INF/MSME/W/11  
 
14 October 2019  
(19-6658) Page: 1/11 
  Original: English  
 
INFORMAL WORKING GRO UP ON MSMES  
DRAFT DECISION ON ACCESS T O INFORMATION  
Communication from Switzerland  
The following communication, dated 11 October  2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Switzerland . 
 
_______________  
 
 
Preamble  
 
Noting  that enhanced transparency and access to information on trade -related information are 
recurring demands from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises  (MSMEs), from all over the world, in 
their efforts to internationalize;  
 
Recognizing  that improving transparency and access to information contributes to promoting the 
participation of MSMEs in international trade;  
 
Recognizing  that the Global Trade Helpd esk (https://www.globaltradehelpdesk.org/en ), developed 
jointly by the ITC, UNCTAD and the WTO, is a powerful tool that tackles MSMEs' demand for increased 
trade and market intelligence and that this p latform needs to be nourished with updated information 
from WTO members;  
 
Decision  
 
We, the Members of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs,  
 
1. Call on all WTO Members to contribute to the success and the prompt operationalization of the 
Global Trade Helpdesk.  
2. Agree to:  
a. Within a year of the adoption of this decision, provide updated and complete information 
pursuant to the Annex of this decision.  
b. Every two years thereafter, update as necessary the information provided pursuant to 
the Annex.  
3. Will take actions in relevant WTO bodies to enhance transparency with the aim of facilitating 
the integration of MSMEs in the global economy.  
4. Instruct the Informal Working Group on MSMEs to review the operationalization of this decision 
no later than one year after the adoption of this decision.  
 
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ANNEX  1 
GLOBAL TRADE HELPDES K SURVEY  
 
 
 
 
Global Trade Helpdesk  
Baseline Coordination Questionnaire  
 
 
Project Summary  
 
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 by integrating trade -related information 
into a single online portal. Providing MSMEs with clear, accurate and accessible information to 
enable them to become active exporters is crucial for supporting inclusive growth. Using GTH, 
MSMEs will be able to compare demand and prices  for their products  across  markets,  explore  
tariffs  and other  market  access  conditions,  access  details  about buyers, and navigate domestic 
export processes. The initiative builds on existing ITC, UNCTAD and WTO services as well as 
partner organisations’ to provide an integrated solution that puts a wealth of global trade 
information at the fingertips of  entrepreneurs.  
 
The WTO Informal Working Group on MSMEs, which brings together 89 WTO members to support 
integration of MSMEs into global market, has been actively involved in the support and promotion 
of this initiative since its inception  at 2017  Buenos  Aires  Ministerial  Conference.  Thanks  to the 
support  of its members,  we have  already been able to significantly advance in the development of 
the project. However, in order to ensure a continuous quality, consistency and accuracy of the 
information p rovided by the GTH, we would need assistance from the MSMEs  group.  
 
At this stage, we would kindly ask you for your support to take stock of and address current data 
reporting challenges  in order  to provide  the best possible  service  to your MSMEs.  The purpose  of 
this activity  is to validate the  information  we have  for your country  and to help fill in any gaps  with 
relevant  contact  points  in your country. The  attached  country  data sheet  provides  an overview  of 
the latest  information  available  for your country.  Please review  the accuracy  of the information  listed  
on the county  data sheet,  and respond  by filling  in the questionnaire provided. Please be as specific 
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as possible in your answers and provide details regarding the relevant contact persons in each 
institution. We will not ask you to collect any data, but instead seek your help in identifying the 
appropriate contacts within your country. This information could also help us in providing technical 
assistance to your authorities whenever  possible. The questionnaire structure mirrors the 
information provided in the GTH including  trade  and tariff information,  information  about  mandatory  
and voluntary  standards  and regulations,  as well as company -specific details of importing 
companies and the domestic export  procedures.  
 
We look forward to your feedback regarding the information provided in country data sheet and 
relevant contacts by March 29, 2019 . Please email your submissions to 
tradehelpdes k@intracen.org . Should you have any follow -up questions  about  any of the 
information  in your data sheet  or specific  questions,  please  do not hesitate  to contact us. Rest 
assured that the data you provide will not be publicly shared but will only be used internally by 
ITC, UNCTAD,  WTO  and the WTO  Informal  Working  Group  on MSMEs.  Aggregated  results  with 
no specific  country information may be used in reports and analyses. Partially complete 
submissions are accepted if certain information is not available within this  timeframe.  
 
