom they compete for foreign investment attraction in a
targeted sector and which countries are investing abroad by sector.
Furthermore, information on foreign affiliates can be useful to domestic
enterprises looking to supply to transnational corporations as a stepping-
stone to accessing international markets and wider export activities.

STENGTHS

 The country dashboard gives a quick overview

of a country’s positioning in FDI attraction and
presence abroad.
 Other tools such as Market Access Map and
Trade Map are directly linked.
 Total FDI flows and stocks for more than 200
countries and territories.
 Detailed FDI statistics by partner country or by
sector for more than 100 countries.
 Information on the location, sales, employment
and parent company for over 140,000 foreign
affiliates, covering 1,500 lines of business (US SIC rev. 3 nomenclature),
located in developing countries and economies in transition.
 Import and export data as well as custom tariffs for more than 220 countries
and territories to link FDI statistics with international trade.
 Other functionalities are indicators such as relevant doing business
indicators and graphs linking mother companies and their foreign affiliates.

Trade and Market Intelligence 11 Market Analysis Tools

EMBEDDED SOLUTIONS

Embed ITC Tools directly on your institution’s website

and increase your web traffic by providing highly valued
data to your audience.

Easy access to user friendly information is key to any trade development

success. For many institutions, it is often not sustainable or efficient to
create, host and maintain a web application themselves. Therefore, ITC
has made it possible to customize and embed the following ITC tools into
their existing websites:

TRADE MAP MARKET ACCESS EXPORT POTENTIAL

MAP MAP

The “Embedded Solutions” offer competitive advantages to partner institutions:

Displayed with the same look and feel as the partner
EMBEDDED
website. This information is therefore identified by users as
TOOLS
a new service provided by the partner institution.
All customized versions are hosted on ITC servers, without
ITC duplication, or maintenance by the partner and the
SERVERS download speed of the institution’s website is not impacted
by this new service.
AUTOMATIC Any updates to ITC Tools is automatically reflected on the
UPDATES partner institution’s web site.

The embedded solution for the

Islamic Centre For Development of
Trade (ICDT)-OIC Trade Centre.

Trade and Market Intelligence 12 Market Analysis Tools

INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS

NATIONAL AND REGIONAL TRADE

INFORMATION PORTALS
In developing and least developed countries critical information is often
lacking, with no clear starting point available to economic operators at a
national level.
To address this need for relevant
information, ITC collaborates with trade
and investment support institutions (TISIs)
to create National and Regional Trade
Information Portals. These portals build on
ITC’s expertise in data management and
Market Analysis Tools. In collaboration
with valued partners, the scope of these
portals can reach even farther and aim to
boost regional integration.

NATIONAL TRADE INFORMATION PORTALS: GUIDED PATHWAYS

These portals provide a guided pathway to a wide range of online business

information resources by creating country or region-focused platforms that
respond to specific sectoral and thematic needs.
The methodology followed in establishing the portal also reveals those
information services of a TISI that may be under-utilized and that can be
revamped and integrated with the new online service portfolio.
Conceived as digital one-stop-shops of essential business information, a
National Trade Information Portal serves a number of constituents:

PROSPECTIVE By making available information resources and “how-to-

EXPORTERS export” toolkits to support potential or first-time exporters.

ACTIVE By providing further insight into markets where exporters are

EXPORTERS already present, and resources to explore new destinations.

FOREIGN By providing visibility on local products, services, companies

IMPORTERS and businesses opportunities.

Trade and Market Intelligence 13 Integrated Solutions

 EUROMED TRADE HELPDESK

To strengthen economic ties between the European Union

(EU) and Mediterranean partners, and to encourage
further regional integration, the ITC has created the
EuroMed Trade Helpdesk, a free online portal
disseminating information necessary to do business.
euromed.tradehelpdesk.org

In light of the Euromed Trade and

Investment Facilitation Mechanism
(TIFM) project, the portal contains
comparable information on this specific
region, integrating elements of the
established expertise of the ITC Tools
with additional relevant information,
including VAT, excise taxes, price
control measures and business contacts
of relevant institutions, chambers of
commerce and much more.
The second phase of the project will enhance the Euromed Trade Helpdesk
by providing information on Foreign Direct Investment, Rules of Origin, WTO
notifications and adding a focus on trade in services.

COORDINATED RESPONSE

One of the advantages of this portal lies in the network of designated National
Focal Points who coordinate the provision of data to ITC. Users can be certain
that all data on the EuroMed Trade Helpdesk is accurate and reliable as they
must be either submitted by the National Focal
Points or validated by them.
Additionally, users can submit enquiries about
trade-related issues they face to the helpdesk
Network of National
and will receive assistance in finding solutions to
Focal Points
their problems. With this boost in transparency
of trade related information, Euromed economic
operators are poised to thrive at both regional
and world level in the near future.

