WTO

 

ITC’s contribution towards the WTO’s global agenda was emphasized by ministers at the Eighth WTO Ministerial Conference in December 2011, who reaffirmed ITC’s role in ‘improving and enhancing trade support institutions and policies for the benefit of exporting efforts, and in strengthening the export capacity of enterprises to respond to market opportunities’. As such, ITC partners with WTO on a variety of projects and initiatives.

ITC supports Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in their aspirations towards WTO membership and continues to strengthen the capacity of WTO Reference Centres, most recently in Ethiopia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Samoa. ITC works with the WTO’s Committee on Trade and Environment to identify gaps and facilitate projects that support sustainable development, strengthening exporters’ knowledge of — and ability to meet — international standards. ITC provides practical guidance to exporters regarding biodiversity, climate change and sustainable agriculture. 

Other joint programmes

ITC, UNCTAD and WTO have been tasked with monitoring progress towards one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)-MDG8: develop a global partnership for development. The joint monitoring is accessible on mdg-trade.org, which is designed to provide market access indicators data for LDCs. 

ITC’s project on Non Tariff Measures (NTMs), was also created jointly with UNCTAD and the WTO. This project increases transparency and understanding of NTMs by working closely with ministries, export promotion agencies, research institutes, business associations and local experts in each country. 

ITC’s Trade, Climate Change and Environment Programme supports exporters in developing countries with strengthening their international competitiveness and their understanding of, and ability to meet, international standards. It carries out research to provide practical guidance to exporters regarding biodiversity, climate change and sustainable agriculture. 

For further information on ITC’s collaboration with the WTO and UNCTAD, vist ITC and Aid for Trade and Market Access Map. 
 
Further information on ICT’s collaboration with other partners.