TRAINS(Trade Analysis and Information System)

operated by

UNCTAD-World Bank World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS)

TRAINS(Trade Analysis and Information System)

operated by

UNCTAD-World Bank World Integrated Trade Solution (WITS)

Geneva, September 2004

WITS vs TRAINS

WITS is a software which is designed to integrate several trade-related databases and provide easy access

TRAINS is one of the databases which are operated by WITS

Other Databases of WITS

• COMTRADE (UN Statistics Division)

• Integrated Database (IDB-WTO)

• Consolidated Tariff Schedule (CTS-WTO)

Data Accessibility

• COMTRADE: Free access to International Organizations, others against a fee

• TRAINS: Access to governments and international and regional organizations and donors to TRAINS Trust Fund

• WTO: Access to WTO member governments and selected international organizations

Objectives of TRAINSObjectives of TRAINS

• To increase TRANSPARENCY – Analysis of market access conditions

– Analytical support for trade negotiations

– Analysis of national trade policies

– General research on trade policies

Data contents of TRAINS Data contents of TRAINS

• Tariff measures at national tariff line level for 148 countries (581 country/years), including preferential rates such as RTA and GSP in many cases

• Non-Tariff Measures classified according to UNCTAD Coding System of Trade Control Measures

• Import statistics by origin at Harmonized System (HS) 6-digit level

WITS Functionality

• Data retrieval and analysis

• Quick query• Advanced query• Tariff Change Simulations• Other options

Improvement for immediate future

• Ad Valorem Equivalents:– Estimation of % equivalents of non ad-

valorem rates

• Multi-market Simulation Model– Incorporation of GSIM model in

WITS/TRAINS

Computer Requirement– PC of reasonable speed (minimum

200MHZ)– Windows 98, NT 4.0, 2000 or XP – Internet Explorer version 5.0 or higher– Free disk space of at least 2.5GB (1.5GB

without WTO Data) of which 500mb must be in C-Drive (CD-Version)

– Internet Access with 50mb of disk space (Internet Version)

How to Install WITSRegister at http://wits.worldbank.org

Receive userid and password via e-mail

Download installation file from

http://wits.worldbank.org/install.htm

Install

CONTACT

Trade Information Section

UNCTAD/DITC/TAB

Palais des Nations

1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

E-mail: wits@unctad-trains.org

Fax: +41 22 917 0247