WT/GC/217  
 
16 June 2020  
(20-4263) Page: 1/5 
General Council  Original: English  
 
JUNE 2020 STATEMENT OF THE OTTAWA GROUP:  FOCUSING ACTION ON COVID -19 
COMMUNICATION FROM C ANADA  
The following communication, dated 16 June  2020, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Canada on behalf of the Ottawa Group (Australia, Brazil, Chile, European Union, Japan, 
Kenya, Republic of Korea , Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland) for 
information.  
 
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The world continues to grapple with th e profound human health and economic impacts of the COVID -
19 pandemic. In response to these challenges, thinking has begun on trade policy actions that would 
support an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient recovery as well as what trade rules should be 
adapted or developed to guide collaborative policy responses to future global crises.  In this context, 
the WTO must play an important role in helping ensure coordination and coherence between actions 
its members take. This will require initiative and engagem ent by WTO Members in order to be 
successful.  
 
In this environment, there is an opportunity for the Ottawa Group to provide leadership, critical 
thinking and analysis, as well as ideas and proposals on potential actions that the broader WTO 
membership coul d take. In order to make best use of resources, this paper sets out six areas where 
concrete actions could be taken.  
 
Importantly, this paper does not signify a reduction of interest by the Ottawa Group in advancing 
other priorities at the WTO, including r eform of the organization (including reform of the WTO 's 
dispute settlement system for a long -lasting solution), multilateral negotiations on harmful fisheries 
subsidies and on agriculture. We also support advancing the joint statement initiatives, including 
those on services domestic regulation, investment facilitation for development and micro, small and 
medium -sized enterprises. We also intend to remain engaged in discussions outside of the WTO, in 
various configurations, to advance w ork to safeguard and protect global supply chains.  
 
Action Item 1: Transparency and Withdrawal of Trade -Restrictive Measures  
As champions of WTO reform, and in the interest of supporting an inclusive, sustainable and resilient 
economic recovery, the Ottawa  Group believes that ensuring maximum transparency of trade -
related measures introduced by members in response to the pandemic or its economic effects must 
be a priority. The current level of notifications and transparency of such measures is not sufficien t. 
Therefore, there is an opportunity for Ottawa Group members to lead by example in ensuring that 
their notification obligations are fully met, that their measures are notified as far in advance as 
practicable, and to call on other members to do the same in order to ensure that transparency is 
provided for trade -related measures taken in response to the health and economic effects of the 
COVID -19 pandemic. Ottawa Group members welcome the efforts by the WTO Secretariat to monitor 
COVID -19 related measures and support a return to quarterly monitoring reports that would include 
relevant trade -related measures, including, to the extent possible, trade -related economic support 
measures.  
 
As a complement to effective transparency, the Ottawa Group will lead by e xample by exercising 
maximum restraint in introducing any trade measures that might serve as an unnecessary obstacle 
or impediment to trade, and by considering trade facilitative measures where possible. In addition, WT/GC/217  
 
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  Ottawa Group countries should lead by e xample and withdraw any trade restrictive measures that 
they introduced in response to COVID -19 as quickly as possible.  
 
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to: 1) ensure any measures introduced in response to 
COVID -19 are promptly notified in accordance with relevant WTO requirements; 2) support efforts 
by the WTO Secretariat to collect and share information and best practices on  trade -related 
measures taken in response to COVID -191; 3) discuss the principle of "targeted, proportionate, 
transparent, temporary and consistent with WTO rules "; and 4) lead by example and withdraw or 
end any trade restrictive measures introduced in res ponse to COVID -19 as quickly as possible.  
 
