Publications

Greater access to information about export opportunities is essential for determining SME export success.SMEs which participate in international trade are more productive than those which do not. Integration into global and regional markets is thus likely to help close the productivity gap between...

Hungarian SMEs account for 99.8% of enterprises, 70% of employment, 50% of value added and 28% of its exports to the European Union.

While more than 40% of existing trade strategies identify trade integration and regionalism as crucial policy areas, less than 3% of the strategies are regional. Nor do they fully build on diversification opportunities in services and manufacturing.This is one of many trends in trade strategies,...

This is a national companion guide to the publication The Business Guide for Sustainability in Foreign Investments.

Young entrepreneurs face markedly higher barriers than their older peers to access finance and expand their business. The International Trade Centre, through its YE! Community, has surveyed young entrepreneurs to understand their main funding needs and challenges they face when trying to obtain...

International business investors can embed sustainability in each step of their operations. This guide describes the social, environmental and economic practices that international firms must understand when entering a new market.

Literature review of interdependencies between public and private standards. It focuses on how governments could engage with private standards to impact their legitimacy and significance in the market; provides examples of complementarities between public and private standards. Part three of a...

The SME Competitiveness Outlook argues that small and medium-sized firms are the ‘missing link’ to inclusive growth.

To be part of value chains dominated by large global players, small and medium-sized enterprises need a sound business environment, ready access to finance, and institutional support to reach new markets and to defend their interests.

The SME Competitiveness Outlook 2021 analyses how small businesses can rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic so they are prepared to face the looming climate crisis. It provides a 20-point Green Recovery Plan to foster competitive, resilient and environmentally sustainable small and medium-sized...

This report shows how sustainability standards can be a powerful tool for post-pandemic recovery.

Standards and regulations have a major impact on SME competitiveness.