Thanks in advance for your kind assistance in helping us raise the awareness and capacities of 
MSMEs to be active players in global trade through the Global Trade Help desk Initiative.  INF/MSME/W/11  
 
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Baseline Questionnaire  
 
 
Please consult the attached country data sheet that summarizes the latest available information that is readily 
accessible through ITC, WTO, and UNCTAD applications. We ask you to please review the accuracy of the 
information provided, and to highlight any missing information and contact points within relevant institutions 
using the questionnaire below or the link to the electronic version.  
 
Name:  
 
Institutional affiliation:  
 
Contact email:  
 
Contact phone number:  
 
 
I. Trade  Data  
 
i. Does the information provided in the country data sheet from ITC Trade Map 
(https://www.trademap.org ) reflect the latest available trade flow data for your country?  Yes  No 
If no, please  specifiy:  
ii. Does your country already collect and publish trade data online? If yes, please provide  the website. 
 Yes  No 
Website:  
iii. Which agency or ministry collects / centralizes trade -related information for your  country?  
 
 
iv. Relevant contact person(s) for information on trade  flows:  
Name (s): 
Contact email:  
Contact phone number:  
 
 
II. Tariff and Tax  Data  
 
v. Please confirm the information outlined in the country data sheet reflecting the latest ITC data from  
MacMap ( https://www.macmap.org ) on tariffs, quotas and trade remedies (anti -dumping and 
countervailing  duties)  for your country.  Is this information  comprehensive  and up-to-date?  Yes No 
If not, what is  missing?  
vi. Does your country already collect and publish tariff data online? If yes, please provide  the website.  
Yes No 
Website:  
INF/MSME/W/11  
 
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vii. Which entity or ministry collects and centralizes information related to tariffs, quotas, and trade 
remedies for your  country?  
 
viii. Does your country already collect and publish tax information online? If yes, please provide the 
website.  
 Yes No 
Website:  
ix. Which agency or ministry collects / centralizes tax -related information for your  country?  
 
 
x. Relevant contact person(s) for tariff, quota and trade remedy and tax  information:  
Name (s): 
Contact email:  
Contact phone number:  
 
 
III. Non-Tariff Measures  Data  
 
xi. The ITC and UNCTAD collect NTM data published in MacMap ( https://www.macmap.org ) Rules of 
Origin Facilitator ( https://findrulesoforigin.org/ ) and UN TRAINS  (SPS, TBTs, pre -shipment inspection 
and customs procedures, licensing, quotas, taxes, price controls, subsidies, rules of origin and related 
certificates, government procurement restrictions, etc.). Please see the ava ilable data for your country 
and the local sources listed in the country data sheet. Is this list of regulations and source agencies 
comprehensive and up -to-date for your country?  Yes No 
If not, which NTMs areas are missing?  
xii. Does your country already collect and publish NTM data online? If yes, please provide  the website. 
 Yes No 
Website:  
xiii. Which  institutions  in responsible  for collecting  / centralizing  this information  in your country?  
 
 
xiv. Relevant contact person(s) related to  NTMs:  
Name (s): 
Contact email:  
Contact phone number:  
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IV. Domestic Trade  Procedures  
 
xv. The ITC and UNCTAD have collected some information on domestic trade procedures found on the 
country data sheet. Is this information accurate and comprehensive for your country? Yes   No 
 If no, please  specify:  
xvi. Does  your country  already  collect  and publish  Domestic  Trade  Procedures  data online?  If yes, please 
provide the  website.  Yes No 
Website:  
xvii. Which entity or ministry in your country collects / centralizes information about domestic trade 
procedures in your  country?  
 
xviii. Relevant contact person(s) for domestic trade  procedures:  
Name (s): 
Contact email:  
Contact phone number:  
 
V. Company  Data  
 
xix. The country data sheet summarizes the company information available through ITC Trade Map 
(https://www.trademap.org ) from Kompass and Dunn & Bradstreet for your country. Are there other 
sources of company information available for your country that could complement  this information?  
 Yes No 
Other sources of company information:  
 
 
xx. Does your country already collect and publish company data online? If yes, please provide the 
website.   Yes  No 
Website:  
xxi. Which entity or ministry in your country collects / centralizes information about company data in your 
country?  
xxii. Relevant contact person(s) for company  information:  
Name (s): 
Contact email:  
Contact phone number:  
 
xxiii. Major e -commerce platforms used in your country, foreign or local (ex. Amazon, Alibaba, Rakuten, 
Snapdeal, Etsy, Zalando,  etc.): 
INF/MSME/W/11  
 
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VI. Domestic Trade Finance  Institutions  
 
xxiv. Which  local government  institutions  and banks  provide  export  credits  and trade  finance  to companies 
in your  country?  
 
