1、Fostering access to finance for small businessesA white paper to inspire actionStreet address:ITC 54-56,rue de Montbrillant 1202 Geneva,SwitzerlandPostal address:ITC Palais des Nations 1211 Geneva 10,Switzerland Telephone:+41-22 730 0111Fax:+41-22 733 4439E-mail:itcregintracen.orgInternet:http:/www.

2、intracen.orgThe International Trade Centre(ITC)is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations.International Trade Centre 2025Fostering access to financefor small businesses A white paper to inspire actionFOSTERING ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES iiAbout the paperAc

3、cess to finance is essential for small business resilience,innovation and growth.Yet,many enterprises still face significant barriers to securing the needed capital.This white paper,prepared for the ITC Global SME Ministerial,identifies three key areas where targeted policies can improve financial a

4、ccess of small businesses:expanding the affordability and diversity of financing options;strengthening financial literacy;and fostering a supportive and inclusive regulatory environment.Drawing on international best practices,it offers actionable insights and policy recommendations that governments

5、can adapt to their national contexts to help small businesses secure the capital they need to grow and succeed.DisclaimerThis paper draws on independent International Trade Centre(ITC)research,publicly available information and good practices shared by participating governments.The contents do not r

6、epresent official outcomes of the ministerial nor are they endorsed by participating governments.The objective of this paper is to inspire discussion by presenting a set of policy actions that governments can consider and adapt to their national contexts.AcknowledgementsThe ITC Research team in the