DG Azevêdo Hails G20 Pledges on Trade Cooperation in COVID-19 Response

· (DG has resigned from WTO w.e.f Aug 2020 to leave the Space Open for Reform as Demanded by US and its Allies)

WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo welcomed G20 ministers’ endorsement of collective action measures to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on trade and investment and help foster global economic recovery. The initiatives were endorsed at a virtual meeting of the G20 trade and investment ministers on 14 May.

The actions include short-term responses designed to prevent trade logjams and facilitate trade in products needed to contain COVID-19, as well as longer-term support to reform the multilateral trading system, build resilience in global supply chains, and strengthen international investment.

The G20 ministers pledged to promote WTO reform and “support the role of the multilateral trading system in promoting stability and predictability of international trade flows”. They agreed to “explore COVID-19 related WTO initiatives” to promote more open and resilient supply chains, and expand production capacity and trade in pharmaceuticals, medical and other health-related products.

“These commitments by G20 ministers represent an important collective response to the trade-related challenges raised by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said DG Azevêdo. “Maintaining stability and predictability in trade relations is critical to ensuring that essential medical supplies are available to save lives, and that global food security and nutrition do not become a casualty of this pandemic.”

Echoing language from their first crisis meeting in late March, G20 ministers said that any emergency restrictions on trade in vital medical supplies and services should be targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary, and should not create unnecessary barriers to trade or disrupt global supply chains. They also agreed to strengthen transparency and notify the WTO of any trade-related measures taken. They urged governments to refrain from excessive food stockpiling and export restrictions on agricultural products.

In addition, the G20 ministers endorsed trade facilitation initiatives, including accelerated implementation of provisions in the WTO’s Trade Facilitation Agreement, such as pre-arrival processing and expedited shipment, which could speed up access to essential goods during the pandemic. They also called for streamlining customs procedures and encouraging greater use of international standards to reduce sanitary and technical barriers to trade.

Ministers also agreed to work together to identify key areas where investment is needed, in particular for critical medical supplies and sustainable agriculture production, and to encourage investment in new production capacity for medical supplies.

The extraordinary meeting of G20 trade and investment ministers was organized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which currently holds the group’s rotating presidency.

The G20 statement is available here.