Trade access, tariffs, product rules and services
Learning objective
Distinguish an agreement from the actual market-access conditions for a product.
Global Market Access combines countries, groupings, agreements and map metrics. Trade evidence also includes WTO tariffs, SPS/TBT notifications, services trade and connected trade/investment data.
Three different tariff concepts
MFN applied is the general applied rate; bound is a WTO commitment ceiling, not necessarily the rate charged. The lowest preferential rate may be available to a different partner and does not prove your exporter qualifies.
Product notifications
SPS/TBT notices signal proposed or changed requirements, not a complete product-compliance checklist. Publication, consultation and entry into force are different dates.
Services and missing figures
WTO services values are US$ million where the unit is confirmed. Missing imports remain unknown, not zero. Quotas and disputes are not connected; do not infer their absence.
Step by step
- 1Select an exporter and partner on Global Market Access; inspect shared agreements and membership coverage. Open →
- 2Use Data & sources to select a product and importer, then inspect MFN, preferential and bound rates with their years and units. Open →
- 3Read product-rule notifications and follow the original documents. Inspect the services exports/imports table and its units.
- 4Check rules of origin, eligibility and effective dates with the official instrument before advising on a shipment.
Check your understanding
Optional and not scored — pick an answer to see the explanation.