WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/TBT/GEN/120 
11 July 2011 
 (11-3402) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
 
 
 
INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES OF THE ITC (INTERNATIONAL TRADE CENTRE)  
FROM MARCH - JUNE 2011 
  
 The following statement was provided by the ITC to the TBT Committee meeting of  
15-16 June 2011.   
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I. PROJECTS 
A. 
CENTRAL ASIA (KYRGYZSTAN AND TAJIKISTAN ) 
1. The projects in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, funded by SECO, are in their third phase. The 
overall objective of this project is to contribute to  the sustainable expansion and diversification of 
SMEs’ exports in Tajikistan through increasing th e competitiveness of the textile and clothing 
industry and improving the quality management infrastructure of the country. 
2. The specific objective in the areas of TBT a nd SPS, is to improve the capacity of SQAM1, 
TBT and SPS bodies and the regulatory infrastructure.  
1. Tajikistan 
3. Information has been provided to WTO on the contact details for the National Enquiry Points 
for TBT and SPS. 
4. A study tour to two laboratories was organized, inter alia, for staff from the two accredited 
laboratories of Tajikstandart testing food a nd agricultural products in Hungary in March. 
2. Kyrgyzstan 
5. Work was ongoing in preparation for the pre- peer evaluation of the Kyrgyz Accreditation 
Centre by the International Laborator y Accreditation Cooperation in July.  
II. OTHER ITC PROJECTS OF INTEREST 
A. JOINT ITC-ISO  WORKSHOP ON "LINKING TRADE PROMOTION ORGANIZATIONS AND 
NATIONAL STANDARDS BODIES FOR EXPORT SUCCESS "  
6. ITC and ISO are organizing in partnership a re gional three-day workshop on "Linking TPOs 
and NSBs for Export Success", hosted by hosted by th e Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and co-
hosted by the Tanzania Trade Development Author ity (TanTrade) in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania from 
21 to 23 June 2011. 
                                                      
1 SQAM: Standards, Quality Assurance, Metrology and Accreditation. G/TBT/GEN/120 
Page 2 
 
 
  7. Some 50 senior officials from NSBs and TPO s representing 25 Anglophone countries in 
Africa will explore how linkages between TPOs and NSBs can be strengthened to improve the 
international competitiveness of enterpri ses and developed joint action plans.  
8. This event follows from the first two such regiona l events organized in Malaysia in December 
2009, and in Cuba in November 2010. The ITC contribution to the workshop is funded by the 
European Commission.  
9. The workshop for Fr ench-speaking countries in Africa is pl anned to take place in the Q4 of 
2011 or Q1 of 2012 and ITC is currently seeking funding partners for th is regional workshop. 
B. TRADE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (T4SD) 
10. ITC’s new market analysis tool, Standards Map,  allows users to compare private standards 
with regards to, for example, their governance stru cture, social, environmental and economic criteria, 
and requirements for implementation. Compliance to  these standards is not legally required by 
governments or regulations, but it could lead to  more sustainable environmental practices or 
potentially open up new markets. 
11. As of June 2011, Standards Ma p covers 41 private standards developed by non-governmental 
organizations and private entities. Additional standard s will be continually added to the website, with 
approximately 62 standards available by October 2011.  
12. A capacity building programme for producers and exporters in Developing Countries has 
been launched with initial training being carried out in Costa Rica, Peru, Vietnam, and South Africa. 
Participants benefit from a bette r understanding of standards and the opportunities and challenges they 
entail. 
13. Standards Map is also available in Spanish and French.  Should you be  interested in a live 
demonstration of the website or in a webinar, please contact Joseph Wozniak, Programme Manager 
(wozniak@intracen.org ). 
C. ACCESS!  PROGRAMME  
14. The ACCESS! Programme, initiated under the Canadian-funded Programme for building 
African Capacities for Trade (PACT), is a gender-fo cused, regional trade support programme aimed at 
improving the trade support services offered to Afri can businesswomen in international trade, with a 
view to promoting their economic empowerment.  
15. The ACCESS! Programme's Business Counselling co mponent was started in partnership with 
UWEAL2 and CAWEE3, the ACCESS! Focal Point (AFP) institu tions in Uganda and Ethiopia, to 
provide post-training assistance, coaching and bus iness counselling services to participating women 
entrepreneurs, and will run over the course of the year 2011.  
16. Nineteen (19) AFPs (including UWEAL and CAWEE) are starting their ACCESS! Export 
national pilot training in June and July 2011. 
                                                      
2 Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited. 
3 Center for African Women Economic Empowerment.  G/TBT/GEN/120 
 Page 3 
 
 
  D. NON-TARIFF MEASURES PROJECT  
17. ITC continues the successful implementation of the non-tariff measures (NTM) survey in 
several developing and least developed countries (L DCs) this year. During the period March-June 
2011, the NTM survey was launched in two countries , namely Madagascar and Egypt.  Reports of 
surveys which were completed last year (e.g. Sri La nka and Burkina Faso) will be shortly released to 
the public. Following some of the recommendations of the NTM survey, a mission was conducted in 
Burkina Faso in May 2011 to obtain information a bout some of the priority actions identified by 
stakeholders in November 2010 to enable proposal s to be submitted for follow-up. Meanwhile the 
surveys are drawing to an end in other countries su ch as Rwanda, Malawi and Kenya. In parallel to 
the NTM surveys, ITC continues al so the collection of official NTM data in several countries, 
including some of those where the surveys are taking place.  
18. For more information about NTM project, pl ease contact: Ms Poonam Mohun, ITC, NTM 
Market Analyst, Market Analysis and ResearchTe l:  +41 22 730 0277 - Fax:  +41 22 730 0577 - 
Email:  mohun@intracen.org 
III. PUBLICATIONS AND BULLETINS 
A. ITC  WEBSITE  
19. On 11 April 2011 ITC has launched its new website ( www.intracen.org ) with audience 
focused information architecture. The website usab ility for ITC clients (e.g. Exporters, Trade Support 
Institutions and Policy Makers) has improved.  
20. For more information: 
Shyam K. Gujadhur 
ITC Senior Adviser on Standards and Quality Management 
Tel:  +41 22 730 03 96 Fax:  +41 22 730 05 76 
Email:  gujadhur@intracen.org 
 
Ludovica Ghizzoni,  
ITC Adviser on Export Quality Management  Tel:  +41 22 730 06 38  
Fax:  +41 22 730 05 76 
E-mail:  ghizzoni@intracen.org Web address:  www.intracen.org/eqm 
 Email address:  quality@intracen.org  
 
 
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