WT/GC/208/Rev.1  
G/AG/30/Rev.1  
 
14 May  2020 
(20-3595) Page: 1/2 
General Council  
Committee on Agriculture  Original: English  
 
RESPONDING TO THE CO VID-19 PANDEMIC WITH  OPEN AND PREDICTABL E TRADE  
IN AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PRODUCTS  
STATEMENT FROM: AU STRALIA ; BRAZIL ; CANADA ; CHILE ; COLOMBIA ; COSTA RICA ; ECUADOR;  
EUROPEAN UNION ; GEORGIA; HONG KONG , CHINA ; JAPAN ; REPUBLIC OF KOREA ; MALAWI ; 
MALAYSIA; MEXICO ; NEW ZEALAND ; PARAGUAY ; PERU ; QATAR ; KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARA BIA; 
SINGAPORE ; SWITZERLAND ; THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS  TERRITORY OF TAIWAN , PENGHU, 
KINMEN AND MATSU ; UKRAINE ; UNITED ARAB EMIRATES ; UNITED KINGDOM ; 
UNITED STATES ; AND URUGUAY  
Revision  
The following joint statement, dated 13 May  2020, is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Canada . 
 
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1.1.  The COVID -19 pandemic is a global issue that requires a coordinated global response.  We 
recogni ze that first and foremost the world is facing a global health crisis and the immediate focus 
of Members should be on efforts to ensure the health and safety of their citizens while laying the 
groundwork for a strong economic recovery.  As many global leaders have indicated international 
cooperation across different fields is crucial to weathering the COVID -19 pandemic.  As Members 
take measures to address the pandemic, it is imperative that these measures do not adversely affect 
trade in agriculture and agri -food products which would ultimately have negative impacts on the 
food security, nutrition and health of Members and their populations.  We support the call to mitigate 
the impact of COVID -19 on agriculture trade and food security made on 31 March by the Director 
Generals of the WTO, FAO, and WHO.  
1.2.  Collectively, we account for 67% of global exports of agriculture and agri -food products and 
60% of global imports of agriculture and agri -food products. We underscore the importance of 
maintai ning agriculture supply chains and preserving the ability of Members to import agriculture 
and agri -food products to meet their domestic needs. Maintaining effective transport and logistical 
services will be crucial to the proper functioning of the food su pply chain. We encourage Members 
to implement temporary working solutions to facilitate trade, such as allowing scanned copies or 
electronic copies of original certificates whenever it is not possible to present the original paper 
certificate, provided the  authenticity of these certificates can be validated by competent authorities.  
1.3.  The application of export restrictions and similar trade restrictive measures on agriculture and 
agri-food products create an unpredictable trading environment that would advers ely affect food 
availability and result in price spikes,  increased  price volatility, and leads to shortages of important 
food products.  The adoption by many Members of successive export restrictive measures to secure 
their own food security would lead to a  widespread food insecurity crisis due to the disruption in 
global agricultural trade supply chains. It is also important to avoid food loss and waste caused by 
supply chain disruptions, which could exacerbate food security risks and economic loss. In addi tion, 
supply chains for key agriculture inputs must remain open to help ensure existing production levels 
are maintained.  WT/GC/208/Rev.1 • G/AG/30/Rev.1  
 
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  1.4.  Global commodity markets are in a strong position to respond to the crisis. The Agriculture 
Market Information System (AMIS)1 Market M onitoring report from April 2020 found that global food 
markets remain well balanced and noted that cereal stocks are expected to reach their third highest 
level on record this season and export availabilities for wheat, maize, rice, and soybeans are more 
than adequate to meet the anticipated demand. Regardless, we are seeing countries reassess their 
own food security in response to COVID -19 with some countries imposing export restrictions. 
Lessons from previous crises have taught us that export restriction s increase food insecurity for 
vulnerable populations. The world’s poor, including agricultural workers, would bear the brunt of 
increased export restrictions. We recall the G20 Leaders agreement to not impose food export 
restrictions or extraordinary taxe s on food purchased for non -commercial humanitarian purposes by 
the World Food Programme (WFP), and encourage all WTO Members to do the same.  
1.5.  The timely and accurate provision of information on agriculture and agri -food-related trade 
measures, levels of pr oduction, consumption and stocks, as well as prices, reduces uncertainty and 
allows governments, traders, consumers, producers to make informed decisions.  
1.6.  To help ensure well -functioning global agriculture and agri -food supply chains in response to 
this c risis we therefore are committed:  
a. To ensure that supply chains remain open and connected so that international markets 
can continue to function in supporting the movement of agricultural products and 
agriculture inputs, which plays an instrumental role in avoiding food shortages and 
ensuring global food security.  
b. To exercise restraint in establishing domestic food stocks of agricultural products that are 
traditionally exported so as to avoid disruptions or distortions in international t rade. 
c. Not to impose agriculture export restrictions and refrain from implementing unjustified 
trade barriers on agriculture and agri -food products and key agricultural production inputs.  
d. That emergency measures related to agriculture and agri -food products designed to tackle 
COVID -19 must be targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary, and not create 
unnecessary barriers to trade or disruption to global supply chains for agriculture and agri -
food products. Any such measures are to be consist ent with WTO rules.    
e. To inform the WTO as soon as practicable of any trade related COVID -19 measures 
affecting agriculture and agri -food products, including providing scientific evidence in 
accordance with WTO agreements if necessary, to ensure transparen cy and predictability.  
Members should be given opportunities to review new measures.  
f. To ensure that updated and accurate information on levels of food production, 
consumption and stocks, as well as on food prices is widely available, including through 
existing international mechanisms.  
g. To support the efforts of the WTO and other international organizations in analy sing the 
impacts of COVID -19 on global agriculture and agri -food trade and production.  
h. To engage in a dialogue to improve our preparedness and  responsiveness to regional or 
international pandemics, including multilateral coordination to limit unjustified agriculture 
export restrictions, in particular at the WTO.  
 
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1 The Market Monitor is a product of the Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS). It covers 
international markets for wheat, maize, rice and soybeans, giving a synopsis of major market developments and 
the policy and other market drivers behind them. T he analysis is a collective assessment of the market situation 
and outlook by the ten international organizations and entities that form the AMIS Secretariat. http://www.amis -
outlook.org/fileadmin/user_upload/amis/docs/Market_monitor/AMIS_Market_Monitor_current.pdf .