One of the objectives of the Horizon2020 project “TRADE4SD” is to offer policy recommendations for improving trade policies at the national, European, and global levels, including reforms to the WTO, and to enhance policy alignment. To achieve this goal, it is essential to address the impact of NTMs, which, despite their increasing use, remain largely underexplored in terms of the effects on international trade. This limited understanding is due to the complexity of NTMs and their effects are difficult to generalise. Several critical areas related to NTMs and their implications for international trade require further investigation, which “TRADE4SD” seeks to address. This work explores how NTMs affect market access for developing countries, as these nations may face various challenges, such as limited capabilities, technological gaps, weaker infrastructures and institutions, and asymmetric information. More specifically, “TRADE4SD” aims to identify best practices for improving the management of SPS, which are essential for enhancing the competitiveness of agricultural and food exports. Strengthening SPS capacity is also vital for boosting productivity in the agricultural and food processing industries, contributing to agricultural and rural development, and helping to alleviate poverty.

This deliverable consists of two main sections: one addressing Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) for pesticides and antibiotics and the other focusing on Specific Trade Concerns (STCs).

In the first section, we analysed the regulations and then acquired and processed the data to create the databases, which we later used to develop the indices and infographics (for both pesticides and antibiotics).

In the STCs section, we analysed WTO documentation on all open disputes and verified their status. During our analysis, we identified the relationships between STCs and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finally, we developed the infographics.