Uncertainty around import, export and transit procedures continues to raise trade costs, create delays and limit market access - especially for smaller firms and informal traders.
Under the World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, enquiry points are designed to close this information gap. Today, three out of four WTO members have formally established one.
But how well do they work in practice?
Join us for the presentation of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)’s new report, “Trade Facilitation Enquiry Points: Analysis and Best Practices for Operating Enquiry Points.”
The report examines the real-world performance of enquiry points in 2024 through a global mystery-client assessment of 124 national enquiry points.
Why this matters
Effective enquiry points are not administrative add-ons. They are frontline services that can lower trade costs, improve predictability and expand market access - particularly for smaller and more vulnerable traders.
The assessment outlines practical lessons, best practices and policy recommendations, including the value of developing an Enquiry Point Roadmap to guide countries toward more operational, service-oriented and digitally integrated systems.
What you’ll gain from this session
- Evidence-based insights from UNCTAD’s global evaluation
- Practical recommendations for improving enquiry point performance
- Examples of institutional, procedural and digital arrangements that work
- A forward-looking perspective on how enquiry points can evolve using automation and trade portal
