Agreement on Essential Worker Movement and Trade Facilitation with Singapore, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

Discussion on Practical Measures Including Exploring Additional Aircraft Utilization for Cargo Operations
"Ensuring Global Supply Chain Flow... Includes Action Plan to Minimize COVID-19 Damage"
Yoo Myung-hee "Will Be Based on Bilateral Negotiations, Multilateral Consultations, and Crisis Response Manuals"

Yoo Myung-hee, Chief Negotiator of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, chaired the "Five-Country Video Conference on Trade Ministers Regarding COVID-19" with trade ministers from Singapore, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand at 9 a.m. on the 1st in the conference room of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Seoul. (Photo by Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Trade ministers from five countries including Australia, Singapore, Canada, New Zealand, and South Korea, led by the Korean government, announced a declaration related to an action plan to facilitate the movement of essential personnel and trade. Amid accelerated discussions on the reorganization of global supply chains due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is expected to ensure the flow of logistics and minimize trade damage for each country.

Yoo Myung-hee, the Chief Trade Negotiator of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, announced that after holding a video conference with trade ministers from four countries including Australia from 9 a.m. on the 1st, they adopted the "Joint Ministerial Declaration on an Action Plan to Facilitate the Flow of Goods, Services, and Essential Personnel." The meeting was attended by Chan Chunsing, Minister of Trade and Industry of Singapore; Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade of Canada; Simon Birmingham, Minister for Trade, Investment and Tourism of Australia; and David Parker, Minister for Trade and Export Growth of New Zealand.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, this meeting of the five countries was held under South Korea's leadership. It is part of efforts to specify the joint statement from the Group of Twenty (G20) trade ministers' meeting. The joint ministerial declaration includes a concrete action plan to minimize COVID-19 damage, such as ▲ensuring the flow of global supply chains ▲facilitating the movement of essential personnel ▲minimizing negative impacts on trade and investment.

The ministers agreed to first ensure the flow of global supply chains by implementing measures such as ▲facilitating transportation and logistics via land, sea, and air ▲seeking additional use of aircraft for cargo operations ▲shortening customs clearance times and reducing administrative burdens by expediting customs procedures ▲facilitating customs clearance through electronic methods.

To facilitate the movement of essential personnel, they discussed introducing guidelines to allow cross-border movement of essential personnel for maintaining global supply chains, such as business trips by corporate personnel.

They also agreed to provide information related to measures to affected countries and the World Trade Organization (WTO) when introducing measures that impact trade and investment.

Chief Negotiator Yoo evaluated, "It is very meaningful in the current trade environment where free trade is threatened that countries have voiced together that the essential flow of goods, services, and personnel must not be interrupted."

He added, "Especially since this ministerial declaration contains a concrete action plan, it can be used as a basis for bilateral negotiation discussions with major countries and is expected to serve as a foundation for discussions in multilateral forums such as G20, APEC, and WTO. It will also form the basis of a crisis response manual to ensure the essential flow of goods, services, and personnel during emergencies like COVID-19."

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