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G/TFA/W/ 97 
 
27 September 2023  
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Committee on Trade Facilitation   
 
DRAFT SUMMARY OF THE COMPENDIUM OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS  
OF COVID -19 RESPONSES PROVIDED BY MEMBERS AND OBSERVERS  
TO THE COMMITTEE ON TRADE FACILITATION  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  In accordance with the decision reached in the Trade Facilitation Committee  (CTF, the 
Committee) , agreed to by Members through a silent procedure on 9 April 2021, and with the 
mandate received in document G/TFA/W/31/Rev.4 , the Secretariat compiled a compendium 
document of the contributions of CO VID-19 responses  provided by Members and Observers to the  
CTF) in document G/TFA/W/40 and its revisions . 
1.2.  The compendium report was structured similarly to the Trade Facilitation Agreement ( TFA). For 
each provision, the report present ed the COVID -19 related tra de facilitation measures taken and 
reported by the Members to the Committee, including the challenges and difficulties addressed, if 
mentioned in the contribution. The reported measures under each article were identified strictly in 
accordance with the inf ormation provided by Members. In those cases where reported information 
was not identified as specifically related to any provision, the measures reported are included under 
a section "Other TF -related COVID -19 measures", as stipulated in document G/TFA/W/31/Rev.4 , 
paragraph 7.  
1.3.  The information was sourced from the presentations made and written statements submitted 
by Members and international organizations to the Committee. The presentations and written 
statements were considered at the following Committee meetings: 30 September 2020  (informal 
meeting) , 21-22 October 2020 , 26-27 January 2021 , and 3 March 2021 . The information was also 
sourced from TFA notifications circulated to Members in the document series G/TFA/N/ .1 All 
information sources are available on the Trade Facilitation Agreement Database Website .2 
1.4.  Following the request by the Chairperson of the Council for Trade in Goods (CTG) that the 
Chairpersons of the CTG subsidiary bodies prepare a report on the  activities undertaken by their 
committee in the context of the pandemic ( JOB/CTG/18 ), the Chairperson of the CTF submitted a 
report under his own responsibility ( G/TFA/L/1475; G/TFA/W/89 ) which highlighted the Committee's 
work with regard to the production of the compendium document.  
1.5.  As a follow -up to this report, the Committee, at an informal meeting of the CTF on 26  July 2023 
(JOB/TF/235 ), requested the Secretariat to draft a summary  of the compendium document under 
four thematic headings: "Publication and Availability of Information"; "Release and Clearance of 
Goods"; "Formalities connected with Importation, Exportation and Transit", and "Other Reported 
Trade Facilitation -related Mea sures" .  
1.6.  This summary, which is a general consolidated overview of the measures taken by the Members 
and Observers identified in G/TFA/W/31/Rev.4 , was prepared by the Secretariat in response to the 
request.  
 
1 At the request of Members at the Committee on Trade Facilitation meeting on 22-23 June 2021 . 
2 https://tfadatabase.org/trade -facilitation -committee/experience -sharing/topic/13 .  G/TFA/W/97  
 
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  2  PUBLICATION  AND AVAILABILITY OF INFOR MATION  
2.1  Publication of COVID -19 measures  
2.1.  Notices and circulars related to trade facilitation measures such as deferred payments and 
extended time frames for customs duties were issued. Instructions for the importation of essential 
inputs for COVID -19 management and information notes for economic operators were also provided. 
Various online resources for traders were established with dedicated COVID -19 response information 
and were regularly updated.   
2.2  Enquiry Points  
2.2.  Contact points were established to expedite customs clearance, including designating officers 
to different customs zones.  
2.3  Dialogue and coordination  
2.3.  There was increased  dialogue between industry and governments to foster collaboration and 
problem -solving.  
2.4  TFA Transparency Notifications  
2.4.  WTO Members  submitted updated transparency notifications to the CTF, including links to 
information regarding import, export, and transit  measures to mitigate COVID -19's impact.  
2.5  Preparation of Guidelines  
2.5.  Various guidelines were prepared to address specific challenges. These included guidance on 
Customs issues related to the COVID -19 emergency, protocols for the importation and sale of used  
textiles and shoes, guidelines  for the implementation of Green Lanes to streamline transportation, 
guidelines for facilitating air cargo operations, and guidelines for border management measures to 
protect public health and ensure the availability of esse ntial goods and services.  
3  RELEASE AND CLEARANCE OF GOODS  
3.1  Prioritizing Clearance   
3.1.  Customs authorities prioritized the clearance of critical goods essential for combating 
COVID -19, ensuring  their swift processing and delivery. Goods were prioritized based on  
HS Classification, with a specific focus on expediting the clearance of critical items essential for 
addressing the COVID -19 crisis.  
3.2  Pre-arrival Processing  
3.2.  In order to expedite customs procedures and minimize border delays, an option was introduced 
to complete customs formalities before the arrival of lorries, with goods only being stopped at the 
border in necessary cases.  
3.3  Reengineering of fees and charges  
3.3.  Customs authorities implemented measures such as deferring scheduled fees and charges for 
a specifi ed period, granting refunds or reductions in certain customs fees, and waiving detention 
charges on containers which were delayed due to lockdown measures. Major ports also waived 
penalties, demurrage, and charges for delays caused by lockdown -related issu es. 
3.4  Extension of deadlines  
3.4.  Measures to extend the time -limit for filing appeals, furnishing returns, or complying with 
customs regulations were implemented; surcharges for late declarations were eliminated; and the G/TFA/W/97  
 
