Senators urge Biden to reduce trade barriers amidst COVID-19 pandemic

Leaders of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs and Global Competitiveness wrote to President Joe Biden this week requesting more work to remove medical trade barriers and bolster distribution to better combat the global spread of COVID-19.

U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and John Cornyn (R-TX), chairman and ranking member of the subcommittee, respectively, sought to encourage the president’s efforts by labeling ongoing vaccination pushes as part of a moral obligation.

“Your recent success at the UN General Assembly Vaccine Summit, during which leaders agreed to provide additional doses and funding for COVID response and the United States committed to a purchase of an additional 500 million doses, building on the world’s largest-ever purchase and donation of vaccines by a single country, will surely be instrumental in spurring vaccinations in low- and lower-middle income nations, and, along with efforts to distribute medical devices, diagnostics, and other critical goods, will help to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus and curb the pandemic around the world,” the senators wrote.

Progress has been made, the pair were clear to stress. However, roadblocks remain that hem in the supply chain and create trade bottlenecks.

“To complement these efforts, we urge you to work with allies to reduce or eliminate trade barriers to health products, including inputs used in vaccine manufacturing, vaccine distribution and approval, therapeutics and pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, personal protective equipment and medical devices,” the senators wrote. “Some of the most intractable barriers affecting these products include tariffs, export restrictions, and customs red tape, which were highlighted by the WTO in its recent publication, “Indicative List of Trade-Related Bottlenecks and Trade-Facilitating Measures on Critical Products to Combat COVID-19.”

In particular, the pair lauded the administration’s proposal of the Trade Facilitation Agreement, which would expedite the movement, release and clearance of goods globally. However, they noted it must be tackled in conjunction with export restrictions, tariff reductions and other hurdles.

“The country has made great strides under your leadership managing the U.S. pandemic response,” the pair of lawmakers said. “Working together, with the kind of smart policies detailed above, we are confident you can also lead the world in ending the COVID-19 pandemic.”