INFORMAL WORKING GROUP ON MSMES[1]
2025 DRAFT
ANNUAL REPORT
1.1. On 13 December 2017, at the 11th Ministerial
Conference (MC11), 88 WTO Members representing
all major regions and levels of development established
the Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs)
(_WT/MIN(17)/58/Rev.1). In their Joint Ministerial Statement,
the "Friends of MSMEs" committed to discussing and identifying "horizontal
and non-discriminatory solutions" to improve the participation of MSMEs in
international trade while considering the specific needs of developing economies.
1.2. The following Annual Report describes the activities of the Informal
Working Group on MSMEs (MSME Group) in 2025. H.E. Mr. Matthew Wilson,
Ambassador of Barbados, continued to coordinate the MSME Group through the year.
One new Member joined the MSME Group during 2025: Cameroon, bringing total MSME
Group membership to 104.[2]
1.3. The MSME Group issued its Joint Study Report with the World Customs
Organization (WCO) and International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) on MSME
Integration into Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programs at a launch at the
World Customs Organization on 13 November 2025.[3]
The report reviews the challenges facing MSMEs to become AEOs, the current
status of MSMEs in AEO programmes, and case studies from WCO SAFE Working Group
members. The report concludes with lessons learned. [A second soft launch of
the report and its Spanish translation was given at the 2 December MSME Group
Meeting.]
1.4. The MSME Group welcomed the Organization for Trade Development and Standards
Cooperation (ODCCN) as a new strategic partner of the Trade4MSMEs website. The ODCCN pledged funding to ensure operation of the platform
through 2031. The Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade
Commercial Sub-Council also joined as a new funder and supported a Mandarin
Chinese version of the website.
1.5. For MC14, H.E. Ambassador Matthew Wilson (Barbados) drafted a MSME
Group Coordinator's Report _INF/MSME/W/64/Rev.[X]
providing a comprehensive overview of the Group's activities since MC13 with two
separate annexes intended as standalone publications. The first annex offered
key takeaways from the thematic sessions held by the MSME Group during its
latest work programme. The second annex compiled the challenges and
opportunities directly described by small businesses and business support
organizations during the Group's regular MSME Spotlights and Newsletters.
[1] Previous Annual Reports include _JOB/GC/207
dated 3 December 2018; _INF/MSME/R/13/Rev.1
dated 9 December 2019; _INF/MSME/R/21
dated 15 December 2020; _INF/MSME/R/30
dated 11 February 2022; _INF/MSME/R/35
dated 15 March 2023 and _INF/MSME/R/42
dated 6 February 2024.
[2] Members of the Informal Working Group on MSMEs are: Afghanistan;
Albania; Antigua and Barbuda; Argentina; Armenia; Australia; Bahrain,
Kingdom of; Barbados; Belize; Brazil; Brunei Darussalam; Cabo Verde; Cameroon;
Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Costa Rica; Côte d'Ivoire; Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Dominica; Dominican Republic; Ecuador; El Salvador; European Union
and its 27 Member States; The Gambia; Georgia; Grenada; Guatemala; Guyana;
Honduras; Hong Kong, China; Iceland; Israel; Japan; Kazakhstan;
Kenya; Korea, Republic of; Kyrgyz Republic; Lao People's Democratic
Republic; Liechtenstein; Macao, China; Malaysia; Maldives; Mauritius; Mexico;
Moldova, Republic of; Mongolia; Montenegro; Mozambique; Myanmar; New Zealand;
Nicaragua; Nigeria; North Macedonia; Norway; Pakistan; Paraguay; Peru;
Philippines; Qatar; Russian Federation; Saint Kitts and Nevis;
Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Saudi Arabia, Kingdom
of; Singapore; Switzerland; Chinese Taipei; Tajikistan; Türkiye; Ukraine; United Arab Emirates;
United Kingdom; United States of America; Uruguay and Viet Nam.