INF/MSME/CN/12  
 
13 September  2021 
(21-6781) Page: 1/2 
  Original: English  
 
 
INFORMAL WORKING GROUP ON MSMES  
CONVENING NOTICE  
The following convening notice, dated 13 September 2021, is being circulated at the request of the 
Coordinator of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs.  
 
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The Informal Working Group on MSMEs will hold its next regular meeting on Friday 
24 September  2021, starting at 10 a.m. The meeting will be fully virtual via  the Interprefy platform .  
 
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 are proposed for the agenda:  
 
1  MC12 PREPARATION  
1.1.  Finalization of the Draft Ministerial Declaration (INF/MSME/W/33/Rev.3).  Mexico will give an 
update on the Trade4MSMEs platform referred to in paragraph 2 of the Ministerial Declaration.  
1.2.  Planning of 1) outreach activities between October and November , and 2) MC12 events.  
2  IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MSME PACKAGE  
2.1.  Briefing by Group members on actions taken to implement the various annexes of the MSME 
package (INF/MSME/4/Rev.1). Members may wish to use as a guide the overview list presented to 
the Group in July 2021 (INF/MSME/ W/35).  
3  THEMATIC DISCUSSIONS   
3.1.  Presentatio n by Brazil on the Global Trade Hub , a project  based on the concept of "Integrated 
Services for MSMEs in International Trade" (ISMIT) . This project for the Brazilian Ministry of 
Economy, supported by  resources from the "Prosperity Fund" of the British gove rnment , is an 
electronic platform for trade in services  with the intention of  integrat ion in  other systems, such as 
the Brazilian Single Portal.  
3.2.  Experience sharing by Canada on their low -value shipments policy for imported goods. 
Stéphanie Brière from the  Canada Border Services Agency will present on the implementation of 
Canada 's Low -Value Shipments Policy Regarding the Application of Customs Duties.  
3.3.  Presentation by Alexander Botting from  the Coalition to Reduce Cyber Risk on the global policy 
landscape t o increase cyber security and its impacts on MSMEs. Cyber security is a growing trade 
issue with mounting regulatory complexity and sometimes divergent laws. These different 
approaches can increase challenges for MSMEs and there is a need for aligned  policy and a consistent 
use of standards.  INF/MSME/CN/12  
 
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  4  PRESENTATION S BY OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS  
4.1.  Presentation by the UN Global Compact on their new strategy to engage SMEs. The UN Global 
Compact will establish targeted and cross -cutting SME programmes that leverage digital tools and 
value chains to reach scale , thereby harnessing the collective action of this large business 
demographic in the Global Compact's goals for a sustainable and inclusive future.   
4.2.  Presentation by UNCITRAL on the legislative guide on simplified business incorporation , which 
was a dopted at the end of June . The Legislative Guide on Limited Liability Enterprises  attempts to 
distil best practices and key principles for to facilitate registration of a small business  (more 
information is ava ilable here). 
5  OTHER BUSINESS  
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