G/C/W/778  
G/MA/W/150  
 
16 April 2020  
(20-2976) Page: 1/8 
Council for Trade in Goods  
Committee on Market Access  Original: English  
 
MEASURES IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID -19 PAND EMIC:  
MEASURES TO ENSURE  THE FREE FLOW OF TRADE IN ESSENTIAL G OODS FOR  
COMBATTING THE COVID -19 PANDEMIC  
COMMUNICATION FROM NEW ZEALAND  
The following communication, dated 16 April 2020, has been circulated at the request of the 
delegation of New Zealand . 
 
_______________  
 
 
1. New Zealand wishes to notify Members  of recent trade -facilitative measures  undertaken jointly 
with Singapore to ensure supply chain connectivity and the removal of impediments to trade in 
products essential for the response to the COVID -19 pandemic.  
 
2. New Zealand considers it imperative that during the COVID -19 global pandemi c, trade in vital 
goods such as medical supplies and food continues to flow freely. We have therefore, with Singapore , 
issued  a Declaration on Trade in Essential Goods for Combatting Covid -19 ("the Declaration") , which 
covers both import and export measure s.1  
 
Measures to Facilitate the Importation of Medical and Hygiene Products  
 
3. New Zealand is eliminating  MFN applied  tariffs on a range of products, including medical and 
hygiene products, which are needed for the COVID -19 response. The products covered by these 
measures are set out in the annex.  These measures will reduce the cost of imports and facilitate 
access to th em from the widest possible range of overseas suppliers.  The measures are designed to 
ensure that trade in these products continues to flow and demonstrate New Zealand’s commitment 
to keeping supply chains open.  
 
4. Immediate suspension of t hese tariffs ha s occurred through the application of tariff concessions, 
under Part 2 of Working Tariff Document of New Zealand.2 Once New Zealand has entered into the 
post COVID -19 recovery phase, the tariff suspensions will be incorporated into Part 1 of the Working 
Tariff Document of New Zealand and this will complete the MFN applied  tariff elimination process.  
These actions do not affect New Zealand’s bound tariff commitments.  
 
Exportation of Essential Goods  
 
5. As part of the Declaration, New Zealand has also reconfirmed its commitment not to introduce 
export restrictions in  a manner inconsistent with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994.  
Further details are available in the Declaration.  
 
 
1 This Declaration is the subject of a separate joint communication to CTG.  See document G/C/W/777 .  
https://www.be ehive.govt.nz/release/covid -19-response -new-zealand -and-singapore -launch -initiative -ensure -
free-flow-essential  
2 See https://www.customs.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/tariff -concession -notices/tariff -concession -
approval -notice -14-2020.pdf  for the concessions and  https://www.customs.govt.nz/business/tariffs/working -
tariff-document/working -tariff-document/  for the Working Tariff Document.  G/C/W/778 • G/MA/W/150  
 
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  6. The Declaration is open for other Members to join and we encourage other WTO Members to do 
so. More generally, New Zealand is committed to working with other Members to maintain open and 
connected supply chains.   G/C/W/778 • G/MA/W/150  
 
