Maintaining trade flows as much aspossible during the COVID-19 pandemic will be crucial inproviding access to essential food and medical items and inlimiting negative impacts on jobs and poverty. Somecountries are closing border crossings and implementingprotectionist measures such as restricting exports ofcritical medical supplies. Although these measures may inthe short-term provide some immediate reduction in thespread of the disease, in the medium term they may underminehealth protection, as countries lose access to essentialproducts to fight the pandemic. Instead, governments shouldrefrain from introducing new barriers to trade and considerremoving import tariffs and other taxes at the border oncritical medical equipment and products, including food, tosupport the health response. Trade facilitation measures cancontribute to the response to the crisis by expediting themovement, release, and clearance of goods, including goodsin transit. The World Bank Group provides guidance andtechnical assistance to developing and least developedcountries to implement best practices to facilitate the freeflow of goods. This note provides initial guidance onmeasures: to support business continuity and protection offront-line officers, and to facilitate safe cross-bordertrade, which includes (i) handling of relief/emergencyconsignments, (ii) enhanced use of risk management, safeprocessing of risk passengers and (iii) increased internaland external border agency collaboration.
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