The Trade Point Concept

Following from the Trade Efficiency Initiative, the Trade Point program identifies four objectives:

• make international trade transactions more efficient by simplifying and standardizing the trade process
• make current and prospective international traders more effective by providing them with easy access to trade information, facilitation services, information technologies, networks, and support training
• promote new commercial partnerships between international traders through the creation of electronic information and communication links and through the addition of new international trade participants
• increase awareness of existing and potential international traders to new trading opportunities and techniques offered by advances in trade information, technology, and attendant international standards

Trade Points will accomplish these objectives by serving as trade information centers, trade facilitation centers, and gateways to global networking. As trade information centers, Trade Points will provide impartial, timely, and accurate information on all aspects of trade transactions. As trade facilitation centers, Trade Points will offer services to assist SME's in the pre-transaction, transaction, and post-transaction phases of the trade cycle. As gateways to the Global Trade Point Network, Trade Points will allow traders to access relevant trade information from several international sources.