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  ANNEX:  
LIST  OF MEDICAL AND HYGIENE PRODUCT S SUBJECT TO  
FACILITATED IMPORT P ROCEDURES  
Tariff Item  
(HS2017)  Product Description  Rate of 
Duty  
1901.10  Food preparations; of flour, meal, starch, malt extract or milk 
products, suitable for infants or young children, put up for retail 
sale Free 
2106.10  Protein; concentrates and textured protein substances  Free 
2106.90  Food preparations; n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10  Free 
2207.10  Undenatured ethyl alcohol; of an alcoholic strength by volume 
of 80% vol. or higher  Free 
2208.90  Spirits, liqueurs and other spirituous beverages; n.e.c. in 
heading no. 2208  Free 
2847.00  Hydrogen peroxide; whether or not solidified with urea  Free 
2936.21  Vitamins; vitamins A and their derivatives, unmixed  Free 
2936.22  Vitamins; vitamin B1 and its derivatives, unmixed  Free 
2936.23  Vitamins; vitamin B2 and its derivatives, unmixed  Free 
2936.24  Vitamins; D - or DL -pantothenic acid (vitamin B3 or vitamin B5) 
and its derivatives, unmixed  Free 
2936.25  Vitamins; vitamin B6 and its derivatives, unmixed  Free 
2936.26  Vitamins; vitamin B12 and its derivatives, unmixed  Free 
2936.27  Vitamins; vitamin C and its derivatives, unmixed  Free 
2936.28  Vitamins; vitamin E and its derivatives, unmixed  Free 
2936.29  Vitamins; n.e.c.  in item no. 2936.2, and their derivatives, 
unmixed  Free 
2936.90  Vitamins; n.e.c. in heading no. 2936, including natural 
concentrates  Free 
2941.10  Antibiotics; penicillins and their derivatives with a penicillanic 
acid structure; salts thereof  Free 
2941.20  Antibiotics; streptomycins and their derivatives; salts thereof  Free 
2941.30  Antibiotics; tetracyclines and their derivatives; salts thereof  Free 
2941.40  Antibiotics; chloramphenicol and its derivatives; salts thereof  Free 
2941.50  Antibiotics; erythromycin and its derivatives; salts thereof  Free 
2941.90  Antibiotics; n.e.c. in heading no. 2941  Free 
2942.00  Organic compounds; n.e.c. in chapter 29  Free 
3001.20  Glands and other organs; extracts of glands or other organs or 
of their secretions, for organo -therapeutic uses  Free 
3001.90  Glands and other organs; heparin and its salts; other human or 
animal substances prepared for therapeutic or prophylactic 
uses, n.e.c. in heading 3001  Free 
3002.10  Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and 
immunological products; whether  or not modified or obtained by 
means of biotechnological processes  Free 
3002.11  Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and 
immunological products; malaria diagnostic test kits  Free G/C/W/778 • G/MA/W/150  
 
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  Tariff Item  
(HS2017)  Product Description  Rate of 
Duty  
3002.12  Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and 
immunological products; antisera and other blood fractions  Free 
3002.13  Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and 
immunological products; immunological products, unmixed, not 
put up in measured doses or in forms or pa ckings for retail sale  Free 
3002.14  Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and 
immunological products; immunological products, mixed, put up 
in measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale  Free 
3002.15  Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and 
immunological products; immunological products, put up in 
measured doses or in forms or packings for retail sale  Free 
3002.19  Blood, human or animal, antisera, other blood fractions and 
immunological products; n .e.c. in heading 3002.1  Free 
3002.20  Vaccines; for human medicine  Free 
3002.90  Toxins, cultures of micro -organisms (excluding yeasts) and 
similar products  Free 
3003.10  Medicaments; containing penicillins, streptomycins  or their 
derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not in 
measured doses, not packaged for retail sale)  Free 
3003.20  Medicaments; containing antibiotics other than penicillins, 
streptomycins  and their derivatives, for therapeutic or 
prophylactic uses, (not in measured doses, not packaged for 
retail sale)  Free 
3003.31  Medicaments; containing insulin, for therapeutic or prophylactic 
uses, not packaged for retail sale  Free 
3003.39  Medicaments; containing hormones (excluding insulin), (but not 
containing antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, not 
packaged for retail sale  Free 
3003.41  Medicaments; containing alkaloids or their derivatives, 
containing ephedrine or its sal ts, for therapeutic or prophylactic 
uses, (not packaged for retail sale)  Free 
3003.42  Medicaments; containing alkaloids or their derivatives, 
containing pseudoephedrine (INN) or its salts, for therapeutic or 
prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sal e) Free 
3003.43  Medicaments; containing alkaloids or their derivatives, 
containing norephedrine or its salts, for therapeutic or 
prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)  Free 
3003.49  Medicaments; containing alkaloids or their derivatives; other 
than ephedrine, pseudoephedrine (INN) or norephedrine or their 
salts; for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not packaged for 
retail sale)  Free 
3003.60  Medicaments; containing antimalarial active principles described 
in subheading note 2 to this chapter, for therapeutic or 
prophylactic uses, (not packaged for retail sale)  Free 
3003.90  Medicaments; (not containing antibiotics, hormones, alkaloids or 
their derivatives), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, (not 
packaged f or retail sale)  Free 
3004.10  Medicaments; containing penicillins, streptomycins or their 
derivatives, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for 
retail sale  Free G/C/W/778 • G/MA/W/150  
 
