INF/MSME/CN/23  
 
25 September 2023  
(23-6385) Page: 1/3 
  Original: English  
 
 
INFORMAL WORKING GROUP ON MSMES  
CONVENING NOTICE  
The following convening notice, dated 25 September  2023, is being circulated at the request of the 
Coordinator of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs , Ambassador Matthew Wilson ( Barbados ). 
 
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The Informal Working Group on MSMEs will hold its next regular meeting in hybrid mode in room S3 
and through the Interprefy platform on Monday 9 October  2023 , starting at 15:00  (half-day 
meeting).  
A technical guide summarizing  logistical details for participation in Interprefy meetings will be made 
available on the Members' interactive calendar of meetings, and can also be found at: 
WTO Interprefy Delegate Guide . 
The following items, based on the work program adopted by the Group at its March 2023 meeting, 
are proposed for the agenda:  
1  SMALL BUSINESS CHAMPION WINNERS  
Hey Success Virtual Assistance Services (Philippines), one of the winner s of the 2023 edition of the 
Small Business Champion initiative "Helping Smallholder Farmers Go International" that was 
announced on MSME Day , will be invited to briefly present their project.  
 
2  PROMOTING MSMES' ACCESS TO INFORMATION (PILLAR 1)  
2.1  Update by the ITC on the Global Trade Helpdesk  
The International Trade Centre will give an update on the Global Trade Helpdesk, including 
developments like the inclusion of information on e -commerce such as digital payment coverage, 
online marketplaces, and tariff thresholds.  
 
2.2  Presentation of G20 work related to MSMEs and access to information (ITC)  
Mr Rajesh Aggarwal, Chief, Business and Trade Policy at the ITC, will brief the Group on recent G20 
discussions on MSMEs and access to information, in particular the call for an action plan to be 
developed t o upgrade the GTH using AI.  
 
3  BUILDING CAPACITY TO PROMOTE MSMES' GREATER INCLUSION IN INTERNATIONAL 
TRADE (PILLAR 2)  
At the March 2023 meeting of the Group, several concrete deliverables were proposed under pillar 2 
of the work program, including Handbooks  compiling the MSME and Policymaker Guides of the 
Trade4MSMEs platform and a compendium of good practices related to MSME integration in national  
Authorized Economic Operators (AEO) programs.  The Group will be provided with an update on these 
different out puts and discuss the way forward.  INF/MSME/CN/23  
 
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  3.1  Handbooks  
The Coordinator will provide an update on the preparation of the Handbooks. It is proposed to issue 
the Handbooks at the December meeting, in advance of MC13. Members will be invited to share 
their views on this proposed way forward.  
 
3.2  Access to Finance for Women Entrepreneurs  
3.2.1   Compendium on Access to Finance for Women -led Micro, Small and Medium -sized 
Enterprises (MSMEs)  
Following the proposal at the 3 July MSME Group meeting for a compendium on financial inclusion  
initiatives for women -led MSMEs in trade, the Trade and Gender and MSME Group WTO Secretariats 
were supported by the ITC in preparing a draft compilation of initiatives taken at the national, 
regional and international levels  (document forthcoming) . Group  members will be invited to share 
their views on the document and to indicate if any additional national initiatives could be included.  
 
3.2.2   Presentation by the World Bank on the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative 
(We-Fi) 
Following the UK presentation on Support for Women -Owned MSMEs at the July 2023 meeting of 
the Group, during which the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We -Fi) hosted by the World 
Bank was referenced (UK communication INF/MSME/W/43 dated 13 June 2023), the Coordinator 
suggested invit ing the World Bank to the present the initiative to the Group.  
 
Wendy Teleki, Head of the We -Fi Secretariat housed at the World Bank, will present this initiative to 
support women entrepreneurs by scaling up access to financial products and services, build ing 
capacity, expanding networks, offering mentors and providing opportunities to link with domestic 
and global markets. More information is available at we-fi.org . Members will then be invited to share 
their views on how the Group could support the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative  and learn 
from it.  
 
3.3  Authorized Economic Operators ( AEO) programs and MSMEs  (Update)  
At its July meeting, the Group heard a presentation by  the World Customs Organization  on their 
AEO-related work, including their AEO database and AEO SME guidelines.  The Group also agreed to 
work on a compendium of good practices. The Secretariat has started compiling country and regional 
approaches to AEOs, which will be shared with the Group shortly. At the meeting, Members will be 
invited to share their own experience with AEO programs and MSMEs and to flag approaches that 
should be included in the compendium . 
 
4  THEMATIC DISCUSSIONS (PILLAR 3)  
Under pillar 3 of the wor k program, the MSME Group continues exploring issues of particular interest 
to MSME trade with a view, where relevant, to developing policy guidance.  
 
4.1  Presentation by the OECD  
Lucia Cusmano, the Acting Head of the SME and Entrepreneurship Division at the O ECD, will present 
the OECD  key issues paper from the June 2023 Ministerial meeting, Future -Proofing SME and 
Entrepreneurship Policies  that looks at the need for MSME Digitalization and the potential for green 
entrepreneurship. It will also present the OECD Declaration on Enhan cing SMEs and 
Entrepreneurship Policies for Greater Resilience and Successful Green and Digital Transitions , which 
calls on the OECD to facilitate information exchange, develop analytical tools and improve the 
granularit y of data.  
 
5  BRIEFINGS ON MSME -RELATED DISCUSSIONS IN OTHER WTO BODIES  
The WTO Secretariat Aid for Trade team will provide a briefing on upcoming work, including the 
ninth Global Review of Aid for Trade, which will be undertaken in 2024 and include MSME -related 
trade information.  INF/MSME/CN/23  
 
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6  IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR DECEMBER 2020 PACKAGE (PILLAR 4)  
The fourth pillar of the work program focuses on implementation of the December 2020 MSME 
package.  
 
Members will be invited to share updates on actions taken to implement the December 2020 MSME 
package (INF/MSME/4/Rev.2). In particular, Members will be invited to report on:  
 
• Inclusion of MSME information in TPRs – Members having undergone a Trade Policy Review 
since our July 2023 meeting will be invited to report on their inclusion of MSME information in 
their TPRs  (Annex 1 of INF/MSME/4/Rev.2) ; 
• Actions taken to support the Global Trade Helpdesk (Annex 2) ; 
• Trade facilitation measures for MSMEs (Annex 3) ; 
• Inclusion of MSMEs in the development of trade regulations to minimize regulatory burden 
(Annex 4) ; 
• Implementation of the 2019 IDB Decision (Annex 5) ; 
• Actions taken to facilitate MSME access to finance, including trade finance, and cross -border 
payments (A nnex 6).  
7  MC13 PLANNING  
Group members will be invited to share their views on the draft Chair's text circulated in document 
INF/MSME/W/ 45 and discuss plans for MC13.  
 
8  OTHER BUSINESS  
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