Trade Policy Development - UNESCAP

UNESCAP is engaged in capacity development in trade research and trade policy analysis, dissemination and exchange of data, information and research outputs, and facilitation of interaction between researchers, policy analysts and policymakers, and government officials.

Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade (ARTNeT)

ARTNeT is a regional network of more than 50 national-level research institutions in the ESCAP region, which was founded in 2004 with the support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. It aims to increase the amount and quality of “home-grown” trade and investment policy research in the region, so as to provide governments with a sound basis for policy decisions. ESCAP, with the support of core ARTNeT partners, including the WTO, UNDP, and UNCTAD, provides the Secretariat for the network and coordinates its activities. ARTNeT undertakes regional research projects, develops research dissemination mechanisms (working paper and policy brief series, alerts, and newsletters, regional trade publication database) develops innovative research tools and databases, increases interactions between policymakers and researchers (regional consultative meetings), and organizes specific capacity building activities catering to researchers and research institutions especially targeting those from LDCs and other countries with special needs. Currently, ARTNeT is in its phase IV of its research programme, supported by AFD (Agence Française de Développement), with an aim to contribute towards narrowing development gaps between CLMV countries and other ASEAN members.

For more information: http://artnet.unescap.org/ or www.unescap.org/our-work/trade-investment-innovation

Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Report (APTIR)

APTIR provides independent analysis of trends in trade and investment presents creative policy options and high- lights future opportunities. This independent analytical work aims to assist government officials, business leaders and other relevant decision makers and stakeholders involved in policies affecting trade in goods and services and flows of capital and labour. APTIR 2015 highlights the challenges posed by slowing regional trade growth and outlines how changing dynamics in the global economy call for a renewed effort to enhance the prospects of export-led growth, both of merchandise trade and in commercial services. The 2015 report also provided analysis on the spread of Global Value Chains (GVCs) in the Asia-Pacific region by evaluating the policies that contributed to developing countries participation in GVCs. APTIR 2016 shows that 2015-2016 has been a worrying period for trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide, and there are few signs that the current economic and trade slowdown is simply a temporary phenomenon. Instead, this pattern may be the result of a change in the fundamental structure of world trade, which might lead to persistent trade stagnation. On the other hand, good progress was made, especially at the regional level, with furthering cross-border paperless trade as one of the approaches to deal with the upward pressure on the trade costs. Accepting the rising importance of e-commerce as a new trade platform, there is opening for the possible changes in the focus of trade and investment policies in order to leverage the potential of e-commerce to support intraregional trade.

For more information: www.unescap.org/publications/asia-pacific-trade-investment-report

Contact:

Susan F. Stone

Director, Trade, Investment and Innovation Division

Tel: +662 288 1902

E-mail: stone [at] un.org

 

Mia Mikic

Chief, Trade Policy and Analysis Section

Trade, Investment and Innovation Division

Tel: +662 288 1410

E-mail: mikic [at] un.org

E-mail : artnetontrade [at] un.org

 

Capacity building for evidence-based trade policymaking

ESCAP has developed a training programme to increase developing countries’ capacity for evidence-based trade and investment policymaking. It is open to all members and associate members of ESCAP but especially targets countries with poor research and analysis capacities. The two types of activities include: capacity building in research, delivery of research outputs and their dissemination through the ARTNeT publications including the working Paper series, policy briefs, and capacity building in the area of trade policy formulation, monitoring, and evaluation through regional policy consultations. The service includes seminars and training workshops, access to online databases and training developed at ESCAP, as well as analytical tools, reference materials, and other relevant literature.For more information: www.unescap.org/tid/artnet/training.asp

Contact:

Mia Mikic

Chief, Trade Policy and Analysis Section, Trade, Investment and Innovation Division

Tel: +662 288 1410

E-mail: mikic [at] un.org

artnetontrade [at] un.org (artnetontrade[at]un[dot]org)

 

Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Agreements Database (APTIAD)

20. Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Agreements Database (APTIAD) is an online database which has been set up as a resource for researchers and policymakers in the area of international trade and investment. The database contains information on all agreements within the region, an agreement country matrix, and an advanced search engine allowing to locate agreements by country, agreement name, status, scope, WTO notification status, and keywords. The database gives researchers and policymakers both an overview of, and easy access to, all the regional and bilateral trade agreements entered into or under negotiation by the countries of the Asian and Pacific region.