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  Tariff Item  
(HS2017)  Product Description  Rate of 
Duty  
3004.20  Medicaments; containing antibiotics (other than penicillins, 
streptomycins or their derivatives), for therapeutic or 
prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale  Free 
3004.31  Medicaments; containing insulin, for therapeutic or prophylactic 
uses, packaged f or retail sale  Free 
3004.32  Medicaments; containing corticosteroid hormones, their 
derivatives or structural analogues (but not containing 
antibiotics), for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for 
retail sale  Free 
3004.39  Medicaments; containing hormones (but not insulin), adrenal 
cortex hormones or antibiotics, for therapeutic or prophylactic 
uses, packaged for retail sale  Free 
3004.41  Medicaments; containing alkaloids or their derivatives, 
containing ephedrine or its salts, for therapeutic or prophylactic 
uses, packaged for retail sale  Free 
3004.42  Medicaments; containing alkaloids or their derivatives, 
containing pseudoephedrine (INN) or its salts, for therapeutic or 
prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale  Free 
3004.43  Medicaments; containing alkaloids or their derivatives, 
containing norephedrine or its salts, for therapeutic or 
prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale  Free 
3004.49  Medicaments; containing alkaloids or their derivatives; other 
than ephedrine, pseudoephedrine (INN) or norephedrine or their 
salts; for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, packaged for retail 
sale Free 
3004.50  Medicaments; containing vitamins or their derivatives, for 
therapeutic or prophylactic use, packaged for retail sale  Free 
3004.60  Medicaments; containing antimalarial active principles described 
in Subheading Note 2 to this Chapter, for therapeutic or 
prophylactic uses, packaged for retail sale  Free 
3004.90  Medicaments; consisting of mixed or unmixed products n.e.c. in 
heading no. 3004, for therapeutic or prophylactic uses, 
packaged for retail sale  Free 
3005.10  Dressings, adhesive; and other articles having an adhesive 
layer, packed for retail sale for medical, surgical, dental or 
veterinary purposes  Free 
3005.90  Wadding, gauze, bandages and similar articles; (excluding 
adhesive dressings), impregnated or coated with pharmaceutical 
substances, packaged for retail sale  Free 
3006.10  Pharmaceutical goods;  sterile surgical catgut, suture materials, 
tissue adhesives, laminaria, laminaria tents, absorbable surgical 
or dental haemostatics, and surgical or dental adhesion barriers  Free 
3006.20  Pharmaceutical goods; blood -grouping reagents  Free 
3006.30  Pharmaceutical goods; opacifying preparations for x -ray 
examinations, diagnostic reagents designed to be administered 
to the patient  Free 
3006.50  Pharmaceutical goods; first aid boxes and kits  Free 
3006.70  Pharmaceutical goods; Gel preparations designed to be used in 
human or veterinary medicine as a lubricant for parts of the 
body for surgical operations or physical examinations or as a 
coupling agent between the body and medical instruments  Free 
3006.91  Pharmaceutical goods; appliances identifiable for ostomy use  Free G/C/W/778 • G/MA/W/150  
 
