WTO trade data lets a freight forwarder check four things before committing capacity to a lane: whether trade between two countries is growing, which products drive it, what tariffs apply, and whether a trade agreement is in place. The main tool for this is the WTO's free Tariff & Trade Data (TTD) platform. Its limit is timing: most figures are annual and published with a delay. That makes WTO data right for strategic decisions such as opening a route, not for day-to-day operations.
Key takeaways
- TTD's Bilateral trade relations report shows ten years of bilateral imports, trade by product category, average MFN and preferential tariffs, and the trade agreements between two economies.
- Read a multi-year trend, not a single year: trade values are in US dollars at current prices, so part of a rise can come from higher prices or exchange rate movements.
- Trade value share is not freight share: high-value electronics can mean relatively few shipments, often by air, while machinery or textiles with a smaller value share may fill more trucks or containers.
- A preferential tariff applies only with the right document: in Turkey–EU trade, an A.TR for customs union goods, and proof of origin such as an EUR.1 for agricultural and coal and steel products.
- The WTO Trade Barometers are leading indicators in which 100 means trade is growing in line with its medium-term trend; use them for strategic planning, not operations.
Why does WTO trade data matter to freight forwarders?
WTO trade data matters to freight forwarders because it shows, from official figures reported by governments, where trade between two countries is growing, which products drive it and which tariffs apply. The World Trade Organization (WTO), established on 1 January 1995 and based in Geneva, sets and monitors the rules of trade between its 166 members. For forwarders, the value lies less in the rules than in the data. Member governments report their tariffs and trade flows to the WTO, and the WTO publishes them in free databases.
Forwarders do not sell cargo; they sell capacity, knowledge and experience. WTO data helps predict where cargo will be generated next. It can answer questions such as:
- Which of my customers' routes are growing?
- Which country pairs are seeing rising trade in a given product group?
- Can I find out about a tariff change before it affects my customers?
Which WTO databases are useful for forwarders?
The most useful WTO databases for forwarders are the WTO Stats Portal, Tariff & Trade Data (TTD), the Integrated Database (IDB), the Trade and Tariff Profiles, the Trade Monitoring Database, the Regional Trade Agreements Database and the Trade Barometers. Most of them are built on member-reported data, and some add external sources, so the right one depends on the question you need to answer.
How do you analyse a country pair in WTO Tariff & Trade Data (TTD)?
In TTD, you analyse a country pair with the Bilateral trade relations report: choose two economies, and the report shows their bilateral imports, product mix, tariffs and trade agreements. Take trade between Turkey and the EU as an example. TTD reports EU member states such as Germany as one economy, the European Union.
- Open Reports, then Bilateral trade relations.
- Select Türkiye as Economy A and European Union as Economy B.
- Click Apply.
The report then shows four main outputs:
On the Turkey–EU corridor, the tariff outputs need careful reading. EU member states share a common external tariff, so Germany's tariffs are the EU's tariffs. Turkey and the EU also have a customs union covering industrial goods and processed agricultural products, so most industrial trade between them is already duty-free. Basic agricultural products, and coal and steel, are outside it and covered by separate agreements. For Turkey–EU lanes, the tariff output is therefore most useful for agricultural goods and for comparing the EU with third countries.
Read the trend, not a single year
The Time Series report shows change over several years. An illustrative series: USD 2.1 billion in 2021, 2.8 billion in 2022, 3.6 billion in 2023, 4.5 billion in 2024 and 5.6 billion in 2025. One strong year can mislead. A steady rise over several years suggests that trade in that product or country pair is growing sustainably.
Trade values are reported in US dollars at current prices. Part of a rise can come from higher prices or exchange rate movements rather than more cargo. Where possible, check quantity data as well; UN Comtrade, for example, reports quantities such as net weight for many flows.
Trade value share is not freight share
Suppose the trade-by-product output shows electronics at 42%, machinery at 28% and textiles at 11% (illustrative figures). The mistake is to read this as a ranking of where the freight is. The real question is which sector generates logistics demand. Electronics carry high value per kilo, so a large value share can mean relatively few shipments, often by air. Machinery or textiles with a smaller value share may fill more trucks or containers.
Check the tariff, and the origin rules behind it
Tariff analysis is one of TTD's strongest features. For a product group, you will see an average MFN rate and a preferential rate. If a free trade agreement brings the preferential rate to 0%, that product group may be worth targeting. High MFN tariffs, on the other hand, raise costs and can hold back trade volumes.
A preferential rate only applies if the goods qualify and carry the right document. In Turkey–EU trade, customs union goods need an A.TR movement certificate, which proves free circulation rather than origin, while agricultural and coal and steel products need proof of preferential origin, such as an EUR.1. If a shipper cannot provide the right document, the importer pays the MFN rate, and the lane's cost advantage disappears.
What should a freight forwarder check before opening a new trade lane?
Before opening a new route, answer these questions with WTO data:
- How has trade between the two countries changed over the last five years? Compare the import and export volumes. If they grow steadily, the lane has commercial potential.
- Which product groups is the trade concentrated in? Look at the sectors that generate freight, not only the ones with the largest trade value.
- What are the average MFN and preferential tariff rates? For a specific HS code, compare current and past MFN rates and assess how a rise or fall affects cost and competitiveness.
- Is there a trade agreement between the two countries? Check what it covers and what origin proof it requires.
For example, Turkey–Poland trade rose from USD 11.8 billion in 2024 to USD 12.5 billion in 2025, according to Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) figures published by Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On a lane like this, it makes sense to prepare early and give more attention to exporters selling to Poland. Before committing, check that the rise continues a multi-year trend and confirm it with more current monthly sources, such as those listed in the section on the limits of WTO data.
What do the WTO Trade Barometers tell you?
The WTO's Goods Trade Barometer and Services Trade Barometer are leading indicators. They signal the direction of world trade before official statistics are published. The barometer reading is an index: 100 means trade is growing in line with its medium-term trend. Above 100 means above-trend growth, and below 100 means below-trend growth (WTO). A reading below 100 does not necessarily mean trade is shrinking.
Forwarders can use the barometers for strategic planning, such as sales focus or capacity commitments for the coming quarters. They should not be used to run operations.
What are the limits of WTO data, and what should you use alongside it?
Its main limit is timing, so WTO data works best alongside more current sources such as UN Comtrade, Trade Data Monitor and national monthly statistics. WTO figures are reported by member governments, usually by customs or statistical offices, not by companies. Most of the data is annual and published with a delay, and some short-term statistics are monthly or quarterly. On its own, WTO data is not enough for a fast decision.
Use WTO data alongside:
- UN Comtrade: detailed trade flows by product and country.
- Trade Data Monitor: a paid commercial platform for more current and detailed trade data.
- Official monthly statistics on the UK–EU–Turkey corridor: TÜİK for Turkey, Eurostat Comext for the EU and HMRC's uktradeinfo for the UK all publish monthly trade data.
How does Modaltrans fit in?
Modaltrans is logistics software for freight forwarders, customs brokers and logistics service providers across the UK–EU–Turkey corridor. WTO data shows how the market on a lane is moving; it does not show how your own business on that lane is doing. With Modaltrans Reporting, you can build reports on your own shipment data and compare your growth with the market's. If the market on a lane is growing and your volume is not, Advanced CRM helps you target the exporters on it.
To see how Modaltrans connects your shipment data with your sales pipeline across the UK–EU–Turkey corridor, book a demo.
