Trade Facilitation as a Means to Improve SME Competitiveness and Consumer Welfare

The briefing paper outlines the potential benefits of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) from the perspective of the LDC and developing country consumers and small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). The consumers are expected to benefit from general cuts to prices of goods while the SMEs should benefit from more predictable administrative procedures and formalities, which currently create disproportional disadvantages to them. The concerns and needs of LDCs and developing countries are also outlined that require urgent, substantial and demand-driven capacity building assistance and balanced implementation of TFA.