Market
Access Centre of Excellence
Removing
Barriers Creating Opportunities in Europe and the rest of
the world 
(104kb)
The DTI's Market Access Centre of Excellence is responsible for policy
advice and co-ordinating action on combating barriers to
trade in non-European Union (EU) countries, such as discriminatory
taxation on products, intellectual property right abuse,
non-compliance with other World Trade Organisation (WTO)
or bilateral obligations and many other factors which may
disadvantage our exporters. The Centre is the first port
of call for exporters facing trade barriers in their markets.
The Centre employs a strategic approach when prioritising its work.
Meetings with key sectors of UK industry are arranged regularly
to identify priority trade barriers and any other trade
policy concerns and interests they may wish to discuss.
Our objective is that the prioritisation and pursuit of
such cases take full account of UK interests. In doing so
we closely co-ordinate with the industries concerned, colleagues
across DTI, agencies such as the Patent Office, other Government
Departments (DEFRA, the Department of Health, DCMS, etc.)
who may have a specific responsibility or policy interest
as well as our Posts abroad. A further input is the priorities
identified by UK Trade & Investment and DTI’s Business
Relations Group.
Guarding against unfair treatment and avoidance of other market access
barriers are also key features of our approach to negotiations
with countries wishing to join the WTO or the EU, or for
countries entering into bilateral agreements with the EU.
As in other trade policy matters, the Centre works closely
within the framework of the EU's Common Commercial Policy.
Opportunities are also taken, as appropriate, in bilateral
contacts with the countries concerned.
An important instrument of the EU Market Access Strategy is the EU
Market Access Database which as well as listing applicable
tariffs in overseas markets, contains information on cases
of trade barriers world-wide. As well as being a tool for
helping identify and remove barriers the Database is useful
for exporters wanting to check the situation by product,
sector or country and for identifying the possible significance
of such barriers. For EU governments it provides a valuable
tool for prioritising the urgency and manner in which such
barriers can be tackled. The Database is now being developed
further through the creation of the Exporters' Guide to
Import Formalities in key markets.
Another important instrument of the EU is the Trade Barriers Regulation
which authorises the European Commission to investigate
complaints about violations of international trade rules
and propose solutions to eliminate obstacles to trade.
The Centre represents the UK in the advisory committees established
by the Commission for both instruments. If your company
is experiencing a trade barrier in a non EU-market or if
you need more information on the work of the Centre please
contact:
John
Lane
Tel: 020 7215 5402
Fax: 020 7215 2234
E-mail: john.lane@dti.gsi.gov.uk
Paul
Elford
Tel: 020 7215 5430
Fax: 020 7215 2234
E-mail: paul.elford@dti.gsi.gov.uk
FAQs
Why is Market Access important?
Market Access is the removal of trade
barriers and the opening up of new markets and opportunities
on the basis of a level playing field for providers and
consumers alike where all can compete freely and fairly
for the benefit of all.
Increased Market Access is also an important
criterion for evaluating the success of the rules-based
international trading system.
A successful Market Access strategy is
an essential element in delivering DTI’s aim of prosperity
for all.
What is a trade barrier?
Trade barriers come in all shapes and sizes. There are the
straightforward traditional tariff barriers
- still some very discriminatory tariffs and taxes
– despite 50 years of the General Agreement on Tariffs and
Trade (GATT), the WTO and 9 trade rounds. There are new and increasingly significant
non-tariff barriers, which are varied, difficult and complex
as they can touch on sensitive cultural and social issues
and can sometimes appeal to very legitimate concerns, e.g,
regulatory issues, labelling, standards, piracy, abuse of intellectual property rights (IPR)
and Geographical Indicators, subsidies, trade defence, discriminatory
pricing, ad hoc bans and prohibitions and combinations of
some of these. They all need different approaches to be
overcome.
Trade barriers can also be caused by countries breaching
the agreed rules and commitments they have legally entered
into, principally those of the WTO or bilateral agreements.
This may of course be just poor interpretation or misunderstanding
or it may be through more serious intent.
In some cases where there may be no breaches that we can
identify and we discuss with them a more beneficial solution
[unclear what this is trying to say]. At the other end of
the scale we may only be able to identify a problem that
needs addressing through development of the WTO rules in
which case we may have to await a WTO investigation and
Agreement to address the problem.
What can we do to remove such barriers?
In the first instance we may pursue the matter informally
and bilaterally with the country concerned via our overseas
posts. If this proves unsuccessful we will involve
and work with our colleagues in the Commission. We then put the problem on the Commission’s Market
Access Database.
If the problem persists the Commission’s Trade Barrier Regulation
may be invoked. In this procedure the matter is investigated
and solutions proposed and in many cases the issues are
resolved or the problem considerably lessened. In some cases,
of course, the matter may have to be taken to the WTO Dispute
Settlement Procedure.
But to help resolve problems we need to know about them as
fully and as soon as possible. It is a two-way process -
we need information from industry if we are able to help
solve problems, while industry needs a professional and
speedy service from us. We are always trying to develop
the most joined-up approach possible in collecting, collating
and dealing with that information, and we are constantly
trying to improve at this. We work with others such as SITPRO
and the Patent Office, other Government Departments and
of course our posts abroad who can all play a vital role
in many different ways and we in the Market Access Centre
of Excellence are in regular contact with all these to help resolve cases.
Even though trade barriers are many, varied and often difficult
to resolve, the good news is that the need for more progress
on their removal and market access is common ground among
all WTO members and all parties involved in free and fair
trade - despite problems on other fronts. Getting rid of
market barriers is the bread and butter of world trade.
John Lane
Tel: 020 7215 5402
Fax: 020 7215 2234
Email: john.lane@dti.gsi.gov.uk
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