00:18:22 Christopher Yukins: Sorry, I will speak more loudly -- thanks for your notes. 00:25:05 Christopher Yukins: Per a question from the audience - the WTO research on trade constraints of COVID-19 supplies is in the "background" article at the program website, on www.publicprocurementinternational.com. The background article is highlighted in red. 00:28:03 Laurence Folliot Lalliot: The whole session is recorded and will be available on the Publicprocurementinternational website 00:28:29 Sandeep Verma: The India ban effectively came in place in the second half of March 2020, not earlier... 00:29:07 Laurence Folliot Lalliot: Well noted 00:34:06 Christopher Yukins: To expand on the earlier question -- for the Q&A and all panelists -- is there a mechanism within the WTO to address the WTO/WHO/EU (Phil Hogan) suggestions that tariffs be temporarily suspended? 00:34:38 Christopher Yukins: We will address that question at the end of the session 00:37:11 Sandeep Verma: That’s right, but it got lifted very soon thereafter (in a matter of days), effectively allowing all concluded contracts for exports to be progressed and honoured well into late March 2020... 00:38:31 Christopher Yukins: We would welcome it attendees would share information with all on the lifting of tariffs on critical supplies by individual nations / regions. 00:43:23 Sandeep Verma: India: https://scroll.in/article/959764/coronavirus-delays-why-indias-health-workers-are-still-facing-shortages-of-safety-gear 00:45:21 Simon Evenett: In response to Chris' question: This is what I wrote yesterday about the impact of export curbs on medical supplies. Using their database on COVID-19 trade, Espitia, Rocha and Ruta (2020) estimate that a wave of export curbs will increase the cost of medical supplies by on average 23%. Protective goggles and masks are estimated to rise in price by 40.4%, flow splitters for oxygen supplies by 33.7%, enzymes by 19.6%, and medical ventilators by 12.6%. Such price increases significantly reduce the real value of national health budgets, again compromising the effectiveness of public health interventions. 00:47:32 Simon Evenett: Just to get the facts on the table concerning actions by the GOI. This year, according to my records, India has imposed 8 curbs on exports of medical kit and medicines. For sure, some measures have been withdrawn. But the simple fact is that the GOI has been active here and, given the transparency of its official decisions, this can be documented properly. As the late Senator Moynihan once said, we are entitled to our own opinions but we are not entitled to our own facts. 00:48:30 Vincent Moola: I think we need Trade regulations inforcements competitionand consumer protection commissions to avoid unjustified price increases. These laws are essential for now to avoid unfair trade practices. 00:49:08 Christopher Yukins: We will be posting information on the measures India and other countries have taken on the COVID-19 Resources page, linked at www.publicprocurementinternational.com. Thanks to all for your input. 00:51:48 Walid Dhouibi: Thanks, Simon, for the figures you’ve shared about prices increase. You mentioned that you wrote about this yesterday. Grateful if you could share with me the corresponding paper, if public. My email address is : wdhouibi@worldbank.org 00:52:02 Sandeep Verma: My (factual) note on the India position, based on how India’s export bans got modified and remodified, therefore is that most of India’s bans, including ones on ventilators, came into effect only in late March 2020. It is not an opinion, exports of ventilators and PPEs, as a matter of fact, continued till late March 2020. Will post links to Prof. Yukins later. Regards. 00:53:23 Aris Georgopoulos: sn’t one of the obvious shortcomings witnessed in the critical cover-19 supplies procurement the asymmetry of information (the where, the what, the how much?)? Does’t this asymmetry of information inform the “reflex” reaction of Countries to impose export restrictions? If this is the case isn’t one lesson for the future the need to address this asymmetry? And lastly do panelists believe that in tackling this asymmetry the private sector (not just states) should also be included? 00:54:41 Simon Evenett: Thanks Sandeep. It would be very helpful if you could post all of the Indian measures (restrictive and liberalising) relating to all forms of medical products identified in the annex of this WTO study https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news20_e/rese_03apr20_e.pdf. After all, we don't want to define the scope too narrowly, do we? 00:56:56 Christopher Yukins: The FEMA export control rule published today that Tom is discussing is in the background article linked (in red) at publicprocurementinternational.com. 01:00:26 Walid Dhouibi: Thanks you very much, Simon. Much appreciated. Best. 01:05:30 Paul Lalonde: Responding to an earlier question requesting that we share trade restrictions in our countries, see a pretty comprehensive Government Announcements Tracker for Canada here: https://www.dentons.com/en/insights/articles/2020/april/20/canadian-covid-19-government-announcements-summary. 01:06:18 Jean Heilman Grier: To respond to Lucian, For a product to be eligible for purchase under the Buy American Act, more than 50% of components must be US-produced. 01:09:04 Jean Heilman Grier: The nationality of the supplier is not relevant. The question is where is the product made, so if produced by US-based foreign affiliate in the US, it would be considered domestic (US-made).