Action Item 2: Keeping Open and Predictable Trade in Agricultural and Agri -Food Products  
As members respond to the pandemic, it is imperative that these measures do not adversely affect 
trade in agriculture and ag ri-food products, as this negatively impacts the food security, nutrition 
and health of members and their populations. In different statements, Ottawa Group members have 
underscored the importance of maintaining agriculture supply chains and preserving the  ability of 
members to import agriculture and agri -food products to meet their domestic needs to help ensure 
food security. In these statements, Ottawa Group members also committed to not impose agriculture 
export restrictions and refrain from implementing  unjustified trade barriers on agriculture and agri -
food products as well as key agricultural production inputs. Ottawa Group members also committed 
to ensure that emergency measures related to agriculture and agri -food products are WTO consistent 
and are targeted, proportionate, transparent, and temporary, and do not create unnecessary barriers 
to trade or disruptions to global agriculture and agri -food supply chains. Ottawa Group members 
can continue to lead by example, including by withdrawing emergency measures that may adversely 
affect trade in agriculture as quickly as possible.  
 
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to: 1) engage in ongoing discussions on the fulfilment of 
joint declarations on maintaining predictable and open agriculture trade; 2) lead by example, and 
withdraw or end any emergency measures introduced in response to COVID -19 that may adversely 
affect trade in agriculture as quickly as possible; and 3) advance analysis and consideration on what 
steps WTO Members could take to conti nue improving agriculture trade based on the lessons learned 
from COVID -19 to ensure that future crises will not undermine trade, food security, and the stability 
of agricultural markets in the long -term.  
 
Action Item 3: E -commerce  
Digital trade has emerge d as an increasingly widespread medium for doing business across all 
sectors of the economy, particularly for MSMEs – and by extension for conducting international trade. 
While the COVID -19 crisis has further catalysed the opportunities that the digitaliza tion of trade can 
offer to consumers and businesses, it has also exacerbated some of the existing challenges and 
vulnerabilities, including of developing members. As noted in a recent WTO Secretariat Information 
Note, "the [health] measures in response to the COVID -19 pandemic has led consumers to ramp up 
online shopping, social media use, internet telephony and teleconferencing, and streaming of videos 
and films. This has resulted in spikes in business -to-consumer sales and an increase in business -to-
busin ess e-commerce"2. While this growth may slow down as physical stores incrementally begin to 
re-open, it is important to recall that in the pre -COVID -19 world, e -commerce sales were already 
growing at an impressive 10 -20% annually3. Digital trade, therefore , will play a key role in any 
economic recovery, by making economies more competitive, and by being an economic driver for 
both domestic growth and international trade4. The WTO has a role to play in promoting and ensuring 
an open, transparent, non -discriminatory and predictable environment to facilitate e -commerce. 
Establishing new common rules in trade -related aspects of e -commerce that reflect and can support 
this tra nsformation should remain a priority for WTO Members. As all Ottawa Group members are 
 
1 Including by: (a) returning to the quarterly cycle of trade monitoring reports as during the financial 
crisis; and (b) including trade -related economic support measures in the trade monitoring reports and (c) and to 
the extent possible, making a technical a ssessment of members ' trade-related economic support measures in 
reaction to C OVID -19. 
2 WTO Secretariat Information note – E-Commerce, Trade and C OVID -19, 
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/covid19_e/ecommerce_report_e.pdf . 
3 https://ccinsight.org/observations/growth -in-ecommerce -has-accelerated -to-forecasted -levels -5-
years -ahead/ . 
4 WTO Secretariat Informati on note – E-Commerce, Trade and COVID -19,  
https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/covid19_e/ecommerce_report_e.pdf . WT/GC/217  
 
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  participants in the joint statement initiative on e -commerce, we should prioritize and accelerate 
efforts to advance these discussions to reach a timely and high standard  outcome, with the 
participation of as many WTO Members as possible. We are grateful for the leadership of Australia, 
Japan and Singapore as co -convenors of these discussions, and are committed to supporting their 
efforts, including through various configu rations and means, and to maintaining the innovative, open 
and inclusive nature of this important negotiation.  
 
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to prioritize and accelerate work on the Joint Statement 
Initiative on E -commerce, including through informal and virtual discussions, ahead of the 
rescheduled MC12 in 2021, including by the development of a consolidated negotiating text by the 
end of 2020 at the latest. In this regard, we will support the efforts of the co -convenors.  
 
