Trade Point Internet Incubator

Definition of the Internet Trade Point Incubator Project

Since early 1995, the UNCTAD Trade Point Development Centre (UNTPDC) offers services to Trade Points through the Internet in both email and WWW formats. Presently the UNTPDC WWW offers links to major Web Information services and to those United Nations organizations that already allow Internet access to their databases via the Web (UNECE, World Bank, UNIDO, UNICC, ESCAP, UNDP, WHO, GATT, ITU, inter alia). The UNTPDC offers traders a simple, one-stop access to a broad array of databases dealing with trade and investment including trade information, trade facilitation and trade procedures. Access to the UNTPDC Internet services is free of charge.
Trade Points without Internet capabilities are invited to locate their databases and services at the UNTPDC "Trade Point Internet Incubator" which offers temporary assistance and support to infant Trade Points. It also makes their databases and multimedia catalogues available at the UNTPDC Server in Geneva, Switzerland ( http://www.unicc.org/untpdc/welcome.html).

Objective of the Trade Point Internet Incubator:

  • to allow Trade Points (especially in developing countries) without access to the Internet and without infrastructures to operate Internet Servers to have a real presence on the Internet.
  • to help Trade Points to establish links to national organizations in their countries present on the Gopher and Web and to benefit from selected information of particular interest to Trade Efficiency available on the UNTPDC Web.
  • to use the UNTPDC Server at the UNICC in Geneva and at regional TPDC labs as data depositories for countries without national data centers or server capability.
  • to include at the UNTPDC Web Server other United Nations agencies such as ITC, ESCAP, UNECE, UNIDO and facilitate the Trade Points' access to their information services (e.g Market News Services and Trade Statistics from ITC, TISNET and RIIPS from ESCAP , World Investment Network from UNIDO, which are all presently interconnected to the UNTPDC Server).
  • to help Trade Points in both developed and developing countries to use the latest graphical design techniques applicable to the Web and improve the graphical presentations of their Home Pages and product catalogues.

    • How Trade Points can use the UNTPDC Internet Incubator Server:

    Trade Points can use the UNTPDC Web server for announcing their services to Internet Web users, to broadcast trade information, exporters lists, trade opportunities, tourism information, product catalogues, etc. They can base their information on UN stan dards for Trade Information and Trade Facilitation and contact the Webs and Gophers of the UN and Specialized Agencies.

    UNTPDC is presently helping over 87 Trade Points to have a presence on the Internet by creating their Home Pages on the UNTPDC Web. Trade Points can connect to the GTPNEt via the UNTPDC Internet Backbone presently accessible from 13 Servers around the world.

    1. Countries with Internet Connectivity
    2. Trade Point Incubator for Micro and small enterprises
    3. Africa Incubator - The UNTPDC Africa Page
    4. Work Plan and activities to be taken to use the Incubator
    5. Trade Point Incubator Main Index


    Each Trade Point incubated at the UNTPDC Web has full access to UNTPDC services which are based on international standards, international trade classifications (HS, ISO) and EDI-EDIFACT standards for Trade Facilitation. UNTPDC works closely with UN agencies such as ITC and UNECE to develop standards for all types of information and to make them available to Trade Points via the UNTPDC Gopher and Web.

    The design, multimedia preparation and composition of their Home Pages are usually carried out by the Trade Points at the national level (see detailed instructions below). Then, the HTML - formatted files are sent via electronic mail to the UNTPDC for final integration into the UNTPDC Web.

    For the production of ETO-Visuals (product catalogues), the HTML files required to design the Web applications can be sent upon request to the Trade Points via e-mail. Trade Points are encouraged to learn how to prepare their ETO-Visuals using HTML and t o send the data via e-mail or diskette to the UNTPDC to be uploaded to the Server and linked to the Master ETO Index.

    What is required from Trade Points to create a Home Pages and/or Multimedia Product Catalogues:

    Trade Points should send:

    - Multimedia data of the Trade Point, pictures of their facilities, services, members, city and country, if possible already processed on GIF format for files, AVI format for video and WAV files for audio (if so desired).

    - 20 to 30 ETO-Visuals - for example, product catalogues of major national export products (TPs can create the HTML file based on the ETO-Visual HTLM standard).

    - Information on the TP services, databases, etc.

    The Trade Points can use the UNTPDC Web to create their Home Pages, ETOs and ETO Visuals.

    The UNTPDC will link the TPs' Home Pages to existing databases on the Web for their respective countries (Trade Development Bank, ITC, UNCTAD, UNIDO, Kompass, etc). Access data provided on the UNTPDC Web will be free for Trade Points, as agreed upon with the information providers.

    TPs will be authorized to access and broadcast from their Home Pages UNTPDC services, such as ETO, ETO Visual, Global Trade Point Databank, Investment Information, Multimedia Training Centre and the Trade Efficiency Library. These services are presently operational at the UNTPDC Web. Others are being developed and will be made available in the near future.

    Trade Points can also commercialize several areas of their Home Page, such as ETO, ETO Visual, etc. and charge their clients a fee for uploading ETOs and ETO Visuals on the Web.


    Trade Points wishing to participate in this project, please email to:cmoreira@eto.geis.com