Governance

Addressing illicit trade requires a comprehensive, whole-of-government approach in close cooperation with the private sector and international partners. While effective law enforcement remains indispensable, experience demonstrates that enforcement alone is not enough. Countries that are most resilient are those that combine sound economic policies, proportionate regulatory frameworks, effective customs and border management, strong criminal justice systems, and robust anti-corruption measures. Collectively, these elements create an environment in which legitimate commerce can flourish while opportunities for illicit trade are significantly reduced.

Governance tools

Illicit Trade Index

The 2025 Illicit Trade Index provides governments, policymakers, and enforcement agencies with actionable insights to tackle the challenges of illicit trade. Covering 158 countries, the Index:

• Measures a country’s capacity to defend its economy from illicit trade against 37 economic, governance and structural benchmarks.​
• Provides policymakers with a strategic roadmap to target and apply necessary regulatory controls and implementing technology solutions at the national level. ​Learn more

National Governance Framework

TRACIT’s National Governance Framework presents a comprehensive set of policy guidelines designed to strengthen national resilience against illicit trade. The guidelines recognize that illicit markets are shaped not only by criminal activity, but also by broader economic, regulatory, and institutional conditions. Excessive tax differentials across countries, persistent inflation, large informal economies, weak governance, fragmented regulatory frameworks, corruption, and inadequate enforcement can all create incentives and opportunities that criminal organizations readily exploit. 
​Learn more

Featured Events

Global Trade Integrity Symposium

Global Trade Integrity Symposium
November 18, 2026
Venue: World Trade Organization
Geneva, Switzerland

Register Now