The Trade Point strategy and the most recent evaluation of Trade Points activities are covered in greater detail in a separate document, the Trade Point Review.

(c) Strengthening trade efficiency (Trade Points)

It was indicated that an international federation of Trade Points might be in a better position to ensure legal protection on behalf of Trade Points.

The next step in UNCTAD s Trade Point strategy then became to move from this pre transactional role of Trade Points to a fully transactional role, which would turn the Trade Point network into the first global instrument for electronic commerce.

Trade points

(b) Trade Points.

For example, in November 1996, the Inter American Trade Point Forum was founded in cooperation with UNCTAD, covering Trade Points in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean.

Since the launching of the Trade Point Programme in 1994, the number of requests for assistance in the establishment and operation of Trade Points has grown exponentially.

A survey carried out in 1996 with the majority of operational Trade Points demonstrated that those Trade Points which use the Internet more actively to promote their services or their clients services also facilitate a higher number of trade transactions per month and offer a broader range of trade facilitation services than other Trade Points.

This makes the UNCTAD TPDC WWW Site one of the most active trade sites on the Internet.

(c) Small and medium sized enterprise trade competitiveness the training of operational staff for Trade Points, as well as Trade Point managers and users

In addition, it was found that these Trade Points (which use new information technologies more frequently) usually reach their financial break even point faster than others.

Box 2 The Trade Point Programme

The Federation would promote the development of Trade Points throughout the world coordinate activities and represent the Trade Points at the international level adopt common policies and recommendations for Trade Points provide technical assistance establish and maintain a list of Trade Points that are members of the Federation and are associated with the Global Trade Point Network and cooperate with Governments and other international organizations.

14. The multisectoral nature of trade efficiency, which constitutes its main source of value added for international traders is best illustrated by the Trade Point concept (see box 2).

The Trade Point in Beijing had established an Internet page called Peking Business , while the one in Shanghai had introduced its own information management system and had set up its own database, which could become a model for the international Trade Point network.

The objectives of the Trade Point were to serve as a facilitation centre for international trade, a source of trade information and a centre for help and advice.

For those Trade Points which do not yet benefit from full Internet services, UNCTAD TPDC has set up an Internet Incubator which enables Trade Points (especially in developing countries) without access to the Internet to use the UNCTAD TPDC servers as data repositories.

it became clear that they could be the basis for a global network of advanced players in the area of trade information and electronic commerce.

The degree to which traders are able to facilitate trade through effective trading systems and traders perceptions of electronic commerce will be assessed by including the following points in the questionnaire awareness of Trade Points use of Trade Points or similar electronic trading systems level of computer literacy and preparedness to make use of electronic trading and access to electronic trading and level of trade facilitation by electronic means.

Box 7 The Global Trade Point Network (GTPNet)

(b) Use of the Trade Point network to deliver the elements mentioned above.

In addition, some Trade Point directors have been assisting other Trade Points especially in the initial phase, and they have carried out missions to other Trade Points to advise them on several subjects.

If a Trade Point is operational in a country, the degree to which that Trade Point offers trade facilitation services will be an indicator of the current possibilities for full electronic trading in that country.

(c) Legal protection of the quot Trade Point quot , quot Global Trade Point Network (GTPNet) quot , and quot Electronic Trading Opportunities (ETO) quot names and logos

The Forgotten Virtues of Free Trade

Recently UNCTAD TPDC has been working towards moving Trade Points from the pre transactional to the transactional stage.

Since then, the number of Trade Points has doubled there are currently 132 at different stages of development and major achievements have been made in the technological advancement of the network.

Established in the context of the decentralization strategy adopted by UNCTAD s Special Programme on Trade Efficiency, the UNCTAD TPDC has been responsible for the development of innovative tools and interfaces used by GTPNet, including the Electronic Trading Opportunities (ETOs) System, the GTPNet World Wide Web site on the Internet, and its corresponding Trade Point Internet Incubator (see below).

It highlights trade opportunities in specific products and locations, Table World trade in selected food products

Defined as such, the quot Trade Point quot product is clearly differentiated from trade information systems.

There are currently 21 Trade Points operating in Africa.

(c) A second practical illustration the Trade Point Programme

2. GTPNet as an example

(e) Development of specialized software, such as a database management system for electronic trading opportunities from the Global Trade Point Network, and dissemination through the network of trade points and the GTP Net Web site enrichment of the GTPNet Web site through user friendly design and the development of interactive features to improve communication with clients

ETOs will be disseminated in such a way that SMEs and Trade Points in less advanced regions can make the best possible use of them.

Competition mechanisms would then naturally eliminate less performing Trade Points, and stimulate the quality and efficiency of the others.

The financial sustainability of Trade Points will remain a longer term objective in poorer regions and in the least developed countries, which should continue to benefit from external support to enhance their trade efficiency strategies, including through the establishment and management of Trade Points.

In 1994, the United Nations International Symposium on Trade Efficiency (UNISTE) launched the second phase aimed at connecting Trade Points worldwide to the Global Trade Point Network (see box 7).

As far as the financial sustainability of the Trade Point programme is concerned, fund raising efforts will need to be actively pursued to allow the Global Trade Point Network to become truly global and fully inter operable, which will require special support for some regions with no or poor telecommunications infrastructure.

To address these important questions, it is now felt by most Trade Points that a more explicit set of guidelines for the establishment and operation of Trade Points at the national level should be produced, which would take into account the significantly broader range of activities and geographical distribution of Trade Points.

60. With the rapid increase in the number of Trade Points worldwide and the technical developments in this field, the absence of an international federation and regional fora representing Trade Points is strongly felt.

Trade Points and trade facilitation mechanisms had long been available in the services infrastructure of developed countries, and it was developing countries who should be the main beneficiaries of new Trade Point programmes.

16. UNCTAD s TRAINFORTRADE programme was presented, and its possible application for Trade Points was explained.

Collaboration in the area of trade efficiency was facilitated by the initial location of UNCTAD s Trade Point Development Centre (UNTPDC) in Bangkok.