WTO MSME Group launches joint WCO-WTO-ICC study and spotlights entrepreneurs

Launch of joint WCO-WTO-ICC study

The Report provides an overview of what Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Programmes are, an analysis of the current participation levels of MSMEs in AEO programmes and aims to serve as a resource for Customs administrations, policymakers and stakeholders, offering insights for advancing a more inclusive and equitable approach to global trade facilitation.

Ms. Lazzat Daniyarova from the World Customs Organization (WCO) joined the meeting online together with Ms. Valerie Piccard from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Ms. Daniyarova expressed gratitude to Ambassador Matthew Wilson of Barbados, Coordinator of the MSME Group, for his participation in the WCO SAFE Working Group's initial launch event of the report at the WCO headquarters on 13 November. Ms. Piccard emphasized that while the study marks an important milestone, focus should remain on the implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), underlining that the integration of MSMEs into AEO programmes is another important step in advancing trade facilitation. 

"MSME Spotlights" showcase diverse entrepreneurial experiences

Placing a strong emphasis on MSME voices, the meeting featured two "MSME Spotlight" sessions. Mr. Seiji Sekine, President and CEO of Kanemasa  from Japan, described his company's journey from a small industrial manufacturer employing 26 people to an SME that trades and invests across borders. He detailed the challenge of finding trustworthy international partners and the vital support received from governmental organizations in Japan and abroad that helped Kanemasa establish crucial global connections.

Julianne Ponan, Founder of Creative Nature Superfoods, a UK-based snack manufacturer known for allergen-free products exported to 17 economies, shared her experience as a young female entrepreneur. She highlighted numerous trade and business hurdles as well as practical challenges navigating international labelling and documentation requirements. Ms. Ponan stressed that deeply understanding the target markets and available government programmes were key factors in overcoming export barriers.

2025 ICC-ITC-MSME Group Small Business Champion finalists

The Group welcomed the two runners-up from the 2025 ICC-ITC-MSME Group Small Business Champion Competition. Divin Kouebatouka, Founder and CEO of Green Tech Africa from the Republic of Congo, showcased KUKIA, an eco-friendly absorbent fibre made from water hyacinth to clean petroleum pollutants. This innovation addresses environmental issues while generating local employment and tackling invasive species.

Gonzalo Yrigoyen, COO and Co-founder of Excuela from Peru, presented an online mobile-first training platform designed for low or no internet connectivity that offers active learning and continuous feedback. Targeting Latin America, Excuela focuses on corporate sustainability and safety training through low-data consumption digital tools.

APEC Startup Alliance: fostering regional startup collaboration

Representatives from the Republic of Korea's Ministry of SMEs and Startups introduced the APEC Startup Alliance for 2025 Jeju Initiative, a public-private partnership platform aiming to strengthen connections among startup ecosystems across the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) region. The Alliance will feature an annual Startup Forum, an offline network and an integrated online platform compiling startup statistics, regulatory information and best practices. A key focus will be the launch of a matchmaking platform to connect startups with partners, fostering communication and collaboration.

MSME internationalization through business support organizations

Ms. Ana Derevyanko, Executive Director of the European Business Association (EBA) and Co-founder and CEO of Global Business for Ukraine, shared EBA's experience assisting SMEs amid challenging times. She presented research initiatives such as the Small Business Sentiment Index and programmes promoting SME access to funding, education and export support. Notably, the EBA administers a "business school for defenders" that trains Ukrainian soldiers, veterans and families, while the "Small Talks" initiative helps MSMEs navigate tools and sustainable development amid uncertainty.

Looking ahead: MC14 preparations and future priorities

Ambassador Wilson announced that the Small Business Champions 2026 would have a focus on artificial intelligence and that the WTO, ICC and ITC would be working with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to launch the call for proposals in early 2026. 

The meeting concluded with a brief overview of the MSME Group's intended outputs for the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) scheduled for March 2026 and discussion on the Group's future work programme. Ambassador Wilson emphasized the importance of continuing to showcase MSME participants whose experiences can enrich formal WTO discussions such as the impact that the most recent MSME spotlight focused on female hygiene products had in animating discussions in the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade and the Committee on Market Access.

Looking forward, the coordinator suggested merit in looking at a post-MC14 work programme that addressed issues such as intellectual property (IP) and artificial intelligence (AI) from the lens of supporting MSMEs to trade more effectively and innovatively.