SITPRO is the UK's Trade Facilitation Agency. Founded in 1970 it has two major stakeholders, the Department of Trade & Industry, which provides its funding, and HM Customs & Excise. Its mission is to use its unique status to improve the competitive position of UK traders by facilitating changes through:

• Identification and removal of barriers in the international trading process;
• identification and promotion of best trading practices;
• delivery of practical, value for money electronic commerce and associated trading solutions; and
• influencing future trade policies

SITPRO is leading the UK and UN/CEFACT working groups in business process analysis, which is the initiative at the highest level in the UN/CEFACT trade life cycle. The objective is maximise speed and certainty in international trade through developing the best value adding processes across global trading.

Deliverables include requirements specifications in specific business domains. The International Supply Chain is the first one to be addressed.

SITPRO has a Board of 11 members who are appointed by the Minister of Trade. The staff complement of SITPRO is also 11. Its different Policy Groups bring together around 100 experts from government, industry, trade — both exporters and importers, transport, banking and financial services.

SITPRO has no members but serves the UK trading community as a whole.

SITPRO provides a range of products and services to assist all UK businesses, especially SMEs. They include:

• WebElecTra, which provides a means of completing standard international trade documentation ON-LINE and sending electronically to trading partners including government authorities, banks and carriers;
• ElecTra toolkit, which allows companies to provide and use mutually compatible electronic paper documents at any point in the international trade transaction;
• TOPFORM2, a guide to the UK series of Aligned Export documents, which contains examples and explanations of commonly used international trade forms;
• SITPRO newsletter and website (www.sitpro.org.uk), which provides up to date information on recent developments in international trade
• Publications including the Letters of Credit Checklist and Guide and Management Guidelines for UK exporters;
• Briefings and Country Spotlights, which provide practical advice on procedures and documentation.