The Trade-Related Assistance for Development (TRADE) project is a five-year, $12.84 million initiative directed toward improving the Philippines’ global standing in the international economy through higher levels of trade and foreign direct investment. Through this project, USAID supports activities that enhance the policy and institutional environment for trade and investment, improve trade facilitation, strengthen the business environment for competition, and support advocacy and outreach activities that advance trade policy agenda.

TRADE is a USAID/Philippines project under the Partnership for Growth (PFG), a bilateral initiative. The PFG represents a partnership between the Philippines and the United States to promote broad-based and inclusive growth.  The U.S. Government is working with the Government of the Philippines, the private sector and civil society organization to help put the Philippines on an accelerated growth trajectory that benefits the majority of its population.

ACTIVITIES

Technical assistance provided under the TRADE Project will focus on identifying and addressing:

• Policy reform to implement binding contracts under the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Economic Community Blueprint, advance the country’s eligibility in Trans-Pacific Partnership, and meets its World Trade Organization obligations;
• Trade analysis and strategy formulation of proposed adjustment measures and reforms; and
• Gaps in institutional and administrative capacity of the government and other major stakeholders in undertaking trade-enabling measures.

The TRADE Project supports regulatory, legal and policy reforms that enable the Philippines to meet and implement contractual agreements under various trade arrangements, while strengthening the government’s capacity and institutional environment to meet internationally accepted standards.

To build a business-friendly trade environment and facilitate growth, the TRADE Project will seek improvements in areas such as trade in goods, services trade, investment, intellectual property rights, standards conformance, government procurement, competition policy and other relevant features of a free trade agreement.

RESULTS

The TRADE Project has supported the government in enhancing its readiness for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Integration which takes into effect at the end of 2015, including the development of a Game Plan which includes measures to enhance competitiveness, and to ensure compliance with AEC requirements.

The Project has also supported trade facilitation measures in partnership with the Bureau of Customs and other trade-related regulatory agencies. These include the establishment of the first-ever Customs Regulated Imports List (CRIL), a comprehensive database on regulated products, and the necessary clearances permits, licenses and procedures for clearing them, and enhancement of the Philippine Tariff Finder, an online tool to provide Customs personnel and traders quick access to comprehensive, up-to-date information about tariff rates.

GOAL

To improve the Philippines’ global standing in the international economy through higher levels of trade and foreign direct investment.

OBJECTIVES

• Promote greater integration of the domestic economy with the global economy
• Ensure that national trade regimes conform to international standard