September 28:  The Government of Nepal through the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Export Promotion Centre has launched an online trade information portal amid a launching ceremony in the capital on September 27 in a bid to support investment and trade facilitation in the country.  The Nepal Trade lnformation Portal (www.nepaltradeportal.gov.np) that is the first of its kind in the history of Nepal, consolidates all the useful cross-border trade regulatory information in one online platform providing easier and faster access to traders of all commercial goods. 

The portal is launched with a support from the World Bank Group under the Nepal India Regional Trade and Transport Project (NlRTTP). The portal aims to provide easy access to all trade-related information which  in turn will enhance and encourage transparency and accountability as well as reduce the duration that traders spend on acquiring the needed information for their businesses.

“Nepal Trade Information Portal is a solution which will help to improve Nepal's trade efficiency by empowering the trading community by providing immediate, online access from a single source to all legislation, policies, procedures, tariff data and necessary guidelines from across trade-related bodies and organizations. I strongly feel that such solutions that empower the business community by reducing time for document preparation while ensuring compliance, will have direct impact on Nepal's 'Ease of Doing Business' ranking, and specifically the measure of Trading Across Borders," said Romi Gauchan Thakali, Minister of Commerce. 

The Nepal Trade lnformation Portal (www.nepaltradeportal.gov.np) is easily accessible in English and Nepali. The information provided by the portal includes all laws, prohibitions, restrictions, technical standards, the entire commodity classification and tariffs, all procedures for license and permit application and clearance, copies of all forms as well as plain language instructions.

With the launch of the trade portal, Nepal has taken an important step in meeting its commitments to the World Trade Organization and specifically the requirement to publish trade information online.

"Looking ahead, Nepal plans to expand and incorporate the promotion of Nepali businesses and the goods they offer by showcasing the profiles of traders and their products on the portal. This gives an opportunity for marketing and promotion of Nepal's export businesses. Additionally, the portal will also have a "search and query” function so that interested users can access trade statistics to analyze trends or assess potential new opportunities. Features to promote selected product categories and to connect Nepali businesses with potential market opportunities will also be brought online as the portal expands," said Surendra Nath Gongal, Deputy Director, Trade and Export Promotion Centre.