1、CRS Legal Sidebar Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Legal SidebarLegal Sidebari i COVID-19: An Overview of Trade-Related Measures to Address Access to Medical Goods March 20, 2020 As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues, government officials around the world have raised questi
2、ons and concerns about how to ensure that their countries have adequate access to, and supplies of, medical goods, including personal protective equipment (e.g., masks, gloves, garments), medical equipment (e.g., ventilators), and pharmaceuticals. This Sidebar presents an overview of some of the tra
3、de-related measures taken by the United States and its trading partners in their efforts to address these concerns, including: (1) introducing export restrictions; (2) reducing or eliminating tariffs; (3) revising import procedures; and (4) prioritizing domestic production. It then discusses possibl
4、e legal challenges to each of these measures, as well as avenues for congressional action or oversight. Method One: Introducing Export Restrictions Several of the United States trading partners have imposed export restrictions on certain medical goods to meet their domestic supply needs. For example