RESTRICTED  
  
JOB/MA/152/Add.4  
 
14 December  2022 
(22-9305) Page: 1/6 
Committee on Market Access   
 
COMMITTEE ON MARKET ACCESS  
LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCE –SHARING SESSIONS  
ON TRADE IN COVID -19 RELATED GOODS  
Note by the Secretariat1 
Addendum  
1  INTRODUCTION  
1.1.  This document  was prepared by the Secretariat at the request of the Chairperson following the 
experience sharing session of 16 September 2022 . It has been updated to take into account the 
information shared by Members and external stakeholders2 at the two sessions  organiz ed by the 
Committee on 21 November 2022. The objective of the document is to summarise the main lessons 
learned  from the COVID -19 pandemic in relation to trade in COVID -19 essential goods based on 
inputs submitted by Members during the series of experience  sharing sessions , as reflected in the 
summary reports3, and the information shared by external stakeholders . 
1.2.  This note can be further updated based on inputs from Members.  
2  IDENTIFY  "ESSENTIAL " GOODS AND THEIR TARIFF CLASSIFICATION  
2.1.  During the initial phases of the COVID -19 pandemic, one of the first steps that several Members 
undertook was the establishment of national lists of products that were considered to be "essential" 
in their response to the pandemic. These lists were usually  established as a result of cooperation 
amongst several government agencies, as well as the private sector. The guidance of international 
organizations (such as the Joint Indicative List of critical COVID -19 vaccine inputs  developed by the 
WTO in collaboration with the World Customs Organizations and others)  also proved useful in 
informing the approach taken by Members to identify their list of essential goods . Most of these 
national lists were published and their content was updated as the pandemic evolved.  
2.2.  Once these essential goods were identified, some Members also tried to identify their tariff 
classification - both at the six -digit and at the national tariff line level – in order to implement 
targeted trade policy measures.  
2.3.  At the domestic  level, some Members highlighted the following practices:  
• Establish or reinforce national  cooperation  mechanisms across government agencies  with a 
view to ens uring that there is an entity  coordinating  actions of all government agencies 
 
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice 
to the positions of Members or to their rights and obligations under the WTO.  
2 External stakeholders invited by t he Committee in the session on lessons learned from COVID -19 
pandemic include representatives from: the O rganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) , 
DHL and Western Union from Dominica, CEPI, and Medtronic. The recording of the session is available at: CMA 
Experience Sharing Session with External Stakeholde rs - YouTube  
3 Documents JOB/MA/152/Add.1 -3. JOB/MA/152/Add.4  
 
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  involved  to avoid duplication in the identification of essential products and the national policy 
response.  
• Ensur ing the  participation and commitment of all stakeholders , including  the private sector , 
proved  useful in the process of identifying essential  products.  
• Once the list of essential  products ha s been identified , in most cases their tariff classification 
should be determined . This may require reviewing  the domestic tariff nomenclature (either at 
national tariff line or statistical levels) to ensure that this is sufficiently precise to identify 
essential goods and allow for targeted policy measures.  
• Some Members consid ered that a flexible, non -prescriptive approach to the definition of 
essential goods, by identifying for example a non -exhaustive list of tariff codes under which 
essential goods could be classified, helped them avoid limitations related to the 
HS classifi cation and  allow the adoption of  target ed trade policy measures . 
• Reinforce national coordination among the trade department and the customs administration 
of Members to clarify the tariff classification of essential goods to ensure a targeted policy 
respon se. 
• Once the information about the list of essential goods and their tariff classification  has been 
established, the information should be published as soon as possible in a way that such 
information is available early on to traders (i.e. , to minimize clas sification challenges and 
smoothen importation, exportation and transit of these goods).  
• Ensure the periodic evaluation and update of national lists of essential products in order to 
provide timely information that can guide decision -making . 
2.4.  At the interna tional level , some Members  and external stakeholders  highlighted the following 
practices:  
• Members should share information  about their national lists of essential products and 
classification decisions with a view to pooling information and facilitating the establishment of 
common reference lists and their regular update.  
• A certain degree of aligned policies/practices – for ex ample, definition of "essential" 
goods  - across Members would allow to avoid differences in regulatory approaches and 
expedites clearance of goods.  
• Encourage Members to p rovide their national lists of essential  goods and their national 
classifications to the WTO Secretariat, including the corresponding  import data at the national 
level, to aggregate the information and allow for analysis . 
• Relevant international organizations (such as the WTO, the  World Customs Organization , and 
the World Health Organizatio n) should coordinate and provide Members with timely guidance 
on the identification of essential goods and their customs classification for trade policy 
purposes, for example through the development of common reference list s of essential goods . 
3  IMPROVE DATA COLLECTION AND SHARING OF INFORMATION  
3.1.  Some Members were of the view that th e way in which trade data is traditionally collected and 
processed  at the national and international level is not  sufficient  in supporting the adoption of trade 
policy response s amid a crisis , such as the COVID -19 pandemic . Having access to timely and detailed 
trade data is an essential element for the adoption of informed  trade policy measures  and to 
understand the impact on global  supply chains of essential goods . 
3.2.  At the domestic  level, some Members highlighted the following practices:  
• Develop more specific and/or separate data collection systems for imports and exports of 
essential goods.  JOB/MA/152/Add.4  
 
