Access to markets

The activities under this cluster aim at enhancing capacities of policy makers and MSMES to facilitate their access to markets, one of the current greatest challenges for MSMEs as there is a decreased demand, damaged supply and disruption of value chains. 

The project is conducting assessments on the impact of COVID-19 on the production and trade activities of MSMEs and the implications on recovery and long-term development prospects.  The assessments are based on a coherent framework that captures the interplay between trade, enterprise development, investment, labor and other policy tools.  They highlights areas for joint cooperation at the regional and global levels and the impact on the achievement of SDGs. 

Other activities include raising awareness at the political and technical levels on the role of competition policy in the Economic recovery of MSMEs by: 1) Highlighting the interphase and positive correlation of implementing effective and timely competition policy measures within and across regions in the wake of Covid 19 and the impact to MSMEs in accessing markets. 2) Promoting regional exposure to the interphase; and 3) Bringing together experts, and inter-state entities on further exploring the positive correlation of competition policy and the recovery of MSMEs in development countries and countries in transition. In addition, the project is also analyzing and collecting good practices on the policies implemented by the Latin American governments to face MSMEs crisis generated by COVID-19.