Euromed: Providing trade and market intelligence for better informed decisions (TIFM 2)

    Overview

    Summary

    The Euromed Trade and Investment Facilitation Mechanism project (TIFM) phase II builds on the success of phase I, implemented by ITC between Jan. 2014 and Jun. 2017.  

    On 30th June 2017, ITC launched the Euromed Trade Helpdesk, an online tool and problem-solving network enhancing regional trade transparency. In March 2018, Trade Ministers from the Mediterranean region endorsed the Helpdesk as a pioneering tool for comprehensive regional trade intelligence. During the first 3 years of its existence, the Helpdesk attracted more than 34,000 users who accessed transparent and reliable market information. 

    Following positive feedback and requests for more information and engagement, ITC designed TIFM II to include more data, covering investment and trade in services, to deepen the understanding of trade obstacles in the region, and to strengthen the sustainability and ownership of the initiative.

    ITC will implement this new phase in collaboration with public and private sectors in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia, providing support by fostering regional trade integration, reducing risks within global value chains, and addressing COVID-19 challenges.

    Partners

    Sustainable Development Goals

    This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

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    Increasing exports in the Mediterranean

    ITC EuroMed project aims at increasing trade opportunities in the region.

    The EuroMed countries of Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia and Turkey form one of the least economically integrated regions in the world, with their 2020 share of exports representing less than 4% of all exported goods in the world.

    Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, those exports fell by 15% compared to 2019, and dropped by almost 40% in April and May 2020.  However, ITC data shows the potential for trade in goods in the region could reach $25 billion by 2025.

    In 2017, ITC’s EuroMed Trade and Investment Facilitation Mechanism launched the EuroMed Trade Helpdesk online platform to provide trade in goods data at both product and market levels, market access conditions, trade statistics, business, institutional contacts, and to allow businesses to address their questions to relevant authorities.

    Enhanced EuroMed Trade Helpdesk

    In 2022, the Enhanced Euromed Trade Helpdesk launch will provide a wider national network to address user’s questions and cover trade in services and investment related statistics. New features will include export potential indicators, rules of origin at product level, and official Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) notifications to the WTO.

    We will also conduct small and medium sized businesses surveys to identify obstacles faced by companies and allow entrepreneurs to share with policymakers their import-export concerns, and hold trainings on market analysis and on the EuroMed Trade Helpdesk.

    ITC’s EuroMed Trade and Investment Facilitation Mechanism project responds to these countries’ needs to build stronger trade ties.
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    Video

    15 July 2022

    ITC contact

    Elodie
    Robin
    Email
    robin [at] intracen.org