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  Tariff Item  
(HS2017)  Product Description  Rate of 
Duty  
3006.92  Pharmaceutical goods; waste pharmaceuticals  Free 
3401.11  Soap and organic surface -active products; in the form of bars, 
cakes, moulded shapes, and paper, wadding, felt and 
nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with soap or 
detergent, for toilet use (including medicated products)  Free 
3401.19  Soap and organic surface -active products; in the form of bars, 
cakes, moulded shapes, and paper, wadding, felt and 
nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with soap or 
detergent, not for toilet use  Free 
3401.20  Soap; in forms n.e.c. in item no. 3401.11  Free 
3401.30  Organic surface -active products and preparations for washing 
the skin, in the form of liquid or cream and put up for retail 
sale, whether or not containing soap  Free 
3402.11  Organic surface -active agents; anionic (other than soap), 
whether or not put up for retail sale  Free 
3402.12  Organic surface -active agents; cationic (other than soap), 
whether or not put up for retail sale  Free 
3402.13  Organic surface -active agents; non -ionic (other than soap), 
whether or not put up for retail sale  Free 
3402.19  Organic surface -active agents; whether or not put up for retail 
sale, n.e.c. in heading no. 3402  Free 
3402.20  Washing and cleaning preparations; surface -active, whether or 
not containing soap (excluding those of heading no. 3401), put 
up for retail sale  Free 
3402.90  Washing and cleaning preparations; surface -active, whether or 
not containing soap (excluding those of heading no. 3401), 
including auxiliary washing preparations, not for retail sale  Free 
3504.00  Peptones and their derivatives; other protein substances and 
their derivatives n.e.c. or included, hide powder, whether or not 
chromed  Free 
3808.94  Disinfectants; other than containing goods specified in 
Subheading Note 1 in this Chapter; put up in forms or packings 
for retail sale or as preparations or articles  Free 
3821.00  Prepared culture media for the development or maintenance of 
micro -organisms (including viruses and the like) or of plant, 
human or animal cells  Free 
3822.00  Reagents; diagnost ic or laboratory reagents on a backing and 
prepared diagnostic or laboratory reagents whether or not on a 
backing, other than those of heading no. 3002 or 3006; certified 
reference material  Free 
3926.20  Plastics; articles of apparel and clothing accessories (including 
gloves, mittens and mitts)  Free 
3926.90  Plastics; other articles n.e.c. in chapter 39  Free 
4015.11  Rubber; vulcanised (other than hard rubber), surgical gloves  Free 
4015.19  Rubber; vulcanised (other than hard rubber), gloves, mittens 
and mitts other than surgical gloves  Free 
4818.90  Paper articles; articles of paper, cellulose wadding or fibres, 
n.e.c. in heading no. 4818  Free 
6116.10  Gloves, mittens and mitts; knitted or crocheted, impregnated, 
coated or covered with plastics or rubber  Free G/C/W/778 • G/MA/W/150  
 
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  Tariff Item  
(HS2017)  Product Description  Rate of 
Duty  
6210.10  Garments; of felt or non -wovens (not knitted or crocheted)  Free 
6210.20  Garments; overcoats, raincoats, car -coats, capes, cloaks and 
similar articles, men's or boys', of the fabrics of heading no. 
5602, 5603, 5903, 5906 or 5907 (not knitted or crocheted)  Free 
6210.30  Garments; overcoats, raincoats, car -coats, capes, cloaks and 
similar articles, women's or girls', of the fabrics of heading no. 
5602, 5603, 5903, 5906 or 5907 (not knitted or crocheted)  Free 
6210.40  Garments; men's or boys', n.e.c. in item no. 6210.2, of the 
fabrics of heading no. 5602, 5603, 5903, 5906 or 5907 (not 
knitted or crocheted)  Free 
6210.50  Garments; women's or girls', n.e.c.  in item no. 6210.3, of the 
fabrics of heading no. 5602, 5603, 5903, 5906 or 5907 (not 
knitted or crocheted)  Free 
6216.00  Gloves, mittens and mitts (not knitted or crocheted)  Free 
6307.90  Textiles; made up articles (including dress patterns), n.e.c. in 
chapter 63, n.e.c. in heading no. 6307  Free 
6505.00  Hats and other headgear; knitted or crocheted, or made up 
from lace, felt or other textile fabric, in the piece (but not in 
strips), whether or not lined or trimmed; hair -nets of any 
material, whether or not lined or trimmed  Free 
7017.10  Glassware; laboratory, hygienic or pharmaceutical, whether or 
not graduated or calibrated, of fused quartz or other fused silica  Free 
7017.20  Glassware; laboratory, hygienic or pharmaceutical, whether or 
not graduated or calibrated, having a linear co -efficient of 
expansion not over 5 x 10 (to the minus 6), (or 0.000005)) per 
Kelvin with a temperature of 0 -300 degrees C  Free 
7017.90  Glassware; laboratory, hygienic or pharmaceutical, whether or 
not graduated or calibrated, of glass n.e.c. in heading no. 7017  Free 
8419.20  Sterilizers; for medical, surgical or laboratory use, not used for 
domestic purposes  Free 
8544.42  Insulated electric conductors; for a voltage not exceeding 1000 
volts, fitted with connectors  Free 
9004.90  Spectacles, goggles and the like; (other than sunglasses) 
corrective, protective or other  Free 
9018.11  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; electro -
cardiographs  Free 
9018.12  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; ultrasonic 
scanning apparatus  Free 
9018.13  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; magnetic 
resonance imaging apparatus  Free 
9018.14  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; scintigraphic 
apparatus  Free 
9018.19  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; electro -diagnostic 
apparatus (including apparatus for functional exploratory 
examination or for checking physiological parameters), n.e.c. in 
item no. 9018.1  Free 
9018.20  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; ultra -violet or 
infra-red ray apparatus  Free 
9018.31  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; syringes, with or 
without needles  Free G/C/W/778 • G/MA/W/150  
 