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  • Introduce subdivisions in the national nomenclatures, such as national tariff lin es 
(i.e., national or regional breakouts beyond the HS six -digit level); and/or statistical codes 
(i.e. codes beyond the national tariff line level that enable customs to differentiate imports or 
exports) to better monitor trade flows of essential goods.  
• Increase the frequency or flexibility in data collection periods.  
• Expand the u se of technology and digital solutions to improve  data collection and monitoring 
during crises.  
3.3.  At the international level , some Members highlighted the following practices:  
• Creat e or enhanc e mechanisms to establish a dialogue amongst Members for the rapid 
exchange of data  and explore alternative methods that could be used for data collection in 
respect of trade in essential goods during emergencies.  
• Sharing of Members' information  about  national  subdivisions  created specifically for tracking 
trade in essential goods.  
• Where national subdivisions to classify essential goods in the national tariff nomenclatures  are 
created by Members , whenever possible, common national breakouts  should be harmonized,  
or product descriptions  standardized  to facilitate the aggregation of trade data at a later stage.  
• As a minimum, ensuring t imely submi ssion of  tariff data and import statistics to the  WTO's 
Integrated Database (IDB).  
• On a voluntary basis, consider (i) m ore frequent and more detailed submissions of tariff and 
import data to the WTO (e.g. monthly import data and changes in applied tariffs), especially 
during crises, and/or (ii) the possibility to enter into voluntary agreemen ts, in accordance with 
paragraph 8 of the IDB Decision (G/MA/367) for the automatic transmission of tariff and 
import data to the IDB.  
4  IMPROVE COORDINATION AND COOPERATION AT DIFFERENT LEVELS  
4.1.  It was pointed out that Member s were not fully prepared to comba t COVID -19 and that both 
national and international cooperation played a key role in the pandemic response.  
4.2.  Many Members established or reinforce d interagency coordination mechanisms,  as well as 
improved dialogue with non -state actors to inform the policym aking response at each step.  
4.3.  They also considered that international organizations played a key role in supporting Members' 
responses to the pandemic and called for greater collaboration among them and for more flexibility 
in the  way in which they provide support to their membership . 
4.4.  At the domestic  level, some Members highlighted the following practices:  
• Introduc e or reinforce inte ragency policy coordination mechanisms and ensur e the existence 
of an agency/taskforce  is important  to coordinate efforts and avoid duplication.  
• Engaging  with the private sector and other stakeholders affected by the crisis is also 
considered important for the design  of trade policy measures.  
4.5.  At the international level , some Members  highlighted the foll owing practices:  
• Improve dialogue among Members in bilateral, regional or international contexts on trade -
related aspects of the emergency or crisis.  
• Governments and non -state actors should prepare and i mplement a regional or global 
response plan to pandem ics and health crisis in genera l.  JOB/MA/152/Add.4  
 
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  • Some Members recognized that enhanced cooperation and rapid exchange of information 
among them are crucial to take informed decisions in times of crises.  
• Existing mechanisms should be used to establish a dialogue and exch ange information 
amongst  policy makers  on the relevant issues, including in the r elevant WTO bodies ; establish 
new mechanisms or platforms , as necessary . 
4.6.  Given the nature of issues discussed in the experience sharing sessions, Members considered 
that the WTO and the WCO should strengthen their collaboration  particularly in the areas of tariff 
classification  and monitoring of cross -border trade , with a view to:  
• Improv ing Members' understanding of the Harmonized System and its review cycles, including 
for the submission of  possible proposals for amending the classification of essential goods, 
where necessary.  
• Collaborating on  recommendations for the establishment  of national subdivisions that could 
be used collectively by Members to improve trade monitoring i n essential products  and 
facilitate capturing more granular trade data beyond the HS Subheading level.  
4.7.  In addition, external stakeholders noted that:  
• Enhancing cooperation and coordination among various intergovernmental organizations 
would  allow to quickl y identify and mitigate potential bottlenecks and facilitate the movement 
of goods.  
• Institutionalising Public -Private Partnerships to make them more productive and to deliver 
concrete results.  
5  UNDERSTAND TRADE -RELATED MEASURES DURING CRISES  
5.1.  Members recog nized that trade played a key role in the fight against COVID -19. During the 
pandemic, and as part of their policy responses, Members have taken a number of trade -related 
measures to ensure  the health and economic security of their people . Improving transp arency on 
such measures is extremely important to maintain confidence in the global trading system and foster 
cooperation.  
5.2.  Several Members highlighted the importance of sharing information about their trade -related 
measures both through regular notificatio ns to the WTO or, in case important elements are not 
covered by a notification obligation, by providi ng additional information , on a voluntary basis , for 
example with respect to the type of measures;  the rationale underpinning the introduction of such 
meas ures, their extension or termination, and information about their effectiveness.  
5.3.  With respect to trade easing measures , some Members and external stakeholders highlighted 
the following:  
• Temporary suspension, elimination, or deferral of payment of different types of taxes 
(e.g., customs  duties, internal taxes, and other duties and charges) on essential goods 
contributed to reducing the cost of such goods and increasing access and affordability for 
importers, traders, and consumers.  
• Reducing  tariffs  on essential goods  to the extent feasible  and in some cases,  even making 
these measures permanent , may contribute to  limit disruptions and facilitat e supply of 
essential goods  during a crisis.  
• The s implif ication,  streaml ining or elimination of customs  procedures and processes for 
importation of essential goods , contributed to expediting trade and reducing costs.  
• The introduction or broader adoption of digital solutions and IT tools  throughout the supply 
chains helped  economic operations to continue their business and governments to implement 
their procedures , in particular when lockdowns were introduced.  JOB/MA/152/Add.4  
 
