WORK WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

The WTO and the International Trade Centre (ITC)

ITC is the joint agency of the United Nations and the WTO, dedicated to helping small businesses of developing countries trade. Originally created by the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) in 1964, ITC has operated since 1968 under the joint aegis of GATT/WTO and the United Nations, the latter acting through the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). ITC is the focal point in the United Nations system for technical cooperation with developing countries and economies in transition on trade promotion and export development.

See also:

While UNCTAD and WTO work principally with governments, ITC focuses on helping micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) become more competitive in global markets. In this context, ITC communicates the implications of multilateral trade agreements for businesses so they can understand, shape and benefit from trade rules. ITC thereby helps to build vibrant, sustainable export sectors that provide entrepreneurial opportunities, particularly for women, youth and vulnerable communities.

As a subsidiary agency of UNCTAD and the WTO, ITC is subject to the governing bodies of both. ITC is also subject to the internal oversight procedures of the United Nations. The Executive Director of ITC is appointed by the Director-General of WTO and the Secretary-General of UNCTAD. The WTO, jointly with UNCTAD, is represented in the Joint Advisory Group, which governs ITC’s work, and has a number of joint technical assistance activities with ITC, which include:

Trade and market intelligence

The Global Trade Helpdesk (GTH) – a joint initiative of ITC, UNCTAD and the WTO – streamlines market research for companies, with a focus on supporting MSMEs. This online portal is a one-stop shop of trade information, covering trade flows, market access requirements, export potential, customs, sustainability standards, technical barriers to trade, rules of origin and more. The initiative is expanding through technological upgrades of the platform and multilingual options, as requested by the G20, to enhance MSME access. ITC and UNCTAD align non-tariff measures data with the WTO through regular meetings.

Inclusive trade

Since the 2017 Buenos Aires Declaration on Women and Trade and the establishment of the WTO Informal Working Group on Trade and Gender in 2020, ITC has actively contributed to both the International Gender Champions' Trade Impact Group and the Informal Working Group.

In particular, ITC developed a gender-lens analytical framework for WTO-related work and agreements. This framework has been applied to various WTO initiatives, including e-commerce, government procurement, trade facilitation and investment facilitation for development.

Sustainable trade

At the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP), the WTO, ITC and UNCTAD collaborate through joint events. The aim is to foster dialogue with the global community, to explore how trade can drive sustainable development and to ensure a just and inclusive transition to a more sustainable future. ITC is also committed to enhancing the climate competitiveness of developing economies by facilitating their engagement in the WTO's Trade and Environmental Sustainability Structured Discussions.

Joint studies and events

ITC, UNCTAD and the WTO collaborate on various studies, including an impact study on the effects of least developed countries’ (LDCs) graduation from LDC status on the textiles and clothing sector in Asian LDCs, namely Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal. The three agencies also co-organize conferences and events to promote cooperation, such as the Cotton Partners Conference. During these events, discussions on grant-matching funds for cotton value chain development projects in African countries are held. The three organizations, along with other partners, have signed a Call for Action on Cotton, aimed at addressing challenges and enhancing competitiveness, yields and sustainable production in cotton-producing LDCs.

Trade facilitation

ITC has been collaborating with the WTO on trade facilitation, in particular through the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement Facility in partnership with other organizations. Collaboration includes the sharing of information and experiences on ongoing trade facilitation-related technical assistance projects and potential new technical assistance requested by WTO members to support implementation of the WTO's Trade Facilitation Agreement.

Investment facilitation

ITC and the WTO are working closely together on a project on investment facilitation for development. This project focuses on capacity building for developing countries to help them actively engage in WTO negotiations. Additionally, the WTO and ITC have co-produced reports and policy briefs related to investment facilitation for development. This collaboration ensures that practical experiences and analytical insights continue to inform negotiators and promote discussions on investment matters within the WTO.

WTO accessions

ITC provides in-country trade assistance and supports ongoing WTO accession negotiations for various countries, including Iraq, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. ITC and the WTO have jointly launched the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Accession Technical Assistance to facilitate information exchange. ITC actively participates in donor coordination meetings for countries engaged in the accession process, such as Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.