ISLAMABAD, May 16: Pakistan in collaboration with the European Commission (EC) here on Monday launched a ‘web-based trade maps Pakistan’ that will provide online access to a database on product trade flows and market access barriers for international business development.

The launching of the websites for Pakistani exporters and importers was part of the EC-funded Trade Related Technical Assistance (TRTA) Programme, in collaboration with the International Trade Centre (ITC), the UNCTAD and the WTO.

Senior market analyst of the ITC, Robert Skidmore said the purpose of launching of the websites on Pakistan data was to build the capacity of policy-makers and negotiators along with the business community in all countries to be able to use these services effectively.

Elaborating general features of the websites, he said that they would provide online access to data on tariff applied by 169 countries to the products exported by over 200 countries and territories. They also cover ad valorem tariffs, specific tariffs, tariff quotas and anti-dumping duties.

The websites cover most bilateral and regional agreements, rules and certificates of the origin and analysis. TRTA national programme coordinator Arif Ahmad Khan said on the occasion that intending users might contact the WTO wing of the ministry of commerce or the Export Promotion Bureau to obtain passwords for getting an access to the database on products on the websites — www.trademap.org, www.p-maps.org and www.macmap.org.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by deputy secretary WTO wing Asad Hayauddin and ITC associate market analyst Bastiaan Bijl along with other government officials and business representatives. EC economic adviser to Pakistan Mireille Perrin said the websites would be useful for policy-makers and exporters in Pakistan.

The launching of the websites was being followed by a two-day extensive training programme for the participants to equip them how to make best possible use of the websites. She said that the trade map training was being conducted in the context of the TRTA programme funded by the EC.