Trade and Market Intelligence 14 Integrated Solutions

AFRICAN TRADE OBSERVATORY

Monitoring and Facilitating Trade and Economic

Integration in Africa.
ato.africa

Trade under African Continental Free Automated data

Trade Area (AfCFTA) preferences is from Africa
now a reality. By providing real-time
and reliable data, the African Trade
Observatory informs African
businesses on market opportunities
and conditions in the continent. The
portal will also include specific and
innovative indicators (on trade, taxes, Real time
clearance time, etc.) that will help indicators to
policymakers to monitor the African users
implementation process of the AfCFTA
and its impact.

THE DASHBOARD

The African Trade Observatory dashboard provides African entrepreneurs a

wealth of accessible trade information on intra-African trade, opportunities and
market requirements for the public and private sectors. Three modules will
allow them to compare, explore and monitor:

COMPARE EXPLORE MONITOR

Compare trade Find detailed trade Monitor the

and market access and market access- state of
information across related information intra-African
countries, for a country / integration over
products or product / market time.
markets. combination.

Trade and Market Intelligence 15 Integrated Solutions

 CENTRAL ASIA TRADE
INTELLIGENCE
The portal is a single entry point to trade statistics, tariffs,
official regulations and business contacts in Tajikistan,
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as well as the
countries of the European Union.
www.catiportal.org

The Central Asia Trade Intelligence Portal

(CATI) provides free relevant and up-to-date
market information that facilitates the trade and
investment related decisions of SMEs. The
portal is a single entry point to trade statistics,
tariffs, official regulations and business contacts
in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and
Uzbekistan as well as the countries of the European Union.
The portal is enhanced with information about quality requirements to export
specific products containing great export potential for all four countries. It
allows exporters, importers, investors and trade support institutions from these
Central Asian countries to search efficiently for business opportunities and
supports government officials in their policy designs. The portal is available in
English and Russian.
The portal represents the #NextGen in online services
around trade intelligence. It is accessible to
$1 billion of companies, business ecosystems and governments in
Central Asia free of charge. Access to cutting edge
unexplored
export opportunities trade and market intelligence allows companies to
benefit from export opportunities, build strong
economies, create jobs and remain ahead of the curve.

Trade and Market Intelligence 16 Integrated Solutions

EASTERN PARTNERSHIP
TRADE HELPDESK
The portal will provide trade information on the Eastern
Partnership (EaP) countries and the EU, complemented
with national sources and information.

The project aims to boost the economic and trade relations between the EaP
countries and the European Union and within the EaP region. As a result of
the project companies in the EaP countries will have increased access to
comprehensive, verified and transparent trade information on the region and
the EU through the EaP Trade Helpdesk online portal.

THE HELPDESK

The helpdesk, available via the portal,

will allow them to report on the export-
and import-related issues and get
practical solutions offered by relevant
national authorities. In addition, the
project will identify regulatory and
procedural trade obstacles through
national surveys of non-tariff measures,
and provide sector-specific guides on
exporting to the EU. Relevant national
institutions will be better prepared to
collect and process trade in services data
for selected sectors, while companies and business support organisations will
receive customised capacity building on market analysis to identify new
opportunities in the region and the EU.

Trade and Market Intelligence 17 Integrated Solutions

GLOBAL TRADE HELPDESK

The Global Trade Helpdesk (GTH) is a multi-agency initiative

jointly led by ITC, UNCTAD, and the WTO that aims to simplify
market research for companies, and especially Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), by integrating trade and
business information into a single online portal.
www.globaltradehelpdesk.org

It builds on existing ITC, UNCTAD and WTO

services as well as partner organisations,’
including FAO, IADB, AFDB, WCO, and WB
among others, to provide an integrated solution
that puts a wealth of global trade information at
the fingertips of entrepreneurs around the
world. Using GTH, firms can compare demand
for their products across markets, explore
tariffs and other market access conditions,
access details about buyers, navigate domestic
export processes, and find business partners.

FUTURE

Over the next nine years, the initiative will continue to expand and integrate
crucial trade intelligence and strengthen links with national and international
information sources to provide the most comprehensive information possible
to global exporters.

Trade and Market Intelligence 18 Integrated Solutions

 NON TARIFF MEASURES PROGRAMME

The NTM programme aims at increasing

transparency and helping countries better
understand the non-tariff obstacles to trade faced
by their businesses. It identifies opportunities to
reduce NTM-related trade costs without undermining
legitimate objectives that these regulations serve.
www.ntmsurvey.org

It ensures that the concerns of SMEs about regulatory and procedural trade
obstacles are brought to the attention of policymakers and other stakeholders
at the national, regional and multilateral level, enabling them to take concrete
actions to address these. ITC is engaged in multi-agency initiatives that assist
countries in finding solutions tailored to meet their specific needs.

