La World Trade Organization y Chamber of international trade (ICC) urged on Thursday (02.04.202) for greater dialogue between governments and businesses to address the COVID-19 pandemic.
WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and ICC Secretary-General John Denton issued a statement joint statement calling for greater dialogue to maximize the effectiveness of public policies aimed at mitigating economic damage, particularly with regard to trade.
Both leaders called for a Greater action on trade to ensure an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic and announce a virtual business roundtable to provide concrete advice to governments.
"We are deeply saddened by the suffering and loss of life that the COVID-19 pandemic is causing around the world. This health crisis is also becoming a social and economic crisis, and we support the efforts of governments to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on jobs and growth, and lay the foundations for a strong and inclusive recovery..
"G20 leaders have clearly recognized the need for the international community to step up global cooperation in response to this crisis. The business community is, and will continue to be, an important partner in this response.”They said.
Trade and trade rules have a crucial role to play in both the health and economic response to the crisis.
"We welcome the G20’s endorsement of this view, including its affirmation that any pandemic-related trade measures must be targeted, proportionate, transparent and temporary. We also highlight the importance of actively working to ensure the flow of vital medical supplies, critical agricultural products and other goods and services across borders, as well as the G20’s broader commitment to minimise disruptions to global trade and supply chains.”, they added.
They highlighted that businesses can play a key role in signalling where trade flows and production chains are affected, helping to identify solutions that maximise health outcomes and minimise economic damage.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the The economic downturn caused by the pandemic will require a significant reconstruction of domestic policies and international cooperation.
At this time of uncertainty, they said, leadership requires not only responding to the crisis at hand, but also providing a clear vision for the future. Ongoing efforts to improve and strengthen the global trading system, including the WTO, must therefore continue.
"In order to provide additional concrete trade recommendations to governments, ICC will work with its partners, with the support of the WTO, to organize an extraordinary virtual business roundtableThis virtual session will seek to provide constructive recommendations to governments on trade policy measures that can be easily implemented to accelerate the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the immediate and medium term.", they concluded.
ICC, WTO heads urge business dialogue to inform response to trade fallout from COVID-19 https://t.co/8Kv4S8Yvf5 pic.twitter.com/DVSRQQBAja
— WTO (@wto) April 2, 2020
Aduana News is the first Argentine customs newspaper to launch its digital version. With 20 years of experience, its publications and initiatives aim to provide the most relevant knowledge on customs issues in order to contribute to safe trade in the region.
