The current round of multilateral trade negotiations is having a profound impact on the way business operates between and across borders in the developing and developed world. ITC developed its World Trade Net in response to:

• The need for business leaders, their associations and federations to be aware of WTO rules and their implications in order for their businesses to grow and thrive in an ever more competitive environment.
   

• The need for governments to be up-to-date with the views of their business sector when devising negotiating strategies and formulating the national positions in WTO multilateral trade discussions.

World Trade Net brings together national networks of government and business interests in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Central and Eastern Europe, with the practical and logistic support of staff from the ITC’s World Trade Net team in Geneva.

World Trade Net facilitates meaningful exchanges between government and the private sector, with a view to promoting dialogue on multilateral trade and business issues.

It currently comprises more than 60 member countries, each with their own networks whose membership includes representatives of the private sector, government, and academia.
 

World Trade Net facilitates a two-way exchange of information between ITC staff in Geneva and individual World Trade Net country networks, thereby responding to the specific needs and requests for information, support, or assistance articulated by the members themselves.

World Trade Net organises regional seminars and workshops on a variety of trade issues, for example agriculture, textiles and clothing, trade remedies and TBT and SPS.

World Trade Net’s policy of organising events that address trade issues specific to countries of the region in which they are held enhances the relevance of debate and exchanges among participants.

World Trade Net makes available publications, technical papers and case studies as well as other training materials, providing the information and support to enable business in developing and transition countries to make decisions on investment, structural adjustment and export strategy in a more informed manners.

World Trade Net’s bi-monthly Business Briefing keeps government, business and the global trading community up to date with the latest developments in the multilateral trading system.