COVID-19 Knowledge Resources for Trade and Trade Facilitation

CAREC countries are urgently addressing challenges to stop the spread of COVID-19, and formulating policy and operational responses to its impact on trade, supply chains, e-commerce, food security, and economic stability. To assist in accessing knowledge and reference materials that may be useful to these efforts, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has compiled the following information on policy papers, webinars, guidance notes, toolkits, and training courses. ADB will update the list every two weeks until further notice.

Policy Papers, Guidance Notes
Title Institution Type of Resource Cost Language
ADB’s Comprehensive Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic ADB Policy paper Free EN
Updated Assessment of the Potential Economic Impact of COVID-19 ADB Policy brief Free EN
Various Resources on COVID-19 (agriculture, supply chains, and food security) FAO Guidelines, policy briefs Free EN
Food Safety Handbook IFC Handbook Free EN
Guidance to NPPOs for Mitigating Impacts of COVID-19 Crisis on Plant Health IPPC Guidance note Free EN
Key Policy Responses (including trade and supply chains) OECD Policy briefs Free EN
Adapting the Use of ASYCUDA World to Customs Administrations to the COVID-19 Situation: Guidelines UNCTAD Guidance Note Free EN
UNCTAD Products UNCTAD Policy briefs Free EN
COVID-19: A 10-Point Action Plan to Strengthen International Trade and Transport Facilitation in Times of Pandemic UNCTAD Policy brief Free EN
How Countries Can Leverage Trade Facilitation to Defeat the COVID-19 Pandemic UNCTAD Policy paper Free EN
Port Responsiveness in the fight against the “invisible” threat: COVID-19 UNCTAD Technical Note Free EN
Do’s and Don’ts of Trade Policy in the Response to COVID-19 WB Guidance note Free EN
Health Services Trade and the COVID-19 Pandemic WB Guidance note Free EN
Trade and COVID-19 Guidance Note WB Guidance note Free EN, RU
Trade Facilitation Best Practices Implemented in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic WB Guidance note Free EN
The Potential Impact of COVID-19 on GDP and Trade (April 2020) WB Working paper Free EN
COVID-19 Guidance to Import Goods for Humanitarian Operators WCO Guidance Note Free EN
COVID-19 Crisis WCO Guidance on how to communicate during a crisis WCO Guidance Note Free EN
WCO Study Report on Cross-Border E-Commerce WCO Study Report Free EN
COVID-19 and Food Safety: Guidance for competent authorities responsible for national food safety control systems WHO Guidance note Free EN, RU
COVID-19 Trade Facilitation Toolkit WTO Toolkit Free EN
Note on Export Prohibitions and Restrictions WTO Information note Free EN
Role of e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic WTO Information note Free EN
Webinars
Title Institution Type of Resource Cost Language
Food Safety Webinar Series (8, 18 Jun, 16 Jul, 20 Aug, 17 Sep, 16 Oct, 20 Nov) IFC Webinar Free EN
Improving ship-shore relations in the post COVID-19 era. Ports and shipping working together on decarbonisation, trade facilitation and automation International Association of Ports and Harbors Webinar Free EN
Future-proofing Safe Trade During COVID-19 STDF Webinar Free EN
Could the Coronavirus Pandemic Threaten Food Supplies for the Most Vulnerable WB Expert’s interview Free EN
WCO Framework of Standards on Cross-Border E-Commerce (record) WCO Webinar (replay) Free EN
Global Value Chains (GVCs) in Agriculture and Food, in an Era of COVID-19 WTO Webinar Free EN
International Trade and Food Security, in an Era of COVID-19 WTO Webinar Free EN
Trade Dialogues on Food WTO Webinar Free EN
Online Training Courses
Title Institution Type of Resource Cost Language
TrainForTrade UNCTAD Online training course Free EN
Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders Programme UNESCAP, APCICT Virtual Academy Online training course Free EN
Business Process Analysis (BPA) UNESCAP Online training course Free EN, RU
Women ICT Frontier Initiative (WIFI) UNESCAP, APCICT Virtual Academy Online training course Free EN
WTO Distance Learning WTO Online training course Free EN
Database
Title Institution Type of Resource Cost Language
ADB COVID-19 Policy Database ADB Database Free EN
Government Measures Related to COVID-19 (airport and airline requirements, operational requirements) IATA Database Free EN
Global COVID-19 Airport Status (number of departures, measures) ICAO Database Free EN
Policy Tracker (key economic responses) IMF Compilation Free EN
COVID-19 Temporary Trade Measures (temporary trade measures) ITC Market Access Map Database Free EN
COVID-19: Measures to Support Travel and Tourism (country and international policy responses) UNWTO Database Free EN
COVID-19: Measures affecting trade in services WTO Database Free EN
COVID-19: Trade and Trade-Related Measures WTO Database Free EN
eTrade for all initiative UNCTAD Videos, briefs Free EN
Summary of Adoption of E-Commerce Legislation Worldwide UNCTAD Mapping of legislation Free EN
Initiative on Model FTA Provisions for Trade in Times of Crisis and Pandemic UNESCAP Open Initiative Free EN
COVID-19 Trade Policy Database: Food and Medical Products WB Database Free EN
E-Commerce Package WCO Instruments and Tools Free EN
WCO SAFE Package WCO Instruments and Tools Free EN
Trade Facilitation Agreement Database WTO Database Free EN

List of Acronyms

ADB – Asian Development Bank; APCICT – Asian and Pacific Training Centre for ICT for Development (APCICT); FAO – Food and Agriculture Organization; IATA – International Air Transport Association; IFC – International Finance Corporation; IMF – International Monetary Fund; IPPC – International Plant Protection Convention; ITC – International Trade Center; OECD – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; STDF – Standards and Trade Development Facility; UNCTAD – United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; UNESCAP – United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific; UNWTO – United Nations World Tourism Organization; World Bank; WCO – World Customs Organization; WHO – World Health Organization. WTO – World Trade Organization