The eighteenth monitoring report by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on G20 trade measures was issued on 9 November 2017. The report covers the period from mid-May to mid-October 2017 and reveals that compared to the previous review period G20 countries introduced fewer trade restrictive measures. The estimated trade coverage of those restrictions was however slightly more than the estimated coverage of trade facilitation measures passed in the same period.

The report noted that G20 economies passed 16 new trade restrictive measures in the period such as increased tariffs or restrictions on exports or local content. The same countries adopted 28 trade facilitation measures in the period such as reduced tariffs or simplified customs procedures. The trade coverage of these new trade facilitation measures was estimated at USD 27 billion which was slightly lower than the estimated coverage of the trade restrictive measures (USD 32 billion).

More than half the trade measures recorded in the review period were trade remedy investigations, covering around USD 29 billion in trade. The most important sectors that were the subject of these investigations included electrical machinery and parts, organic chemicals and paper products. Trade remedy duties were terminated in some sectors including organic chemicals, iron and steel and man-made filaments.

The report notes that transparency and predictability in trade policy is important for all parties and the G20 needs to take the lead in commitment to open trade to drive global economic growth. At a time of economic uncertainty the G20 therefore needs to continue its efforts to improve the trading environment.