Agency for international trade information and cooperation
Encyclopedia
The Agency for International Trade Information and Cooperation (AITIC) is a Geneva
-based intergovernmental organisation whose mandate is to assist the less-advantaged countries (LACs) to have a more active trade diplomacy by assisting them in better understanding the technicalities of trade rules and World Trade Organization
(WTO) agreements. AITIC contributes to the improvement of their position in the multilateral trading system, to promote good economic governance and trade-led growth which will lead the LACs to benefit from globalisation process.
LACs have traditionally not had active participation in the multilateral trading system and face structural and institutional constraints regarding international trade issues. Most of these countries have small missions and not enough human resources to monitor the work of the trade-related organisations in Geneva. Some of them are so poor or so small that they do not even have a permanent representation in Geneva. AITIC therefore works to improve their participation and voice in trade negotiations. Through its Non-Residents’ Unit (NRU), AITIC provides those members and observers of the WTO absent from Geneva a constant flow of relevant information on trade-related developments, the Doha negotiations as well as logistical and substantive support. AITIC organises a regular AITIC Session within the WTO’s yearly Geneva Weeks.
As one size does not fit all, AITIC’s personalised approach to assist the representatives of the LACs to better understand the rules of the MTS has been its trademark. One of the best known examples of the tools AITIC has developed to assist the LAC representatives is its Glossary of Most Commonly Used International Trade Terms with Particular Reference to the WTO, which is in its second edition and has been translated into the three official languages of the WTO (English
, French
and Spanish
) and also into Portuguese
, Russian and Macedonian
. The agency’s flexible structure allows it to provide tailor-made services to address the particular needs of the LACs for information and analysis on a wide range of issues concerning trade and development in the context of the WTO. Examples of such services are: organisation of workshops and “Flash Meetings”, on topics of interest to the LACs (i.e., Safeguards, Services, WTO Rules), publishing information notes (e.g., Aid for Trade, the Enhanced Integrated Framework for LDCs). In addition, its Official Fellowship Programme provides on-the-job training for LAC officials. AITIC’s recent capacity building programmes have included courses for Geneva-based delegates on Services and Agriculture. Most of the AITIC activities (and website) are provided in the three official languages of the WTO. Finally, LACs have unrestricted access to the facilities of the Non-Residents' Unit. AITIC was an initiative of Switzerland
's federal authorities to assist resource constrained developing countries and economies in transition to have a more active trade diplomacy. Originally set up as an association under Swiss private law, AITIC was transformed into an intergovernmental organisation in 2004 and has been funded during its first five-year budgetary cycle by seven Sponsoring Members (Denmark
, Finland
, Ireland
, the Netherlands
, Sweden
, Switzerland and the UK). At present, AITIC has 59 Participating Members and four in the process of accession. AITIC has been the subject of two external evaluations by a Dutch consultancy, ECORYS, one in 2004 and the most recent one in 2007. A “perception audit” was performed by Burson-Marsteller in 2007.
AITIC has a tradition of collaboration with other trade-related organisations, in particular WTO, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD), International Trade Commission, UNIDO, UNOHRLLS and has observer status in UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Board; WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore; the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Annual Conference on the WTO; and the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle
.
AITIC’s assistance has been acknowledged by several groups of LACs, in particular the Landlocked Developing Countries and the small and vulnerable economies.
Another criticism of the agency stems from the fact that according to AITIC's most recent annual report, in excess of two thirds of the donor-funded budget is allocated to staff salaries.
As of 2009, AITIC appears to have lost the bulk of its funding, retaining only three donors, who have committed only to two years of funding.
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
-based intergovernmental organisation whose mandate is to assist the less-advantaged countries (LACs) to have a more active trade diplomacy by assisting them in better understanding the technicalities of trade rules and World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(WTO) agreements. AITIC contributes to the improvement of their position in the multilateral trading system, to promote good economic governance and trade-led growth which will lead the LACs to benefit from globalisation process.
LACs have traditionally not had active participation in the multilateral trading system and face structural and institutional constraints regarding international trade issues. Most of these countries have small missions and not enough human resources to monitor the work of the trade-related organisations in Geneva. Some of them are so poor or so small that they do not even have a permanent representation in Geneva. AITIC therefore works to improve their participation and voice in trade negotiations. Through its Non-Residents’ Unit (NRU), AITIC provides those members and observers of the WTO absent from Geneva a constant flow of relevant information on trade-related developments, the Doha negotiations as well as logistical and substantive support. AITIC organises a regular AITIC Session within the WTO’s yearly Geneva Weeks.
As one size does not fit all, AITIC’s personalised approach to assist the representatives of the LACs to better understand the rules of the MTS has been its trademark. One of the best known examples of the tools AITIC has developed to assist the LAC representatives is its Glossary of Most Commonly Used International Trade Terms with Particular Reference to the WTO, which is in its second edition and has been translated into the three official languages of the WTO (English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
) and also into Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
, Russian and Macedonian
Macedonian language
Macedonian is a South Slavic language spoken as a first language by approximately 2–3 million people principally in the region of Macedonia but also in the Macedonian diaspora...
. The agency’s flexible structure allows it to provide tailor-made services to address the particular needs of the LACs for information and analysis on a wide range of issues concerning trade and development in the context of the WTO. Examples of such services are: organisation of workshops and “Flash Meetings”, on topics of interest to the LACs (i.e., Safeguards, Services, WTO Rules), publishing information notes (e.g., Aid for Trade, the Enhanced Integrated Framework for LDCs). In addition, its Official Fellowship Programme provides on-the-job training for LAC officials. AITIC’s recent capacity building programmes have included courses for Geneva-based delegates on Services and Agriculture. Most of the AITIC activities (and website) are provided in the three official languages of the WTO. Finally, LACs have unrestricted access to the facilities of the Non-Residents' Unit. AITIC was an initiative of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
's federal authorities to assist resource constrained developing countries and economies in transition to have a more active trade diplomacy. Originally set up as an association under Swiss private law, AITIC was transformed into an intergovernmental organisation in 2004 and has been funded during its first five-year budgetary cycle by seven Sponsoring Members (Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Switzerland and the UK). At present, AITIC has 59 Participating Members and four in the process of accession. AITIC has been the subject of two external evaluations by a Dutch consultancy, ECORYS, one in 2004 and the most recent one in 2007. A “perception audit” was performed by Burson-Marsteller in 2007.
AITIC has a tradition of collaboration with other trade-related organisations, in particular WTO, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
(UNCTAD), International Trade Commission, UNIDO, UNOHRLLS and has observer status in UNCTAD’s Trade and Development Board; WIPO’s Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore; the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Annual Conference on the WTO; and the Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle
Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle
The Organisation Africaine de la Propriété Intellectuelle or OAPI is an intellectual property organization, headquartered in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The organisation was created by Bangui Agreement of March 2, 1977...
.
AITIC’s assistance has been acknowledged by several groups of LACs, in particular the Landlocked Developing Countries and the small and vulnerable economies.
Criticism
The Finnish government has been reported as believing that it has been misled into financing the agency. It believed it was helping developing countries but, following an evaluation of AITIC's activities in February 2008, the donor countries discovered that the organisation had merely recruited rich nations as members and had predominantly spent the money on seminars and cocktail parties.Another criticism of the agency stems from the fact that according to AITIC's most recent annual report, in excess of two thirds of the donor-funded budget is allocated to staff salaries.
As of 2009, AITIC appears to have lost the bulk of its funding, retaining only three donors, who have committed only to two years of funding.