eRegulations MCP Server

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server implementation for accessing eRegulations API data. This server provides structured, AI-friendly access to eRegulations instances, making it easier for AI models to answer user questions about administrative procedures.

Features

• Access eRegulations data through a standardized protocol
• Query procedures, steps, requirements, and costs
• MCP prompt templates to guide LLM tool usage
• Streamlined implementation using standard I/O connections

Usage

The server speaks MCP over stdio, which is what Claude Desktop and Claude Code use. It needs a single setting — EREGULATIONS_API_URL — the base URL of the eRegulations instance to connect to (for example https://api-egypt.tradeportal.org).

Claude Desktop

Option A — One-click bundle (MCPB), recommended

Build a self-contained .mcpb bundle and install it from the Claude Desktop UI:

npm install && npm run build
npx @anthropic-ai/mcpb pack

This produces eregulations-mcp-server.mcpb. In Claude Desktop go to Settings → Extensions and drag the file in (or double-click it). Claude Desktop will prompt for the eRegulations API URL defined in manifest.json — no manual JSON editing required.

Option B — Manual configuration

Edit claude_desktop_config.json (Settings → Developer → Edit Config) and add an entry. Using npx:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "eregulations": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@unctad-ai/eregulations-mcp-server@latest"],
      "env": {
        "EREGULATIONS_API_URL": "https://api-egypt.tradeportal.org"
      }
    }
  }
}

Or using the published Docker image:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "eregulations": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run", "-i", "--rm",
        "-e", "EREGULATIONS_API_URL",
        "ghcr.io/unctad-ai/eregulations-mcp-server:latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "EREGULATIONS_API_URL": "https://api-egypt.tradeportal.org"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop after editing the config.

Claude Code

Register the server with the claude mcp add command. Using npx:

claude mcp add eregulations \
  --env EREGULATIONS_API_URL=https://api-egypt.tradeportal.org \
  -- npx -y @unctad-ai/eregulations-mcp-server@latest

Or using the Docker image:

claude mcp add eregulations \
  -- docker run -i --rm \
     -e EREGULATIONS_API_URL=https://api-egypt.tradeportal.org \
     ghcr.io/unctad-ai/eregulations-mcp-server:latest

Then check it is connected with claude mcp list, and use /mcp inside a Claude Code session to inspect the available tools.

Running with Docker (Recommended)

The recommended way to run the server is using the published Docker image from the GitHub Container Registry (GHCR). This ensures a consistent and isolated environment.

# Pull the latest image (optional)
docker pull ghcr.io/unctad-ai/eregulations-mcp-server:latest

# Run the server, providing the target eRegulations API URL
export EREGULATIONS_API_URL="https://your-eregulations-api.com"
docker run -i --rm -e EREGULATIONS_API_URL ghcr.io/unctad-ai/eregulations-mcp-server

Replace https://your-eregulations-api.com with the actual base URL of the eRegulations instance you want to connect to (e.g., https://api-tanzania.tradeportal.org).

The server listens for MCP JSON requests on standard input and sends responses to standard output.

Example Client Configuration

Here's an example of how a client (like Claude) might be configured to use this server via Docker:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "eregulations": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "-i",
        "--rm",
        "-e",
        "EREGULATIONS_API_URL",
        "ghcr.io/unctad-ai/eregulations-mcp-server:latest"
      ],
      "env": {
        "EREGULATIONS_API_URL": "https://your-eregulations-api.com"
      }
    }
  }
}

(Remember to replace the EREGULATIONS_API_URL value in the env section as well.)

Installation via npm Registry (Deprecated)

~~Running the server directly using npx is deprecated due to potential environment inconsistencies.~~

~~```bash

Deprecated: Set environment variables and run with npx

export EREGULATIONS_API_URL=https://example.com/api && export NODE_ENV=production && npx -y @unctad-ai/eregulations-mcp-server@latest

## Configuration

The server requires the URL of the target eRegulations API.

### Environment Variables

- `EREGULATIONS_API_URL`: **(Required)** URL of the eRegulations API to connect to (e.g., `https://api-tanzania.tradeportal.org`). Passed to the Docker container using the `-e` flag.

## Available Tools

The MCP server provides the following tools:

### `listProcedures`

Lists all available procedures in the eRegulations system.

### `getProcedureDetails`

Gets detailed information about a specific procedure by its ID.

Parameters:

- `procedureId`: ID of the procedure to retrieve

### `getProcedureStep`

Gets information about a specific step within a procedure.

Parameters:

- `procedureId`: ID of the procedure
- `stepId`: ID of the step within the procedure

### `searchProcedures`

Searches for procedures by keyword or phrase. Note: This currently searches related objectives based on the underlying API and may include results beyond direct procedure names.

Parameters:

- `keyword`: The keyword or phrase to search for

## Prompt Templates

The server provides prompt templates to guide LLMs in using the available tools correctly. These templates explain the proper format and parameters for each tool. LLM clients that support the MCP prompt templates capability will automatically receive these templates to improve their ability to work with the API.

## Development

```bash
# Run in development mode
npm run start

# Run tests
npm test

# Run tests with watch mode
npm run test:watch

# Run test client
npm run test-client
```