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  emergency period/lockdown days were excl uded from the calculation of bonded warehouse storage 
and goods -abandonment periods.  
3.5  Postponement of Deposits  
3.5.  The deadline for importers facing significant financial hardship to deposit estimated duties, 
taxes, and fees was temporarily postponed.  
3.6  Risk Man agement  
3.6.  Risk analysis focused on critical items during the emergency, and businesses with low -risk 
profiles received streamlined clearance processes. Temporary measures were introduced to manage 
risks to human, animal, and plant health in periods of disru ption to control systems. Document 
screening and inspection visits were omitted in the issuance of certificates of origin.  
3.7  Authorized Operators  
3.7.  Economic operators were given the opportunity to postpone customs declarations. 
Communications were sent to all  Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) entities via email, and the 
expiration of AEO certificates was extended by several weeks during the lockdown.  
3.8  Green Lanes  
3.8.  Green lanes in road traffic were established for specific categories of goods, including medical 
products, foodstuffs, mail, fuels, and packaging materials. These lanes, set up at certain border 
crossings, were maintained to ensure the smooth flow of essential goods.  
4  FORMALITIES CONNECTED  WITH IMPORTATION, EXPORTATION AND TRANSIT  
4.1  Digitalization   
4.1.  Physical documentation was suspended in favour of electronic communication. Digital 
strategies were embraced, utilizing email for submissions, supporting i digital signatures, and other 
applications. The digital registration of importers/ex porters, remote handling of vehicle -related 
applications, and extension of electronic submission of veterinary health certificates were 
implemented.  
4.2  Electronic  Payment  
4.2.  E-payment methods were encouraged for services with reduced office hours. In some cases, 
all payments had to be made online or through deferred accounts.  
4.3  E-Invoicing   
4.3.  E-invoicing systems were implemented, enhancing the efficiency of trade -related financial 
transactions . 
4.4  Acceptance  of Copies  
4.4.  Customs authorities accepted scanned and emai led copies of various documents, including 
health certificates , export certificates, and certificates of origin. Copies were also accepted through 
single windows, contributing to a more streamlined process.  
4.5  Single Window  
4.5.  Single window  systems were utilized  to simplify procedures, facilitate advance processing, and 
provide information on high -priority goods.  G/TFA/W/97  
 
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  4.6  Extension of Validity  
4.6.  Various deadline extensions were granted, including the extension of Letters of Intent for 
setting up Inland Customs  Depots/Conta iner Freight Stations and the extension of agricultural 
practices certification.  
4.7  Elimination of Surcharge  
4.7.  Surcharges for late declarations were eliminated to ease the burden on traders.  
4.8  Special Protocols  
4.8.  Special protocols were introduced for expedited cl earance, including the implementation of a 
24/7 custom clearance facility and prioritization of customs clearance for essential goods and relief 
items.  Procedures for safety  products were simplified, including the relaxation of storage periods for 
bonded g oods and the introduction of simplified import and export declaration forms for essential 
inputs and relief goods.  
4.9  Penalties  
4.9.  Grace periods were introduced for late -accounting penalties, and the period for submitting 
corrections following  trade compliance v erifications was extended.  
4.10  Import Licensing  Requirements  
4.10.  Temporary elimination  of import licensing requirements was implemented for certain 
products, reducing administrative burdens on traders.  
4.11  Border Management   
4.11.  Flexibilities were introduced around borde r management, with a focus on cooperation between 
border agencies, extension of working hours, and streamlined procedural formalities.  
5  OTHER REPORTED TRADE FACILITATION -RELATED MEASURES  
5.1  Suspension of Import Taxes  
5.1.  Import taxes were temporarily suspended, pr oviding relief to importers and reducing the 
financial burden  during the crisis.  
5.2  VAT Tax Suspension  
5.2.  A specific category of goods was exempted from Value Added Tax (VAT) upon importation, 
ensuring the affordability  of critical items.  
5.3  Tariff Removal  and Exem ptions  
5.3.  Tariffs were removed from a wide range of medical supplies crucial for the COVID -19 response, 
as well as certain personal protective equipment. This elimination of tariffs aimed to encourage the 
importation of vital healthcare  resources.  
5.4  Export Bans  
5.4.  In ord er to secure an adequate domestic supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), some 
countries imposed export bans on these items. Additionally, a plurilateral declaration among certain 
WTO Members committed to refraining from imposing export restrictions , including non -tariff 
barriers (NTBs), and expedited  and facilitated the flow and transit of these products in line with 
Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) obligations.  G/TFA/W/97  
 
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  6  OTHER REGULATORY ADJUSTMENTS   
6.1.  Several other regulatory adjustments were made to ensure the smooth movement of goods. 
These adjustments included  a temporary regulation allowing the transport of goods during 
non-standard hours on roads with customs offices, thereby enhancing logistics fl exibility.  
6.2.  The provisional clearance of goods imported under free trade agreements, even without the 
production of original certificates  of origin, was carried out.   
6.3.  In order to address  administrative challenges, a provision was introduced that enabled t he 
submission of undertakings on plain paper in cases where obtaining stamp papers for customs bonds 
was difficult.  
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