Since the 2008 financial crisis, the WTO Secretariat produces each year two series of reports: WTO-wide reports on trade-related developments covering the whole WTO membership and observers; and joint reports with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on trade and investment measures taken by G-20 economies. Further details here.

In the communication sent on 3 September to WTO members and observers, Deputy Director-General Yonov Frederick Agah provided details with respect to the wide range of measures that will be covered by the reports as well as deadlines for the submission of information by delegations and the verification process by the WTO Secretariat.

In addition to the regular monitoring of trade and trade-related measures, the communication also made specific reference to the COVID-19 pandemic and invited members and observers to provide information on trade-related measures taken in response to the crisis. This follows on from the approach taken in the mid-year trade monitoring reports which included comprehensive coverage of the initial trade response to the global pandemic.

As part of the overall and continuous monitoring of trade and trade-related measures taken in this context, DDG Agah's communication also provided  the link to the WTO's COVID-19 webpage where detailed lists of trade measures implemented in the areas of goods, services and intellectual property (IP) can be found alongside various studies and reports by the WTO Secretariat.