Trade Information Desks (TIDs) and Cross Border Trade Associations (CBTAs) are Trade Support and Promotion Institutions (TSI) established under COMESA REFORM & Trading for Peace (TfP) programs in 2010 through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives-State Department for Trade (KENYA NATIONAL TRADE POLICY MAY 2017 Chapter 4, Section 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 (e) to facilitate among other functions: Data collection on Common commodities traded volumes and values in USD, Implementation of COMESA & EAC Simplified Trade Regime (STR), public-private dialogue; market access; cross border traders’ representation; guide traders on customs, trade and border procedures and in filling out relevant forms and filing of the required documents to border agencies; forming and structuring cross border trade associations including women; conflict resolutions and as well as lobbying and advocating for nontariff barriers to trade and issuing of East African Community simplified certificate of Origin using Simplified Trade Regime (STR) tool. KENYA NATIONAL TRADE POLICY MAY 2017 Chapter 4 Micro and Small Enterprise Trade 4.1 Micro and Small Enterprise Act No.55/2012 In recognition of the role that these traders play in cross border trade, especially in trade of food staff, the EAC and COMESA developed a Simplified Trade Regime geared towards enhancing cross border trade through simplified customs documents with requirements that are easy for informal cross border traders to meet. 4.2 Initiatives Undertaken to Promote the MSE Sector Paper No.2 of 2005 on the Development of Micro and Small Enterprises for Wealth and Employment Creation for Poverty Reduction. To enhance cross border trade facilitation among the MSEs, the government has facilitated the establishment of Cross Border Trade Committees with the aim of monitoring and reporting counterfeits, smuggled items and the emerging Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs). Under the EAC and COMESA programs, the government is facilitating the implementation of a Simplified Trade Regime (STR) to enhance facilitation of cross border trade among the MSEs. The STR entails use of a simplified customs document, simplified certificate of rules of origin on selected commonly traded items with a threshold value of up to US $2,000 under the EAC and COMESA STR.