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  Tariff Item  
(HS2017)  Product Description  Rate of 
Duty  
9018.32  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; tubular metal 
needles and needles for sutures  Free 
9018.39  Medical, surgical instruments and appliances; catheters, 
cannulae and the like  Free 
9018.50  Ophthalmic instruments and appliances  Free 
9018.90  Medical, surgical or dental instruments and appliances; n.e.c. in 
heading no. 9018  Free 
9019.20  Therapeutic respiration apparatus; ozone, oxygen, aerosol 
therapy apparatus; artificial respiration or other therapeutic 
respiration apparatus  Free 
9020.00  Breathing appliances and gas masks; excluding protective 
masks having neither mechanical parts nor replaceable filters 
and excluding apparatus of item no. 9019.20  Free 
9022.12  Apparatus based on the use of x -rays; including radiography or 
radiotherapy apparatus, whether or not for medical, surgical, 
dental or veterinary uses, computed tomography apparatus  Free 
9022.13  Apparatus based on the use of x -rays; including radiography or 
radiotherapy apparatus, for dental uses, excluding computed 
tomography apparatus  Free 
9022.14  Apparatus based on the use of x -rays; including radiography or 
radiotherapy apparatus, for medical, surgical or veterinary uses, 
not dental uses, excluding computed tomography apparatus  Free 
9022.19  Apparatus based on the use of x -rays, including radiography or 
radiotherapy apparatus; for other than medical, surgical, dental 
or veterinary uses  Free 
9022.21  Apparatus based on the use of alpha, beta or gamma radiations, 
including radiography or radiotherapy apparatus; for medical, 
surgical, dental or veterinary uses  Free 
9022.29  Apparatus based on the use of alpha, beta or gamma radiations, 
including radiography or radiotherapy apparatus; (for other than 
medical, surgical, dental or veterinary uses)  Free 
9022.30  X-ray tubes  Free 
9022.90  Apparatus based on use of x -rays and similar; parts and 
accessories (x -ray generators, tubes, high tension generators, 
control panels and desks, screens, examination or treatment 
tables, chairs and like  Free 
9025.11  Thermometers and pyrometers; liquid filled, for direct reading, 
not combined with other instruments  Free 
9025.19  Thermometers and pyrometers; (other than liquid filled, for 
direct reading), not combined with other instruments  Free 
9027.80  Instruments and apparatus; for physical or chemical analysis, 
for measuring or checking viscosity, porosity, expansion, 
surface tension or quantities of heat, sound or light, n.e.c. in 
heading no. 9027  Free 
9619.00  Sanitary towels (pads) and tampons, napkins and napkin liners 
for babies and similar articles, of any material  Free 
 
__________