REGULATORY MAPPING MONITORING FACILITATING

Large-scale business surveys Targeted research and analysis

Providing SMEs with improved
and online reporting systems to that supports the design and
access to information on NTMs
document SME experiences implementation of solution
through collection, review and
with government regulations packages to address regulatory
classification of national trade-
and related procedures when and procedural trade obstacles.
related regulations.
exporting/importing.

Channelling the
Increasing transparency Allowing evidence-based
voice of SMEs to
on NTMs policy
policy makers

MAPPING MARKET REQUIREMENTS

ITC contributes to a multi-agency effort to increase the transparency of market
access conditions worldwide by establishing a comprehensive database of the
regulations that products must comply with in order to be exported and/or
imported.
The regulations are collected in close collaboration with national stakeholders,
classified according to the international NTM classifications and are validated
by national governments to maximise reliability.

Trade and Market Intelligence 19 Non-Tariff Measures Programme

The data is disseminated through ITC’s market access platform, Market Access
Map (see p. 5), providing easy access and analysis.
In addition, an online alert system, ePing (see p. 22), allows the private sector
to track changes in regulations and to enter into dialogue with the public sector
through notifications.

MONITORING SMES’ CHALLENGES

What effect do NTMs have on businesses worldwide? ITC’s representative

Business Surveys on NTMs document the experiences of companies that are
involved in international merchandise and service trade.
The Trade Obstacles Alert Mechanism (TOAM) (see p. 23) facilitates the
identification and elimination of obstacles faced by companies in their daily
operation.

ENHANCING POLICY & TRTA DESIGN

The NTM programme’s wealth of information and
data feeds into research and analysis and related
publications of both ITC and partners. Two key
elements are a database with firm-level information
on exporters and importers, and the NTM series of
more than 40 publications that inform policy making,
regional integration efforts, bilateral and multilateral
negotiations as well as the design of trade-related
technical assistance (TRTA).
NTM data survey findings and related recommendations serve as basis for
stakeholder consultations, as well as trainings on NTMs for policy makers, TISIs
and businesses.

Documented experiences with NTMs of over

33,000 exporters & importers
Business surveys in 74 countries &
online available survey results
for 30 countries
30,000 trade obstacles reported by
exporters and importers
concerning 185 destinations
40 NTM publications in
the ITC series on non-tariff measures
300 enterprises
directly connected to policy makers

Trade and Market Intelligence 20 Non-Tariff Measures Programme

 SERVICES TRADE
MEASURES INITIATIVE
The Services Trade Measures (STM) Initiative helps gain a
better understanding of services trade in developing
countries, as well as of regulatory and procedural trade
obstacles that make it challenging for companies to
participate in services trade.

Services have become an important economic

sector in most developing countries. It is
expanding at a fast pace and is a powerful
driver of many economies. However, lack of
understanding of the services economy and
poor coordination at the national level hamper
opportunities to trade. ITC contributes to
closing the information gap through business
surveys documenting the types of services
offered and their challenges when trading
internationally. It helps policy makers gain a better understanding of the
relevance of export activities for local service providers, procurement of foreign
inputs (goods and services) that are needed to conduct export operations and
the gap between services provided domestically and traded abroad.
MAIN OBJECTIVES

The STM work aims to provide detailed information on the services offered by
companies, main market destinations and foreign clients. It improves clarity on
regulatory, procedural and infrastructural challenges faced by services
providers accessing international value chains. This way it can inform the
design of policy responses and trade-related
technical assistance. At the same time, the
Freight survey collects firm level data and improves
ICT
transport and quality of business registries in the sector
logistics analyzed.

Stay tuned
Travel and
for more to The STM surveys focus mainly on
tourism
come! services sectors with strong synergies
with merchandise trade.

Trade and Market Intelligence 21 Non-Tariff Measures Programme

EPING

Enabling timely access to SPS and TBT notifications

covering products and markets of interest and facilitating
dialogue amongst the public and private sector in
addressing potential trade problems at an early stage.

Policy makers, exporters, importers,

investors and others can use ePing to
track and communicate on relevant
product requirements.

ITC partners with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) to provide an online alert
system for notifications submitted by WTO Members under the Agreements on
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade
(TBT).
WTO Members are required to notify other Members before adopting new
measures if they are likely to affect international trade and provide opportunity
for comments. ePing enables timely access to these notifications and, with
more than 10,000 users, facilitates dialogue amongst the public and private
sector in addressing potential trade problems at an early stage.

