Introduction to I-TIP: World Trade Organisation’s Tool for Guiding Your Global Trade Decisions

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) deals with the global rules of trade between nations. Its main function is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible. One of the ways in which it seeks to achieve this goal is by providing knowledge through the I-TIP, as a tool to guide global trade decisions.

This I-TIP is like a one-stop shop for access to all the WTO’s market intelligence. It covers content such as taxes on imports (tariffs) and regulatory requirements (non-tariff measures) for each member country. I-TIP also has information on trade in goods, services, government procurement, and trade agreements between countries to lower trade barriers. Whether you need a lot of detail or just a quick overview on these and other trade-related matters, I-TIP can help.

We’ll take a closer look now at what you can find on I-TIP.

I-TIP’s data on trade in goods

I-TIP makes it easy to access the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) big databases on tariffs and international trade in goods. Three of the helpful tools within I-Tip relating to trade in goods include:

The I-TIP goods page gives extensive information on regulatory requirements imposed by WTO member countries on imported goods. You will find information on the following regulations:

  • Trade defence measures (rules countries use to protect themselves from unfair trade). This includes antidumping (imported goods sold below production costs) and countervailing (using unfair subsidies by the country of origin) measures.
  • Technical measures (rules about product safety and quality) and specific trade concerns (any issues countries have raised about them)
  • Quantitative restrictions (limits on how much of a good can be imported)
  • Special trade rules for agriculture
  • State trading enterprises (information on government-run businesses that import and export goods)

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Information on certain trade rules, such as health and safety standards (SPS) and product standards (TBT), is not yet up to date on the site. However, it is currently available on a website called ePing SPS & TBT Platform.

The I-TIP goods trade data is presented in 4 ways:

  • Graphs over TIME
  • Tables by PRODUCTS
  • Tables by MEMBERS
  • Detailed Query

For any of the above options, you can find a summary table with the MEASURE by country as well as the type of MEASURE.
By clicking on any individual graph bar or table number, you will see the individual measures.
Additionally, you can get the documents, tariffs and trade details relevant to each measure by following the links on the page.
The information is available for export in detail or in summary.

I-TIP’s data on trade in services

I-TIP Services provides extensive data on the trade rules that countries have agreed to for services (e.g. finance, tourism). This data is presented in the following modules:

  • GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services). This module covers GATS commitments (specific promises countries have made to open their markets for these services), MFN exemptions (situations where a country can give special treatment to a different country without offering the same deal to everyone else), and the LDC Services Waiver (special benefits developing countries can get on these services).
  • RTAs (Regional Trade Agreements).
  • STPD (Services Trade Policy Database) and STRI (Services Trade Restrictions Index). This module provides up-to-date content on the trade policies, regulations and restrictions for 134 economies in 34 different service sectors.
  • STRI Dashboard. This tool presents STRI results visually.
  • Statistics

Other I-TIP resources

  • Trade monitoring database. Twice a year, in July and December, the WTO produces two Trade Monitoring Reports. These cover trade measures implemented in the areas of goods, services and intellectual property.
  • Regional and preferential trade agreements (RTAs and PTAs). The RTA and PTA databases give you access to comprehensive data on these trade agreements.
  • Trade in government procurement markets. The e-GPA (Government Procurement Market Access Information Resource) portal provides a single point of access to information on how countries buy goods and services from businesses around the world. It covers agreed-upon procurement regulations and any other information countries choose to share.
  • Accession commitments database. This database, launched in 2012, provides information on new countries joining the WTO, including detail on accession protocols and working party reports.
  • Air Services Agreements Projector (ASAP). This I-TIP application allows users to find data on the air service agreements and passenger traffic flows between countries.
  • Environmental database. Updated annually, you can access information on all environment-related notifications from WTO members and WTO Trade Policy Review (TPR) environmental policies and measures.

The I-TIP website, offering a wealth of ready-to-use global market data, is a valuable tool for guiding decisions in international trade. It is able to provide you with insights on both the policies and practices of international markets that could give your business the impetus and direction you might be looking for.

For more information on I-TIP or assistance with your import and export needs, contact one of our consultants on 087 550 1038.

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