G20 trade restrictions reach highest monthly level since the crisis: The WTO’s fifteenth trade monitoring report on G20 trade measures, issued on 21 June, shows the application of new trade-restrictive measures by G20 economies increased compared to the previous reporting period, reaching the highest monthly average registered since the WTO began its monitoring exercise in 2009.

G20 countries show restraint in new trade restrictions, despite economic uncertainties: The WTO’s eighteenth monitoring report on Group of 20 (G20) trade measures, issued on 9 November, shows that G20 economies introduced fewer trade-restrictive measures compared to the previous review period. The estimated trade coverage of these restrictions recorded during the period of mid-May 2017 to mid-October 2017 slightly exceeded the coverage of trade-facilitating measures.

The WTO’s 20th monitoring report on Group of 20 (G20) trade measures issued on 22 November shows that the amount of trade covered by new import-restrictive measures hit a new high during the current reporting period. The estimated US$ 481 billion in trade coverage of these new measures imposed by G20 economies from mid-May to mid-October 2018 is more than six times larger than that recorded in the previous reporting period and the largest since this measure was first calculated in 2012. The report also shows that the trade coverage of new import-facilitating measures (US$ 216 billion) rose significantly during this period but is less than half that of trade-restrictive measures. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevêdo warned the report’s findings constitute a source of serious concern and called for immediate action to de-escalate the situation.

The WTO's latest Trade Monitoring Report on G20 trade measures shows a slowdown in the number and coverage of trade-restrictive and trade-facilitating measures on goods implemented by G20 countries between mid-May and mid-October 2020, primarily as a result of the sharp decline in overall global trade since the COVID-19 outbreak. The report also documents numerous trade-facilitating and support measures introduced by G20 economies in response to the economic downturn in order to prepare the ground for a strong economic recovery.

The WTO’s latest Trade Monitoring Report on G20 trade measures shows a slowdown in the number and coverage of trade-restrictive and trade-facilitating measures on goods implemented by G20 countries between mid-May and mid-October 2020, primarily as a result of the sharp decline in overall global trade since the COVID-19 outbreak. The report also documents numerous trade-facilitating and support measures introduced by G20 economies in response to the economic downturn in order to prepare the ground for a strong economic recovery.

G20 economies have continued to roll back COVID-19-related trade-restrictive measures and demonstrated restraint in the imposition of new ones, but the value of trade covered by pandemic-related restrictions still in place now exceeds that of trade-facilitating measures, according to the latest WTO Trade Monitoring Report on G20 trade measures released today (28 October). Ahead of a G20 leaders’ summit in Rome this weekend, Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala called on G20 economies to continue to unwind pandemic-related trade restrictions and to push for a strong WTO response to the pandemic at the 12th Ministerial Conference.

WTO-OECD-UNCTAD: Despite crisis, G20 governments largely resist protectionist pressures: The WTO, OECD and UNCTAD, in a joint report on G20 trade and investment measures released on 14 June 2010, noted the imposition of fewer trade restrictions but warned “they are accumulating”. In a separate report to WTO members on trade-related developments, Director-General Pascal Lamy confirmed this trend but urged governments to remain “vigilant” and to give priority to “exiting current restricting measures”. The OECD and UNCTAD also released a separate report on G20 investment measures.

Lamy reports no slowdown in new trade restrictions: Director-General Pascal Lamy, in his report on trade-related developments issued on 29 June 2012, said that “there has been no slowdown in the imposition of new trade restrictions over the past seven months”. He noted that “the more recent wave of trade restrictions seems no longer to be aimed at combatting the temporary effects of the global crisis, but rather at trying to stimulate recovery through national industrial planning, which is a an altogether longer-term affair”.

DDG Agah notes no acceleration of new restrictions, urges more trade transparency: Deputy Director-General Yonov Frederick Agah, in presenting the Director-General’s report on trade-related developments (mid-November 2013 to mid-May 2014) to the Trade Policy Review Body on 11 July 2014, said that “the pace at which new trade restrictions have been introduced has not accelerated during the period under review”. He urged members to provide more trade information for the monitoring reports: “I am convinced, and the Director-General’s recent meetings with business groups have confirmed this, that members must accept their collective responsibility for promoting the transparency and predictability which importers and exporters demand”.

Report urges WTO members to resist protectionism and “get trade moving again”: WTO members need to avoid putting up barriers and “get trade moving again” in order to address slow global economic growth, according to the Director-General’s mid-year report on trade-related developments issued on 25 July. The Trade Monitoring Report concludes that the “best safeguard we have against protectionism is a strong multilateral trading system”.