Action Item 4: Trad e Facilitation – Use of Information Technology and Streamlined 
Procedures  
The COVID -19 global pandemic has created an environment where greater numbers of businesses 
and consumers are seeking to sell and buy online, many for the first time. At the same tim e, 
emergency supplies and other goods were/are being shipped around the globe while national 
restrictions on trade and transportation (international and domestic) have been introduced that may 
impact the efficiency of import and export processes.  
 
Furtherm ore, physical distancing requirements have placed limitations/restraints on the handling of 
paper documents for transactions at the border. In order to ensure the flow of essential trade, some 
members have implemented paperless trade facilitation measures to make cross -border business 
transactions more convenient and transparent while ensuring regulatory compliance. It would be 
necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of such trade facilitative measures and explore ways to build 
upon them, with a view to fur ther promoting trade. In addition, some members have established 
"green lanes " to prioritize and expedite the customs clearance process for these goods. As WTO 
Members continue to implement the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), it would be timely and 
relevant to examine how it could further promote the modernization of members ' customs 
procedures, including through the increased use of digital solutions, to ensure that trade is as 
frictionless as possible. This work is of particular interest and benefit t o our MSMEs, and will support 
their continued integration into the global economy and help to mitigate the negative impacts of the 
COVID -19 pandemic on them . 
 
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to identify ways to take full advantage of the opportu nities 
for trade facilitation in the TFA and to promote best practices for the implementation of the TFA. 
This includes how the adoption of digital solutions can support the movement of essential goods 
across borders as smoothly as possible.  
 
Action Item 5 : Initiative on Medical Supplies  
The COVID -19 pandemic has exposed shortcomings in the emergency preparedness of many 
countries and created competition for vital medical supplies. While the continued flow of medical 
supplies is essential to tackle the cris is, some actions taken to address the health emergency have 
disrupted trade in these supplies, including in the supply chains necessary for their production. We 
note that some members of the Ottawa Group have taken specific action to address supply chain 
issues on medical supplies. We welcome the contributions of all Ottawa Group members to advancing 
thinking on this issue, in particular those from the Republic of Korea , Singapore and New Zealand, 
and the European Union that presented its recent paper at ou r Ministerial meeting.  
 
Even as the world continues to deal with the current pandemic, it is important to acknowledge that 
we are likely to face future such emergencies (be they global, regional or local in nature). It will 
therefore be important to examin e, in a manner that respects the principles of the GATT, if current 
trade rules (including tariff and non -tariff measures, trade facilitation) should be adapted or built 
upon or if new ones should be developed to guide collaborative policy responses by  WTO Members 
in order to help ensure that the world is better prepared to deal with similar future crises. We 
recognize the importance of improving regulatory compatibility with a view to facilitating trade in 
vital medical supplies. As well, there is value in  ensuring that we do not undermine the versatility, 
diversity and resiliency of supply chains and that we do not act in ways that negatively affect access 
to medical supplies.  WT/GC/217  
 
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  Given the complexity and breadth of issues, it will be important to proceed in a  deliberate and 
analytical manner. The potential scope for new work in all areas of trade policy must be examined 
and considered. In addition, it will be important to consult and work with other relevant partners to 
ensure that efforts at the WTO are consi stent and coherent with actions being taken elsewhere.  
 
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to advance analysis and consideration in order to identify 
what steps WTO Members could take to facilitate trade in medical supplies to help ensure that the 
world is better positioned to deal with future health emergencies and  to help ensure that versatile, 
diversified and resilient supply chains exist that allow all members access to vital medical supplies. 
This work should include analysis of the objectives and effects of policies affecting trade of medical 
supplies in respon se to the current pandemic and support for international organizations, including 
the WTO, in analyzing the potential impacts and outcomes of measures and recommending policies.  
 
Action Item 6: Deepen Engagement with Stakeholders  
The COVID -19 pandemic has negatively affected broad swathes of the private sector and, in 
particular, MSMEs. As WTO Members begin to focus on economic recovery, it will be critical that the 
views of stake holders be considered.  
 
