The WTO Analytical Database puts together MFN applied and preferential tariffs, together with trade flows that sit in separate WTO and external datasets. It combines information contained in the Integrated Database (IDB) tariffs and imports data, Consolidated Tariff Schedules (CTS) bound rates, preferential commitments from the WTO Regional Trade Agreements (RTA) Database, plus trade data from UN Comtrade and Trade Data Monitor (TDM) statistics and ITC data from the World Tariff profile dataset, into one standardized time‑series at the Harmonized System sub‑heading level. The result is a single, ready‑to‑query file showing—by product, partner and year—what duty was legally bound, what was the MFN applied tariff, what preference a partner could claim and how much merchandise crossed the border and this in the same version of the HS.
Comprehensive tariff coverage
MFN applied duties come straight from economies’ annual IDB notifications and supplemented with ITC data from the World Tariff Profile dataset
Final bound duties are drawn from CTS schedules (including draft transposed files), providing information on the legal maximum tariff for every HS sub‑heading.
Preferential rates capture the rates actually notified to the IDB and the commitment schedules housed in the RTA database
Best‑available preference is calculated for each partner as the lowest duty found across IDB, RTA schedules and, where necessary, the World Tariff Profiles dataset.World Tariff Profiles, 2025
Trade flows
Imports by tariff line and partner are taken from IDB; missing reporters or years are back‑filled with UN Comtrade or Trade Data Monitor, ensuring full coverage from 1996 onward.
Exports by partner sourced from Comtrade if available, otherwise from TDM
Data Structure and Scope
Tariff‑Trade table : one record per reporter × HS‑sub‑heading × year (plus partner for trade and preference data). It holds MFN applied and bound averages, best preference, imports, exports and trade‑weighted duties.
Preferential‑Detail table: adds the the duty regime dimension to list every preferential or commitment rate, together with regime code, partner and import value.
Inventory table: a slim ledger tracking which reporter‑years have been loaded, from which database and under which HS release, enabling rapid refresh checks.
Indicator and Flag reference tables spell out each variable’s definition, unit and calculation method, making the dataset self‑documenting for non‑specialists.