The main objective of these webinars was to help LDCs seize the trade opportunities offered by developed and developing countries to products originating in LDCs. The webinars were based on the UNCTAD Handbook on Duty-Free Quota-Free (DFQF) Market Access and Rules of Origin for LDCs and the UNCTAD Database on GSP Utilization.

The webinar was opened by Mr. Paul Akiwuni, Director, Division for Africa, LDCs and Special Programmes, UNCTAD and H.E. Mr. Rithi Pich, Deputy Secretary of State, Ministry of Commerce, and former Permanent Representative of Cambodia to the WTO.

During the two sessions, the presentation focused on answering the following questions:

• Is my country a beneficiary of the DFQF scheme of my target market?
• Is my product covered by the DFQF scheme of my target market?
• What requirements does my product need to meet?
  • Rules of origin (RO): does my product comply with them?
  • Other requirements, e.g. mode of shipment of the goods
• How can I prove it? a documentary evidence

The first session dealt in detail with the Quad countries (Canada, European Union, Japan and the United States of America) while the second session focused on the largest importers of LDC products among the Other Developed Countries (Eurasian Customs Union, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom) and  Developing Countries (China, India and Thailand). In addition, participants were familiarized with the UNCTAD Database on GSP Utilization.