Seven Countries Commit to Open Trade, No Export Controls During COVID-19 Pandemic
Canada, Australia and five other countries issued a joint statement saying they are committed to keeping trade lanes open and stressed the importance of refraining from imposing export controls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trade should continue to “flow unimpeded” during the pandemic and should not hamper global air and sea ports, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Myanmar, New Zealand and Singapore said in a March 25 joint statement. “We recognise that it is in our mutual interest to ensure that trade lines remain open, including via air and sea freight, to facilitate the flow of goods including essential supplies,” the countries said.
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The U.S. Chamber of Commerce applauded the statement, saying “trade connections by air, land, and sea” are “vital” to continue the trade of medical goods to combat the virus, according to a March 25 press release. The Chamber also commended the countries’ commitment to curbing export controls and other non-tariff measures, noting that the U.S. has yet to impose controls (see 2003250033). “The ability of U.S. industry to deliver these supplies to hospitals and medical practitioners is threatened by such barriers,” the Chamber said. “We urge the United States to continue to avoid such measures, which would immediately undermine U.S.-based production of medical supplies.”