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Sustainable trade

Indicative list of trade-related bottlenecks and trade-facilitating measures on critical products to combat Covid-19


Published 15 November 2021

This paper seeks to facilitate access to information on possible trade-related bottlenecks and trade-facilitating measures on critical products to combat COVID-19.

An efficient flow of goods and inputs is essential to expand global capacity of manufacturing of COVID-19 essential goods. Manufacturers are increasing production and establishing new sites in different countries – the result is a larger and increasingly complex production network. As the delay of even one component may bring to a halt vaccine manufacturing, each node within the supply chain network must operate seamlessly with the others. 

This revised version updates the “Indicative list of trade-related bottlenecks and trade-facilitating measures on critical products to combat COVID-19” that was previously published on 20 July 2021. It is based on issues identified and suggestions made by stakeholders at various events and consultations convened by the WTO, as well as with vaccine manufacturers in the context of meetings organized by the Multilateral Leaders Task Force on COVID-19 – established by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the WTO. 

Download Indicative list of trade-related bottlenecks and trade-facilitating measures on critical products to combat Covid-19 by the World Trade Organization.

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The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to ensure that trade flows as smoothly, predictably and freely as possible.

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