Welcome to USAID’s bizlawreform Online!

In September 2002, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched the “Seldon Project” for Global Trade Law Assessment and Assistance to develop and apply an assessment tool that identifies inefficiencies in the commercial laws and institutions of developing countries. By identifying key gaps between the law and implementation, the assessment tool assists governments, donor organizations, and private sector and civil society stakeholders in designing and targeting legislative, organization improvement, and capacity-building projects to maximize the effectiveness of commercial reform efforts.

Countries join the World Trade Organization (WTO) and regional trade agreements in search of the economic gains associated with enlarged markets, increased competition, and resulting industry specialization. Realizing the anticipated benefits from free trade— and mitigating any negative consequences—requires more than focusing only on obvious trade structures. Although there is no single explanation for this phenomenon, there is a strong statistical correlation between the quality of legal institutions and sustained economic growth through trade.

Bizlawreform Online is designed to provide information on ongoing and completed project activities, and provide information on the results flowing from the assessments. The website will be updated periodically, so please visit this site from time to time to see new developments. For a more detailed discussion of The Seldon Project, please proceed to the Seldon Project page.