Role of the WTO in Regulating World Trade in Medicinal Products and Equipment during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Abstract
Peculiarities of international trade in medicinal products and equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic are considered.
The purpose of the article is theoretical and methodological substantiation of the role of the WTO agreements within international trade in medicinal products and equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, development of important priorities of international trade policy in this area.
The methodological basis of the article is a set of general and special research methods. In particular, the shortcomings of international trade in medicinal products and equipment in 2020 were identified by using the logical and semantic method.
The export of medical equipment and devices in 2020 is analyzed and the main problems that exist in this area are outlined. The WTO agreements regulating international trade in medicinal products and equipment are analyzed.
It is stated that the WTO is an effective regulator of international trade and should take all measures to further provision of stable functioning of the system of international trade relations, liberalization of international trade, ensuring transparency of trade procedures and the abolition of trade restrictions.
It is concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic stressed the strengthening of cooperation and efforts to reduce barriers to international trade. Global integration of all activities and international cooperation are important to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the health and economic.
It is emphasized that aspects of the settlement of trade disputes related to the export of medical equipment and devices during the COVID-19 pandemic can be considered as a perspective area of further research.
Downloads
References
Azarov O.M., 2002. Legal regulation of international trade in the GATT/WTO system (institutional principles) [Pravove rehuliuvannia mizhnarodnoi torhivli v systemi HATT/SOT (instytutsiini zasady)]. Ph.D. dissertation. V. M. Koretsky Institute of State and Law of NAS of Ukraine.
Chybisov D.M., 2017. Protection of intellectual property rights in the World Trade Organization [Okhorona prav intelektualnoi vlasnosti v ramkakh Svitovoi orhanizatsii torhivli]. Abstract of Ph.D. dissertation. National University "Odessa Law Academy".
Lokshyna Yu.V., 2019. Legal regulation of trade defense in the European Union [Pravove rehuliuvannia zasobiv zakhystu torhivli v Yevropeiskomu Soiuzi]. Abstract of Ph.D. dissertation. Institute of Legislation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.
Kozak Yu.H., Lohvinova N.S. and Baranovska M.I. (eds), 2010. International trade [Mizhnarodna torhivlia]. 4th ed. Kyiv: Tsentr uchbovoi literatury.
Trilla A., 2020. One world, one health: The novel coronavirus COVID-19 epidemic. Medicina Clínica, Vol. 154, Iss. 5, pp. 175-177. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medcle.2020.02.001.
Tackling coronavirus (COVID-19). Contributing to a global effort. [online] The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Available at http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/en/ [Accessed 20 February 2020].
Shortage of personal protective equipment endangering health workers worldwide. [online] World Health Organization. Available at https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/03-03-2020-shortage-of-personal-protective-equipment-endangering-health-workers-worldwide [Accessed 20 February 2020].
United States International Trade Commission, 2007. Medical Devices and Equipment: Competitive Conditions Affecting U.S. Trade in Japan and Other Principal Foreign Markets. Washington. Available at https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub3909.pdf [Accessed 20 February 2020].
US and Switzerland: main EU trading partners for medicine Eurostat. [online] Eurostat. Available at https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/en/web/products-eurostat-news/-/DDN-20200403-1 [Accessed 20 February 2020].
Tackling COVID-19 Together. [online] Global Trade Alent. Available at https://www.globaltradealert.org/reports/51 [Accessed 20 February 2020].
La COVID-19 et le commerce mondial. [online] Organization Mondiale Du Commerce. Available at https://www.wto.org/french/tratop_f/covid19_f/covid19_f.htm [Accessed 20 February 2020].
Tackling Coronavirus: the trade policy dimension. [online] Global Trade Alent. Available at https://www.globaltradealert.org/reports/50 [Accessed 20 February 2020].
Merve A. Demir and Sepli A., 2017. The effects of protectionist policies on international trade. International Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp. 136-158. DOI: https://doi.org/10.20319/pijss.2017.32.136158.
Tackling COVID-19 Together. [online] Global Trade Alent. Available at https://www.globaltradealert.org/reports/51 [Accessed 20 February 2020].
Friel S., Hattersley L. and Townsend R., 2015. Trade Policy and Public Health. Annual Review of Public Health, Vol. 36, pp. 325-344. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031914-122739.
Statement Extraordinary G20 Leaders’ Summit Statement on COVID-19. [online] World Trade Organization. Available at https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news20_e/dgra_26mar20_e.pdf [Accessed 20 February 2020].
Abbott F.M., 2005. The WTO Medicines Decision: World Pharmaceutical Trade and the Protection of Public Health. The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 99, No. 2, pp. 317-358. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1562501.
Gates B., 2020. Responding to Covid-19 – A Once-in-a-Century Pandemic? New England Journal of Medicine, No. 382, pp. 1677-1679. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmp2003762.
EPing – track product requirements in export markets. Available at https://www.epingalert.org/en [Accessed 20 February 2020].
Copyright (c) 2020 V. I. Teremetskyi, Ye. V. Duliba
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.