Bringing Smes Onto The E Commerce Highway

This publication studies e-commerce-related policies that affect SMEs’ engagement in cross-border e-commerce. It identifies the bottlenecks and requirements of e-commerce participation and presents examples of best practices in regulating cross-border e-commerce. This work addresses competitiveness issues in each segment of the cross-border e-commerce process chain, including establishing business online, international e-payment, cross-border delivery and aftersales services. It provides a checklist of the essential ingredients for SME success in cross-border e-commerce, by examining enabling factors at the firm level, immediate business environment level and national policy level. The publication also reviews global cross-border e-commerce and offers a deeper analysis of selected economies. This work serves as a starting point for a public private dialogue on e-commerce, especially for SMEs in developing countries.

This edition focuses on trade connectivity, which is critical for inclusiveness and sustainable development. Physical connectivity enables the movement of goods and services to local, regional and global markets.

Despite potentially tremendous benefits, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lag in the digital transformation. Emerging technologies, as diverse as they are, offer a range of applications for them to improve performance and overcome the size-related limitations they face in doing business. However, SMEs must be better prepared, and stakes are high. SMEs make the most of the industrial fabric in many countries and regions, they create jobs (most jobs sometimes) and are the cement of inclusive and sustainable societies.

Published quarterly since 1964 in English, French and Spanish, the International Trade Forum focuses on trade promotion, export development and import methods, as part of its technical cooperation programme with developing countries and economies in transition.

This report marks the third edition in this series, following assessments in 2012 and 2016. It provides a comprehensive overview of the state of play in the implementation of the ten SBA principles, and monitors progress made since 2016. It also identifies remaining challenges affecting SMEs in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries and provides recommendations to address them based on EU and international good practice examples.

This volume provides comprehensive chapter-by-chapter assessment of one of the world's most important regional trade agreements, the TPP/CPTPP.

Considering the way that E-Commerce helps in encouraging a positive business and regulatory condition, the book investigates the mechanics and usual ways of doing things of E-Commerce. Additionally, it demonstrates how different components identified with E-Commerce add to the development of a lively and dynamic electronic network, bringing about financial and economic growth. It covers a wide range of issues under the umbrella of E-Commerce and the information based economy. In doing as such, it dives deep into the applicable issues and incorporates all advances associated with it.

Standards and regulations are an integral, if easily overlooked, part of our daily life. They determine whether a plug fits into a socket, whether food is safe for human consumption or whether a bank is allowed to take deposits. They are also an indispensable part of international trade. Using new evidence from ITC databases, this report reveals how standards and regulations are holding SME competitiveness back, but crucially, what SMEs and other stakeholders can do to make standards and regulations work for, and not against, SMEs. In this report, advice targeted at SME managers is presented, as well as how Trade and Investment Support Institutions and policymakers can influence the business environment to boost competitiveness, and integration into global markets.