As of July 2016, there were 260 PTAs with membership from economies from the Asia-Pacific region which is either in force, signed or being negotiated. This number includes those agreements that have not been notified to the World Trade Organization (WTO) but for which official information is readily available as they have been ratified and are under implementation.

For more information: http://artnet.unescap.org/databases.html#second

Contact:

Rajan Sudesh Ratna

Trade Policy and Analysis Section,

Trade, Investment and Innovation Division

Tel: +662 288 1548

E-mail: ratna [at] un.org,

E-mail: artnetontrade [at] un.org

 

Strengthening the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA)

The objective is to enhance the national decision-making process of the current member countries as well as the prospective member countries, in respect of APTA, thereby contributing to an increase in regional trade flows, regional integration, and global integration in a WTO-consistent manner. Prospective members’ accession to APTA is facilitated by enhancing their understanding of the recent dynamics and development of the Agreement. ESCAP, as the secretariat for APTA, has organized a series of capacity building events for both governments and private sector representatives on impacts of APTA membership and explaining accession negotiation process. At present, Mongolia is negotiating accession to APTA, while several other countries are considering joining APTA.

Activities: To improve in-depth information on the revitalized APTA for the target groups, a number of analytical studies on the utilization of APTA and policies for its improvement, based on actual trade data among members, with special attention to a sector- and product-specific analysis were undertaken. The results of the studies were introduced to a number of prospective member countries at capacity building and awareness-building events. The sessions of the Standing Committee and Ministerial Council of APTA have been utilized to continue trade negotiations on deepening of the Agreement, expanding the coverage of concessions and address non-tariff barriers.

Success and impact: By the implementation of those activities, APTA members will have developed the pol- icy decision related to strengthening APTA and, in particular, to facilitating the further liberalization. Also based on improved understanding of APTA and its benefits, we expect to see the national decisions of accession to APTA by a number of prospective members, such as Mongolia.

For more information: www.unescap.org/apta

Contact:

Sangwon Lim

Trade Facilitation Unit

Trade, Investment and Innovation Division,

Tel: +662 288 2573

E-mail: lim6 [at] un.org (lim6[at]un[dot]org)

Development Account 9th Tranche Project: Enhancing the Contribution of Preferential Trade Agreements to Inclusive and Equitable Trade

ESCAP is currently coordinating this development account project in cooperation with the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The project intends to focus on six countries out of a group of nine identified countries that exhibit the most urgent demand for assistance and support and have potential to benefit from the project and the preferential trade agreements (PTAs). In order to provide a larger and more sustainable impact, all materials created for evidence-based policymaking and other capacity building programmes will be made publicly available in a user-friendly format through knowledge-sharing platforms such as the online PTA database known as the Asia-Pacific Trade and Investment Agreements Database (APTIAD).

Additionally, using the established approach of ARTNeT (the Asia-Pacific Research and Training Network on Trade) and UNNExT (UN Network of Experts for Paperless Trade and Transport in Asia and the Pacific), an advisory board of preferential liberalization experts will be established to provide ongoing support for governments and other public and private stakeholders in the PTA process. This board is expected to be sustained in the longer-term by utilization of in-kind contributions creating the potential for operating on a self-funding basis. The advisory board will draw part of its membership from the ARTNeT and UNNExT network of scholars, knowledge communities and trade and development practitioners who have already demonstrated a willingness to provide advice and assistance to governments on these issues.

Contact:

Mia Mikic

Chief, Trade Policy and Analysis Section,

Trade, Investment and Innovation Division

Tel: +662 288 1410

E-mail: mikic [at] un.org