Ottawa Group Ministers agreed on the importance of strengthening the relationship with 
stakeholders, including their business communities, during their meeting in Davos earlier this year. 
The Ottawa Group should therefore pursue opp ortunities to engage with stakeholders on possible 
responses to the COVID -19 health and economic crises as well as broader WTO reform efforts. 
During a video -conference held on 13 May, Ottawa Group Vice Ministers were briefed by the 
International Chamber o f Commerce (ICC) on the views/concerns of the international business 
community. Building on this, the Ottawa Group could explore how to best intensify engagement with 
stakeholders, both within the domestic constituencies of Ottawa Group members and globall y; and 
to include stakeholders in the activities of the MSME Working Group at the WTO. It will also be 
important to hear from women -owned and other under -represented businesses about the unique 
challenges that they are facing during the pandemic and econom ic recovery.  
 
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to  explore how best to pursue intensified engagement  with 
stakeholders  in order to  better inform policymaking.  
 
_______________  
 
Summary:  
Action Item 1: Transparency and Withdrawal of Trade -Restricti ve Measures  
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to: 1) ensure any measures introduced in response to 
COVID -19 are promptly notified in accordance with relevant WTO requirements; 2) support efforts 
by the WTO Secretariat to collect and share informat ion and best practices on trade -related 
measures taken in response to COVID -195; 3) discuss the principle of "targeted, proportionate, 
transparent, temporary and consistent with WTO rules "; and 4) lead by example and withdraw or 
end any trade restrictive m easures introduced in response to COVID -19 as quickly as possible.  
 
Action Item 2: Keeping Open and Predictable Trade in Agricultural and Agri -Food Products  
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to: 1) engage in ongoing discussions on the fulfilment of 
joint declarations on maintaining predictable and open agriculture trade; 2) lead by example, and 
withdraw or end any emergency measures introduced in response to COVID -19 that may adversely 
affect trade in agriculture as quickly as possible; and 3) advance analysis and consideration on what 
steps WTO Members could take to continue improving agriculture trade based on the lessons learned 
from COVID -19 to ensure that futu re crises will not undermine trade, food security, and the stability 
of agricultural markets in the long -term.  
 
 
5 Including by: (a) returning to the quarterly cycle of trade monitoring reports as during the financial 
crisis; and (b) including trade -related economic support measures in the trade monitoring reports and (c) and to 
the extent possible, making a technical assessment of members ' trade-related economic support measures in 
reaction to C OVID -19. WT/GC/217  
 
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  Action Item 3: E -commerce  
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to prioritize and accelerate work on the Joint Statement 
Initiative on E -commerce, including through informal and virtual discussions, ahead of the 
rescheduled MC12 in 2021, including by the development of a consolidated negotiating text by the 
end of 2020 at the latest. In this regard, we will support the efforts of the co -conve nors. 
 
Action Item 4: Trade Facilitation – Use of Information Technology and Streamlined 
Procedures  
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to identify ways to take full advantage of the opportunities 
for trade facilitation in the Trade Facilitation Agr eement (TFA) and to promote best practices for the 
implementation of the TFA. This includes how the adoption of digital solutions can support the 
movement of essential goods across borders as smoothly as possible.  
 
Action Item 5: Initiative on Medical Supp lies 
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to advance analysis and consideration in order to identify 
what steps WTO Members could take to facilitate trade in medical supplies to help ensure that the 
world is better positioned to deal with future heal th emergencies and to help ensure that versatile, 
diversified and resilient supply chains exist that allow all members access to vital medical supplies. 
This work should include analysis of the objectives and effects of policies affecting trade of medical 
supplies in response to the current pandemic and support for international organizations, including 
the WTO, in analyzing the potential impacts and outcomes of measures and recommending policies.  
 
Action Item 6: Deepen Engagement with Stakeholders  
Action Point:  Ministers instruct officials to  explore how best to pursue intensified engagement  with 
stakeholders  in order to  better inform policymaking.  
 
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