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  • Likewise, t he review, simplification and removal of other burdensome administra tive 
procedures can help Members expedite clearance in emergency situations , such as lockdowns . 
• Regular reviews  of the trade easing measures that were introduced allowed some Members to 
assess their effectiveness, modify their scope, and assess the need to  extend them.  
• Some Members were of the view that t rade easing measures should be  implemented in a 
timely, transparent and efficient manner . 
• Some Members sugg ested that i nformation on trade easing measures could be provided, on 
a voluntary basis, to the WTO  for greater transparency.  
• While it is important to facilitate trade in "essential " goods, these goods are often 
manufactured with inputs  that may not be considered  as "essential"  during a specific situation , 
therefore these "non -essential" goods may not b e covered by policy measures from the 
pandemic response.  
5.4.  With respect to export restrictions , some Members highlighted the following:  
• Some Members acknowledged  that export restrictions may be used as "last resort"  measures 
to manage domestic supply issues in emergency situations.  
• When introduced, export restrictions should be:  
o Transparent ; the restrictions should be published promptly on a website or other official 
source and be notified rapidly to the respecti ve WTO Committees ; 
o Temporary; the restrictions should explicitly indicate their duration and expire or be 
terminate d once the conditions no longer require them;   
o Necessary and targeted ; the restrictions should be  limited to their objective , and only 
concern th ose products  which are strictly necessary to achieve the objective;  
o Proportionate; the level of restrictiveness of the measure should be commensurate to  what 
is necessary to attain the specific objective . 
• Exemptions and exceptions  to the export restriction s should be made available and be based 
on, inter alia , the principle of international solidarity , on humanitarian grounds, and  special 
consideration  for least-developed countrie s and net -importing countries . 
• Export restrictions should include a review mechanism to continuously assess the measure as 
the emergency situation evolves. Members should assess the effectiveness of the measure, 
explore alternative methods to manage shortages, and remove the measure onc e it is not 
needed . Regular engagement with all relevant stakeholders and enhanced inter -agency 
coordination is key to ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of these reviews.  
5.5.  Prompt publication of trade -restrictive measures at the domestic level and th eir timely 
notification to the WTO is essential to keep all the actors  informed of the availability of certain goods 
and to minimize the uncertainty . 
6  ENHANCE  TRANSPARENCY AND EXPERIENCE -SHARING AT THE WTO  
6.1.  Transparency is one of the main pillars of the WTO and Members recognized that this is even 
more important during crises. To better understand the impact and implications of COVID -19 
pandemic on international trade, several Members stressed the importance of sharing information 
and experiences among them w ith a view to identify ing common issues and solutions to respond to 
this and future emergencies . JOB/MA/152/Add.4  
 
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  6.2.  Some Members  and external stakeholders  identified  concrete actions that could be taken in the 
context of the WTO, and more specifically within  the context of  the Committee on Market Access:  
• Encourage Members to continue sharing information on trade measures related to the 
pandemic within the mandate of the Committee . 
• Enhance transparency on emergency trade policy measures, including by voluntarily 
submitting additional and more frequent information beyond the regular notification 
requirements . 
• Holding thematic sessions and inviting experts from relevant international o rganizations  on 
specific trade -related measures of interest to the Committee . 
• Engage all relevant stakeholders,  including  the private sector, academia,  and civil society , 
affected by trade in COVID -19 goods in the discussions in order to reflect their inputs in the 
work of the Committee.  
• Organise experience sharing sessions so Members can better understand the decisions taken 
at the national level,  as well as the challenge s faced in times of emergency. T o the extent 
possible, try to identify lessons learned so they can be applied for future emergencies or crises.  
6.3.  External stakeholders also mentioned the importance of building capacity (skills, know -how, 
sharing of experienc es) of public and private sectors to improve resilience and be better prepare d 
to respond to fut ure crises . 
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