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Report

Published:

Handelen med medisinske varer og Covid-19

Summary:

The Covid-19 pandemy has exposed vulnerability for pharmaceuticals and medical goods. Does globalisation create more or less vulnerability?
- The majority of countries import all their drugs and only eighteen countries are net exporters.
- Exports are dominated by Western Europa, with China and India some way down the list.
- Globalisation has spread the risk for medical goods by an increased number of suppliers and less export concentration. A main driver is increased export from small European countries.
- At a more detailed level of goods, the picture is more mixed, with growing concentration in some cases.
- Export restrictions contribute to market collapse and higher prices, that particularly hit poor countries that import all their needs.
- For Norway, European integration is important for medical contingency planning.
  • Published year: 2020
  • Publisher: Norsk utenrikspolitisk institutt
  • Page count: 6
  • Language: Norwegian
  • Journal: Covid-19 brief

Themes

  • International economics
  • Globalisation
  • Regional integration
  • Foreign policy
  • Europe
  • Humanitarian issues
  • Pandemics