Result of Service

The individual contractor will support NTM data collection and transparency. Ultimately, the NTM expert’s service will contribute to increasing knowledge and understanding of NTMs in MSG government officials and business, as well as enhancing regulatory transparency for MSG countries and its partners, including in the European Union market.

Work Location

Home-based

Expected duration

20/09/23 to 20/01/24

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of UNCTAD and in close cooperation with policy makers in four Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) countries – namely, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu – the NTM expert will conduct NTM data update, building on UNCTAD’s previous work (i.e., collection of MSG NTM data up to 2021). Particularly, the NTM expert will undertake the following task.

(1) Collect the NTM data of four MSG countries with a cut-off date of 31 December 2023.
– Conduct research on the existing national governance and legislative structures, and all the on/offline sources for trade-related regulations such as laws, decrees, public notices or others.
– Contact and make a visit to policymakers in different ministries and agencies by cooperating with the government focal points.
– Collect all the trade-related regulations officially issued by the MSG government agencies. Also, collect the information on whether the regulations collected before were repealed/updated/replaced.
– Collaborate with regional and international partner institutions for efficient NTM data collection and synergy effect.
– Support UNCTAD project officers on NTM data comprehensiveness checks.

(2) Classify the NTM data of four MSG countries with a cut-off date of 31 December 2023.
– Code the collected regulations into the International Classification of NTMs and prepare the product classification into HS Classification currently used by MSG countries using TRAINS online data collection software. (Coding into HS not done under this contract, only preparation with high quality product description).
– Follow instructions from the UNCTAD project officers, to make changes to the database if necessary. The procedure and outputs of data collection must follow the revised Guidelines to Collect Data on Official Non-Tariff Measures (2019 Version), made available by UNCTAD.

(3) Support NTM capacity building and data maintenance for transparency
– Support UNCTAD project officers in NTM capacity building of government officials in MSG countries and NTM awareness raising discussion, meetings, workshops, etc..
– Write a short summary report per country (max. 3 pages) in order to keep record of data collection approach. The report should include reference sources’ coverage of information (e.g., which website has which information covering which year) and a list of ministries who have been in contact for the data collection. Additionally, the report may include how to improve regulatory mechanisms and how to make data collection and update sustainable.
– Assess the NTM data similarity among the Pacific SIDS to support Good Regulatory Practices and NTM Harmonization.

Monitoring / Progress control:

During the data collection, the NTM expert shall use TRAINS online to insert the data, get back comments from the project officers, make corrections and adjustments if necessary. Also, the NTM export shall report progress to UNCTAD project officers regularly.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree, Master, in law, economics, business administration or public administration is required.
At least 4 years of experience in trade related regulations, of which two years on NTM classification, particularly with UNCTAD’s methodology of NTM data collection, is required.

Languages

Fluency oral and written in English is required.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.