UNECE has launched the Sixth UN Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation 2025, jointly with the other four United Nations Regional Commissions and United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
The 2025 UN Global Survey consists of 62 measures, including new measures on ‘Trade Facilitation for E-Commerce’ and ‘Green Trade Facilitation’. Aside from measures supporting the implementation of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA), the survey also covers the implementation of cutting-edge paperless and cross-border trade facilitation measures, as well as measures supporting more inclusive and sustainable trade, thus moving forward towards a “WTO TFA+” implementation.
The preliminary results of the 2025 Survey are expected to be published in July at untfsurvey.org, followed by the production of a Global and Regional Reports. The Survey aims to provide insightful information to support countries and policy makers to harness trade as a key means of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Furthermore, by presenting an overview of the progress on digital and sustainable trade facilitation, the Survey also supports countries in:
Developing their national trade facilitation roadmaps, such as the recent National Trade Facilitation Roadmap of Uzbekistan prepared with UNECE’s technical assistance;
Better inform the accession process for UNECE member States to the WTO. For instance, the UNECE Regional Report 2024 included a spotlight section which highlighted the progress of the trade facilitation implementation in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the context of their accession process to the WTO.
The UNECE Regional Report 2024, based on the results of the 2023 UN Global Survey, revealed that the performance on trade facilitation of the 48 UNECE member States, who participated in the survey, has improved by 5% compared to the 2021 Survey results, with the implementation rate of trade facilitation measures rising from 76% in 2021 to almost 81% in 2023.
Source: UNECE, based on United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation, 2023.
Among all UN Regional Commissions, UNECE had an overall higher implementation rate compared to the average results globally, with measures on “Transparency” at the highest implementation rate of 96%, followed by “Formalities” at 87%.
Source: UNECE, based on the United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation, 2023.
On the implementation rates for digital trade facilitation measures in the UNECE region, the average rate for “Paperless trade” reached 82%, with the rate for “Cross-border paperless trade” being relatively lower, at 56%.
Source: UNECE, based on the United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation, 2023.
The report findings also offer clear directions for the future, highlighting the importance of actively engaging UNECE member States and partner international organizations in fast-tracking the implementation of trade facilitation measures. In light of the current challenges facing international trade, increased cooperation between governments and international organizations is critical.
Governments, specialized agencies, intergovernmental organizations can contribute to developing UN/CEFACT additional standards and accelerating the implementation of trade facilitation measures, particularly those leveraging digital technologies that contribute to climate-smart trade while reducing trade costs and streaming trade-related procedures.
UNECE calls upon all relevant actors and donors to further contribute to the substantive work of the UN/CEFACT in the development and update of its policy instruments and tools, including recommendations, standards and guideline materials, as well as continue to provide additional support and funding resources related to the capacity building and technical assistance activities in its 17 programme countries for the implementation of those UN/CEFACT recommendations and enhancement of the progress on trade facilitation in the region.
The Survey is an initiative under the Joint UNRECs Approach to Trade Facilitation, agreed by the Executive Secretaries of the five UN Regional Commissions. The approach was designed to enable the Regional Commissions to present a joint view on key trade facilitation issues, particularly from the regional and interregional level, and to enhance the effectiveness of technical assistance and capacity building initiatives.
As the international focal point for trade facilitation recommendations and standards, UNECE develops instruments to reduce, harmonize and digitalize procedures in international trade. The Survey also provides an opportunity to monitor the uptake and impact of such solutions for economic cooperation and integration, both in the region and globally.
If you are an expert in trade facilitation for your country and would like to participate in the Survey, click here for the questionnaire and more details about the methodology of the Survey. For more information, please directly contact Ms. Jie Wei.