 
 
VII. Market Price  information  
 
xxv. The country  data sheet  shows  the availability  of detailed  price  information  for agricultural  exports  from 
your country is available through ITC Market Price Information Portal ( https://mpi.intracen.org/ ) from  
USDA and Thompson and Reuters. Are there other national sources for market price information for  
agricultural products in your country?   YesNo 
xxvi. Does your country already collect and publish market price data online for agricultural and other 
products? If yes, please provide the  Yes  No 
Website:  
xxvii.  Is there  a national  entity/ministry  that collects  / centralizes  this information?  Yes  No 
xxviii.  Relevant contact person(s) for market price  information:  
Name (s):  
Contact email:  
Contact phone number:  
 
VIII. National Trade  Portal  
 
xxix. Does  your country  have  a national  trade  portal?  Yes  No 
Website:  
xxx. If not, would your country be interested in developing a national trade  portal?  
xxxi. If you already have an existing portal, would you it to be strengthened with additional information 
and/or features (if so, which  ones)?  
 
IX. National Focal  Point  
 
xxxii.  Who would  be the appropriate  GTH  National  Focal  Point  for your country?  (This  could  be the National 
Trade Facilitation contact point or another designated  person).  
Name (s): 
Contact email:  
Contact phone number:  
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X. Additional Comments  
 
xxxiii.  Please list any other institutions and contacts or sources of information that you feel are 
relevant for covering the essential trade -related for your  country:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
_______________  
 
 
 
 
 
Contact:  Mathieu  Loridan,Trade  and Market  Intelligence  section  
E-mail:  loridan@intracen.org  
Street  address:  ITC, 54-56, rue de Montbrillant  ,1202  Geneva,  
Switzerland  
Postal  address:  ITC, Palais  des Nations,  1211 Geneva  10, Switzerland  INF/MSME/W/11  
 
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ANNEX 2  
COUNTRY DATASHEET  
[Country Name]  
Please find below an overview of the trade related information needed for the Global Trade 
Helpdesk and the availability for your country based on information readily accessible through ITC, 
WTO, and UNCTAD applications. Our objective is to provide transpa rency as to the information 
available for your country and to identify sources for missing and incomplete information. Please 
review this information and complete the Baseline Survey questionnaire, and return it to 
tradehelpdesk@intracen.org . Through these efforts to help identify institutions and contacts, 
together we will be able to provide complete and up -to-date information to MSMEs around the 
world.  
Trade  Relevant Trade  
Government Agency   
Latest Trade Data Source   
Latest Year in Trade Map   
Trade Data Source  
(Reporting to ITC)   
Trade Data Update  
Frequency (Reporting to  
ITC)  
Tariff  Tariff Data Source   
Latest Tariff Update  
(MFN/Pref.)   
Trade Remedies Latest  
Update   
NTMs  NTM Latest Update   
 SPS ([number] regulations) 
from   
 TBT ([number] regulations) 
from   INF/MSME/W/11  
 
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 NTMs  (Cont'd)  Pre-shipment inspection 
and other formalities 
([number] regulations) from   
 Quantity control measures 
(e.g. licences, quotas, 
prohibitions)   
 Price -control measures 
including additional taxes 
and charges ([number] 
regulations) from   
 Distribution restrictions   
 Export related measures  
([number] regulations) from   
Measures affecting  
Competition ([number]  
regulation)  
from   
Finance Measures   
Trade -related Investment  
Measures   
Contigent Trade -protective  
Measures   
Restriction on Post -Sales 
services   
Rules of Origin  Number of agreements 
covered: [number] out of 
[number]   INF/MSME/W/11  
 
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 Trade Procedures  Trade Procedures Available   
Company Data  Number of Companies   
Price Information  Number of products 
covered:   
 
 
__________