WT/GC/208  
G/AG/30  
 
22 April 2020  
(20-3195) 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 ; 
EUROPEAN UNION ; HONG KONG , CHINA ; JAPAN ; REPUBLIC OF KOREA ; MALAWI ; 
MEXICO ; NEW ZEALAND ; PARAGUAY ; PERU ; QATAR ; SINGAPORE ; SWITZERLAND ; 
THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS  TERRITORY OF TAIWAN , PENGHU, KINMEN AND  MATSU ; 
UKRAINE ; UNITED KINGDOM ; UNITED STATES ; AND URUGUAY  
The following joint statement, dated 22 April 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 whi ch 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 o f the WTO, FAO, and WHO.  
1.2.  Collectively, we account for 63% of global exports of agriculture and agri -food products and 
55% of global imports of agriculture and agri -food products. We underscore the importance of 
maintaining agriculture supply chains and pre serving 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 supply chain. We encourage Members 
to im plement 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 ca n 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 adversely affect food 
availability and resul t 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 addition, 
supply chains for key agricultur e inputs must remain open to help ensure existing production levels 
are maintained.  WT/GC/208 • G/AG/30  
 
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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 Monitoring 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 restrictions increase food insecurity for 
vulnera ble 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 taxes 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 production, consumption and stocks, as w ell 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 crisis 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 g lobal 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 trade.  
c. Not to impose agriculture export restrictions and ref rain 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 consistent with WTO rules.    
e. To inform the WTO as soon as prac ticable 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 transparency and predictability.  
Members should be given opportun ities 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 .