India, May 8 -- Non-tariff measures now impose higher trade costs than tariffs for 88 per cent of countries, while developing economies are simultaneously being hit by rising tariffs and mounting compliance burdens, according to a new report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

The report also found that improving transparency around trade regulations alone could reduce trade costs linked to non-tariff barriers by nearly 20 per cent.

In its May 2026 global trade update titled Invisible Barriers: The Costs of Non-Tariff Measures, UNCTAD warned that the global trading system is increasingly being shaped by regulatory restrictions, technical standards and geopolitical trade interventions rather than tradition...