COVID-19
Information for Australian businesses involved in trade

The Export Council of Australia (ECA) is collecting information and resources to help Australian businesses involved in trade prepare for and mitigate any effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on business. This page will be updated as more information and resources become available.

Last updated: 18 May 2020

Government updates and support packages

Border Agencies

• The Australian Border Force (ABF) has delivered a temporary elimination of customs duties on certain imported medical and hygiene products essential to combatting the COVID-19 (4 May 2020) 
• Australian Border Force industry assurance process during COVID-19 (7 April 2020)
• Department of Home Affairs COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
• Department of Home Affairs Emergency Management - National Coordination Mechanism

State Governments

• State and territory border closures due to COVID-19
• Victorian Government’s stimulus package and assistance to Victoria businesses impacted by COVID-19 (6 April 2020)
• Queensland Government's support for exporters during COVID-19
• NSW Stimulus Package and support for business (3 April 2020)
• Australian Government updates The latest Coronavirus news, updates and advice from government agencies across Australia

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

• Securing freight access for Australian agricultural and fisheries exporters (1 April 2020) - Read also -> Covid-19 relief and recovery fund fact sheet
• As part of the collective response to combat COVID-19, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, New Zealand and Singapore are committed to maintaining open and connected supply chains (25 March 2020)

Prime Minister's office

• Updates from the Australian Prime Minister on the COVID-19 measures
• COVID-19 Economic Stimulus Package for Australian Businesses
  Find out how to access this financial assistance, eligibility requirements and relevant timings 

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment

• New air freight network to boost agricultural and fisheries exports (23 April 2020)
• Financial support to help Australian exporters bounce back (15 April 2020)

Austrade

• Details of the two International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) webinar recordings available for viewing (28 April 2020) 
• Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) funding boost to support Australian exporters and tourism businesses (1 April 2020)
• Austrade updates - Latest insights from Austrade’s global network

Other Government updates

• Department of Agriculture and Water and the Environment: Temporary measures to assist with assessment and issuance of import permits due to COVID-19 (17 April 2020)
• Department of Health - Modelling the current impact of COVID-19 in Australia (16 April 2020)
• Department of Health - Modelling how COVID-19 could affect Australia (7 April 2020)
• Department of Agriculture and Water and the Environment Business Systems Program – Export Certificates for Plant Exports (3 April 2020)
• Department of Agriculture and Water and the Environment Import Industry Advice Notice (27 March 2020)
• Department of Agriculture and Water and the Environment, Plant Export Industry advise industry of disruptions to plant export services as a result of measures being taken to limit the spread of COVID-19 (25 March 2020)

Freight and logistics updates

• The IFAM initiative has secured more than 350 international flights to date to send high-end meat, seafood and produce overseas under the federal government's air freight lifeline for exporters (13 May 2020). Please visit the IFAM webpage for the latest flight information and schedules. Exporters need to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) to access IFAM flights.
• COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund - International Airfreight Support for Agriculture, Fisheries & Horticulture Industries Factsheet (22 April 2020) 
• AUSVEG Update re important information for perishable exports - Share your freight requirements via this EOI (17 April)
• Freight Victoria on COVID-19 - Victorian Freight & Logistics Industry COVID-19 Updates
• Transport for NSW response to COVID-19 for the freight industry
• Australia Post - COVID-19 impact on domestic and international deliveries
• Trucking Delays in Europe Between Borders - live map
• International Trade Centre (ITC) COVID-19 Temporary Trade Measures enacted by Government authorities around the world
• Global Shipping Updates: COVID-19 - from Agility Logistics 

Export Council of Australia updates

• Global Podcast: Tune in for insights from business leaders around the country to help with your business exporting strategies. New episode released weekly.
• A statement from the ECA on the recent emergency meeting of the G20 re COVID-19 (30 March 2020)
• COVID-19 Checklist for businesses – To help make sense of all the information disseminated on what businesses should do in a time of crisis, we’ve compiled this checklist of the 10 best points of advice we’ve seen from across the world.

Additional resources

• World Trade Organisation (WTO) report finds growing number of export restrictions in response to COVID-19 crisis (23 April 2020)
• ITC is now providing a completely free access to its Market Analysis Tools during a three-month period (until 31 July 2020). Register now to access to the most up-to-date trade statistics and company contact information to identify potential trade partners. (17 April 2020)
• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) COVID-19 Country Policy Tracker
• Helpline for businesses impacted by COVID-19 Business hotline 13 28 46
• World Health Organisation (WHO) updates
• John Hopkins COVID-19 live interactive map
• Federal Government launches COVIDSafe app as a part of their work to slow the spread of COVID-19 (1 May 2020)
  
• Federal Government launches Coronavirus Australia app and WhatsApp feature (29 March 2020)
  
• Business.gov.au
• Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
  
  • Smartraveller
• Department of Health
  • COVID-19 health alert
  • COVID-19: Information on social distancing
  • Launch of the COVID-19 campaign
    

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Your Health

We recognise that the COVID-19 outbreak can be a distressing time for many. The following organisations offer services free of charge:

• Beyond Blue (1300 224 636)
• Lifeline (13 11 14)
• Head to Health
• Headspace (for those aged 18 to 25 years)