Global Survey on Trade Facilitation and Paperless Trade

Author/Source: All UN Regional Commissions (ECA, ECE, ECLAC, ESCAP, ESCWA)

Year of adoption/publication: 2015 and 2017

Link to the document on the internet: Available from the UNECE website

Purpose: The results of the survey will enable countries and development partners to better understand and monitor progress on trade facilitation, support evidence-based public policies, share best practices and identify capacity building and technical assistance needs. They are also expected to provide useful information to the policy-makers to support the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda as well as emerging global and regional initiatives on paperless trade and e-trade.

Summary: The reports present the main findings of the Global Survey on Trade Facilitation and Paperless Trade Implementation, jointly carried out in 2015 and 2017 by the five United Nations Regional Commissions (UNRCs). The reports and results of the 2017 survey are available in this online portal.

The Second Global Survey covers 120 economies from 8 regions. It focuses on three main areas. The first area relates to the implementation of selected measures under the TFA. The second area is about the implementation of innovative, technology-driven measures aimed at enabling trade using electronic rather than paper-based data and documentation - otherwise referred to as “paperless trade”. The third area examines specific trade facilitation measures targeted at small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the agricultural sector and women. The key findings of the Survey are summarized as follows.

The Second Global Survey 2017

• Global Report
• UNECE Regional Report
• ESCAP Regional Report
• ECLAC Regional Report
• ESCWA Regional Report

The First Global Survey 2015

More information about the first global survey is available here.