International Centre for Digital Trade and Innovation (iC4DTI)
iC4DTI is an industry-led initiative to accelerate the pace and scale of trade digitalisation and ensure all economies and companies benefit. We are committed to supporting the work of the International Chamber of Commerce, UN Economic and Social Commission of Asia Pacific (UNESCAP), UN Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and World Trade Organization (WTO), with a focus on implementing open, interoperable trade ecosystems.
The challenge
The current international trading ecosystem suffers from an array of issues – antiquated laws, misaligned policy frameworks and fragmented platforms and systems that prevent information from flowing in data form. The result is an inefficient, costly and bureaucratic system that acts as a barrier to trade, especially for small economies and companies that are disproportionately impacted by unnecessary red tape and complexity.
Trade ecosystem
By trade ecosystem, we mean all actors and processes associated with trade transactions and automating all processes across the whole trade ecosystem — eContracts, eCustoms, ePayments, eSignatures, eTransactions and cross border digital identities. In time, every process will be digitalised and all data standardised and able to flow between actors, platforms, systems and jurisdictions in a way that is not possible today.
Transitioning to a data-driven trade economy
Shifting to a data-driven trading system will eliminate inefficiencies such as paper-based processes, fragmented systems, and inconsistent standards. By adopting automation, standardising data, and integrating advanced technologies, trade can become faster, cheaper, and more transparent. This transition will improve acces to finance, reduce risks and costs, streamline processes, and enhance supply chain sustainability, setting the foundation for modern, efficient global trade.
Our vision
Our vision is a modern, digital trading system that is cheaper, faster, simpler, secure and sustainable for all companies. An environment where data, not documents, is used effectively and trade transactions happen in real-time. Where risk is reduced, finance is cheaper and more accessible, borders are frictionless, systems and processes connect, and information flows in common, standardised formats across jurisdictions. An environment that enables trade and sustainability data to combine and provide more transparent and green supply chains.
Our mission
Unlock $10 trillion plus in productivity and economic benefits for industry and governments
We see our role as providing a best value for money, public utility resource that is trusted, accessible to all and capable of implementing the benefits of trade digitalisation.
Prioritise the underlying fundamentals
We focus on establishing policy, legal, data standards architecture and market infrastructure that will enable interoperable solutions to scale across public/private sector systems, borders and trade corridors.
Promote collaboration and coordination
We provide coordination and leadership to ensure efforts are aligned at national, regional and international level across both the public and private sectors. Our team offers practical experience on what works and what pitfalls to avoid.
Build local capabilities
We are firmly committed to knowledge transfer and building local skills and capabilities, not parachuting in and walking away. We are here for the long term and interested in building long-term relationships to ensure everyone benefits from trade digitalisation.
Foster innovation and scalable solutions
We are pro-innovation, agnostic to technology and will promote scalable solutions that work for all.
Building strategies for the future
We will help companies build internal business cases and integrate trade digitalisation into company and government strategies.
“Trade digitalisation will deliver a cheaper, faster, simpler, secure, sustainable trading system. The question is how we achieve this goal at pace and scale to ensure everyone benefits, especially across the emerging markets where support is needed. iC4DTI provides a valuable, impartial resource to help governments, institutions and industry to implement the systems and frameworks needed for success.”
-Chris Southworth, Secretary General, ICC United Kingdom
Partnership with ICC United Kingdom
We have a unique relationship with ICC United Kingdom having been conceived from the Centre for Digital Trade and Innovation, created in 2022, as a mechanism to accelerate the digitalisation of UK trade. iC4DTI is a result of the lessons learnt and establishment of a global resource so everyone can benefit. We are a member of ICC and strategic partner to ICC United Kingdom, support the ICC Digital Standards Initiative to implement global frameworks and promote ICC solutions. We work closely with ICC United Kingdom and it’s network across ICC to ensure the work of iC4DTI is aligned to UK and ICC goals and ambitions.
