The United Nations Statistics Division invites international, supranational and regional organizations as well as the United Nations Regional Commissions attending the 40th session of the Commission to a consultation on the future of international trade statistics. The main purpose of the consultation is to exchange views on several issues relevant to this topic in connection with the preparation for the 41st session (2010) of the Commission where international trade statistics will be one of the major items for discussion.

Please find enclosed the report of the meeting: Report (April 2009)

Organizer: United Nations Statistics Division

Seminar Programme/Agenda
1.	Status of preparation of the revised recommendations for international merchandise and services trade statistics
		a. UNSD introduction b. Open discussion
2.	Towards an integrated approach to international trade statistics: challenges and the ways to deal with them effectively
		a. UNSD introduction b. Open discussion
3.	Trade data dissemination by the international organizations in cooperation with third parties (UNSD)
		a. UNSD introduction b. Open discussion
Contributions and further background documents
	• Presentation by UNSD
	• Note by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
	• Presentation by the World Customs Organization (WCO)
	• Note by the World Trade Organization (WTO)
	• Report of the First Meeting of the UN Expert Group on International Merchandise Trade Statistics (3-6 December 2007)
	• Report on the results of the first round of worldwide consultation on the recommendations for international merchandise trade statistics (May and July 2008)
	• Report of the virtual meeting of the UN Expert Group on International Merchandise Trade Statistics (5 November - 5 December 2008)
	• 2008 Worldwide consultation on draft of revised Manual on Statistics of International Trade in Services