TRADE FACILITATION: FACT SHEET
WTO Trade Facilitation Technical Assistance Fact Sheet
WTO Trade Facilitation Technical Assistance for National Self Assessments of Needs and Priorities:
What:
Technical assistance to help WTO Members and Observers to conduct a self assessment of needs and priorities in the WTO trade facilitation negotiations.
Goal: to help understanding of the implication of implementation of proposed trade facilitation measures; to assist with more effective negotiation on the proposed measures, special and differential treatment and technical assistance; and to assist with preparation of implementation.
Provided on request upon receipt of an official letter of request and a notification of coordinators and stakeholders.
Funded by WTO Members through a special trust fund.
Offered in addition to the normal WTO technical assistance program.
To be conducted over a 2 year period beginning in September 2007.
Conducted with the use of a specially developed Needs Assessment Guide that is based on Members' proposals. (TN/TF/W/143).
Needs Assessment duration: one week.
Delivery: these self-assessments are conducted in working groups that conclude with participant presentations of results to high-level officials on the final day. They are run by expert facilitators from the WTO Secretariat, Annex D organizations or donor Members.
Materials: the Guide and all necessary materials will be provided by the WTO Secretariat.
Why?
The WTO trade facilitation negotiation mandate encourages Members to assess their trade facilitation needs and priorities.
It has been expressed by many Members to be crucial for the negotiations
To provide a basis for the implementation of any results of the negotiations.
To fulfil Members' request for technical assistance for this assessment.
Who Benefits?
Beneficiaries are WTO Members and Observers that are developing, least-developed and low-income countries.
Participants include members of a trade facilitation task force/committee that is made up of all relevant government agencies and private sector organizations, the Geneva trade facilitation negotiator and 2-3 expert facilitators.
Want More?
A description of the project, the Needs Assessment Guide and other information is available on the WTO website on the Trade Facilitation Technical Assistance and Capacity Building webpage