Trade and Market Intelligence 22 Non-Tariff Measures Programme

TRADE OBSTACLES
ALERT MECHANISM
Facilitating the identification and elimination of obstacles
faced by companies in their daily operation.
www.tradeobstacles.org

The Trade Obstacles Alert (TOA) system includes online platform which
connects companies and relevant agencies allowing them to exchange
information about trade obstacles. Additionally, an institutional mechanism
ensures the cooperation of the different actors involved in the identification and
resolution of problems reported through the online platform.
Resolved cases in the pilot countries include examples of streamlined
procedures, reduced time to obtain certifications and other documents
necessary for exporting and importing and better dissemination of information
on regulations and related procedures.

Report the trade obstacles you face,

receive email alerts about obstacles of
your interest and view the obstacle
reports.

The Trade Obstacle Alert system allows:

• Companies to post online, information about the challenges they face and
deal directly with relevant agencies.
• Trade related agencies to interact with companies and efficiently resolve
trade obstacles.
• Policy makers and trade support institutions to monitor an updated database
of obstacles faced by companies and put in place remedial policies or
programs.

Trade and Market Intelligence 23 Non-Tariff Measures Programme

 CAPACITY BUILDING SERVICES

Leveraging on our expertise in trade

information, ITC’s TMI section offers various
capacity building activities for export oriented
managers, Trade and Investment Support
Institutions and policy makers to make informed
and actionable decisions.
2012—2020

Our activities focus on enhancing our clients’ knowledge on

trade opportunities in international markets through the
combination of rigorous technical content, interactive
28 673 trainees discussions and hands-on exercices. Participants are
463 workshops empowered to use acquired skills in their daily work and to
224 webinars replicate the training locally.
57 replicated ITC offers a broad range of activities, delivered in a variety of
workshops ways. These offers can be delivered through webinars, face
to face workshops, a variety of mentoring programs and customized offers
upon request. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many activities have moved
online to continue to serve our beneficiaries in the most efficient way possible.

TRADE MARKET NON-TARIFF RULES OF EXPORT

STATISTICS ACCESS MEASURES ORIGIN POTENTIAL

TRADE IN TARIFF AND MUCH

INVESTMENT
SERVICES NEGOTIATIONS MORE...

E-LEARNING WITH SME TRADE ACADEMY

ITC has developed two introductory online courses to Trade and Market
Intelligence, “How to analyse trade flows” and “How to access international
markets”. Discover when the next sessions are happening on the SME Trade
Academy platform.

“This is an important training for the exporter to identify and

understand their market, which will improve their negotiation power.“
Federation of Women Entrepreneurs Association – Nepal, 2017

To discuss your capacity building needs and receive customized training

offers, please contact [email protected].

Trade and Market Intelligence 24 Success Stories

SUCCESS STORY

Training South African diplomats to

train others on market intelligence
In 2017, eight officials from South Africa’s Department of International
Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) received their certification of trainers on
ITC Market Intelligence Tools. This allows them to teach others to perform
market analysis and showcase the attractiveness of South Africa’s economy to
prospective investors and trading partners.
SOUTH AFRICA’S FOCUS ON ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY
According to ITC estimates, South Africa currently has $38.6 billion in
untapped export potential, much of it in non-mineral sectors such as
manufacturing and agriculture, which would represent a sizable addition to the
country’s $90.5 billion in exports in 2019.
As part of the shift towards more economically-oriented diplomacy, the
government sought to better equip its diplomats to identify trade opportunities
and help South African businesses pursue economic interests in international
markets. At the same time, it wanted to create an internal training programme
to ensure diplomats and other officials had the tools and understanding of the
country’s position in the global economy to formulate appropriate policies.
TRAINING DIRCO OFFICIALS ON ITC MARKET ANALYSIS TOOLS
South Africa’s DIRCO engaged ITC to
lead two workshops for 36 of its officials
in 2017, the first introducing them to the
use of ITC market intelligence tools. The
goal was to equip them to conduct
research and respond to requests about
export opportunities and contribute to
designing effective strategies for South
African companies seeking to break into
new markets. The second workshop trained a smaller group of participants to
train others to use ITC market intelligence tools, of which eight of them were
officially certified to teach other DIRCO officials.
ENSURING SUSTAINABILITY OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME
Participants report that the training, which concluded in June, has enabled
them better to analyse markets and make trade-related decisions. In October
2017, DIRCO charged one of the certified trainers, Ogaufi Masibi-Mampane,
with training DIRCO colleagues, including future heads of diplomatic missions,
to conduct market analysis.

Trade and Market Intelligence 25 Capacity Building

PRESS COVERAGE & OUTREACH 2020

KEY FACTS

Average
of news 75.9 Most mentioned
service by ITC
#ITCdata
references per week in the media on social media gained
6 518 new followers

TOP MEDIA OUTLETS AND ARTICLES ACROSS THE WORLD

Trade and Market Intelligence 26 Press Coverage

DONORS

ITC Trust Fund Finland

UNDP

Russian fl