Milestone map
Milestone map
3 milestones
Select Target Market and Map Trade Context
2 weeks (2 hrs/day)
Choose a specific product category and target export or import market. Map the trade relationship between the origin and target country: identify the applicable trade agreement (or absence of one), current tariff rates, trade volume data, and the primary government body governing market access for this category.
Proof required
Submit a target market trade context document covering: product category with the correct HS tariff code, target market identified, applicable trade agreement or WTO MFN status, current applied tariff rate for the product, annual bilateral trade volume for the category, and the regulatory authority governing market entry.
What gets checked
- The HS tariff code is correctly identified at the six-digit level — not a broad category description
- Tariff rate is sourced from the importing country's official tariff schedule or the WTO tariff database, not a third-party summary
- Trade agreement status is current — no outdated treaties cited without checking effective date
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong HS code and therefore wrong tariff rate — the HS classification is a technical step requiring care
- Citing trade agreement status without checking whether the agreement is in force or what its product-specific rules of origin require
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Ask the candidate to look up the tariff rate live in the WTO or WITS database — it should match the submitted document
- Challenge the HS code: ask why they chose this specific 6-digit code rather than an adjacent one
- Ask what the applicable trade agreement requires in terms of rules of origin for this product
- Check that the regulatory authority cited is the actual government body responsible for this product category
Identify and Quantify Regulatory and Trade Barriers
2–3 weeks (2 hrs/day)
Identify all material barriers to entering the target market for your product category: tariff barriers, non-tariff barriers (labelling, standards, licences, import quotas), and regulatory requirements (product approvals, testing, certification). Estimate the cost and time impact of each barrier on a hypothetical export or import transaction.
Proof required
Submit a barrier analysis document covering: a tariff barrier summary with applied rate and ad valorem equivalent cost on a reference shipment value; a non-tariff barrier inventory listing each measure, the administering body, the cost and time to comply, and whether it is a one-time or recurring cost; and a total landed cost estimate for a reference shipment showing each cost component.
What gets checked
- Non-tariff barriers are individually enumerated — not summarised as 'various regulatory requirements'
- Each barrier has a specific estimated cost and time-to-comply based on cited official or industry sources
- The total landed cost estimate is built up from individual cost components, not a rough percentage
Common mistakes
- Focusing only on tariffs and missing non-tariff barriers that are often more significant in practice
- Estimating compliance costs without citing a source — the cost of obtaining a certification or approval varies enormously
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Ask the candidate to identify the single most expensive non-tariff barrier and explain how they estimated its cost
- Challenge an NTM: 'is this a one-time approval cost or a per-shipment compliance cost? How do you know?'
- Check the total landed cost: ask the candidate to walk through each component and justify the number
- Ask whether the barrier analysis was reviewed by anyone with export compliance or customs experience
Present Entry Implications and Mitigation to a Practitioner
1–2 weeks (2 hrs/day)
Synthesise the trade context and barrier analysis into a market entry implications summary: whether the barriers make entry viable, what the critical path is to compliance, what mitigation strategies exist (tariff engineering, preferential trade routes, regulatory equivalence), and what the decision threshold for proceeding should be. Present this to a trade compliance or international business practitioner.
Proof required
Submit: a market entry implications document (two to three pages) covering entry viability assessment, critical compliance path with timeline, at least two mitigation strategies with cost-benefit estimates, and a decision threshold; and a written review session record with the reviewer's credentials, at least three specific challenges, and your written responses.
What gets checked
- Entry viability assessment is specific and quantified — 'viable at 40% gross margin but not at 30%' rather than 'potentially viable'
- At least two mitigation strategies address different barrier types and are grounded in the regulatory framework
- Reviewer has direct international trade or compliance experience — not general business background
Common mistakes
- Concluding 'entry is feasible' without quantifying what 'feasible' means in terms of cost, time, and margin impact
- Mitigation strategies that ignore the actual regulatory mechanism — proposing to 'negotiate with authorities' without understanding the regulatory process
Resources
Foundationstart here
Depthgo deeper
Masteryfor the dedicated
What a verifier looks for
- Confirm the reviewer has direct international trade, customs, or trade compliance experience
- Ask: 'at what margin level does your recommended entry strategy stop being viable and why?'
- Challenge one mitigation strategy: 'what regulatory step specifically enables this and how long does it take?'
- Ask whether the decision threshold is defined clearly enough that a board could use it to make a go/no-go decision
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