Since 2001, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has conducted an annual survey on behalf of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to identify and quantify the U.S. Government's trade capacity building (TCB) activities in developing countries and transitional economies. Trade capacity building programs help developing countries to strengthen economic policies, remove trade barriers, and build well-functioning economic, political, and legal institutions. As a result, TCB programs help promote economic growth, reduce poverty, and sustain support for trade liberalization. The United States Government, through a variety of Departments and Agencies, implements trade capacity building programs in areas including: facilitating the flow of goods and services across borders, participation in trade negotiations, implementation of trade agreements, economic responsiveness to trade opportunities, and private sector development and competitiveness.