As the COVID-19 pandemic has expanded exponentially, so too has the demand by hospitals and other healthcare providers for masks and other medical personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers. A number of governments have imposed export controls on the export of a variety of medical (and industrial) PPE. In other words, if you want to import face masks into the US from a European country, you need a license to export them from the EU first.

This alert has been updated with new information as of April 3, 2020.

Today, April 3rd, we updated the chart we circulated on March 27th and 24th, with a listing of governments that have and have not imposed export controls on the export of a variety of medical (and industrial) PPE.

Download the Reference Guide

New Countries
We have added new countries: Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya (GNA), Morocco, Norway, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Serbia, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States.

New Restrictions
We have also updated the chart with new export control restrictions in Australia and China.

We will continue to update this chart as we receive additional information.

Today, March 27th, we updated the chart we circulated on March 24th, with a listing of governments that have (and governments that have not) imposed export controls on the export of a variety of medical (and industrial) PPE.

Download the Reference Guide

New Countries
We have added new countries – Bahrain, Canada, Kenya, New Zealand, and Vietnam – to the chart.

New Information
We have also updated the chart with new information from India, Singapore, and Turkey.

Countries Committed to Keeping Medical PPE Supply Chains Open
Notably, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Myanmar, New Zealand, and Singapore have released a statement committing “to keep supply chains open and remove any existing trade-restrictive measures on essential goods, especially medical supplies, in the face of the Covid-19 crisis, at this time.”

We will continue to update this alert as we receive additional information.

The chart below explains which medical PPE is restricted by whom, and provides the law as well as a law firm that can help. As a caveat, we want to be sure you are aware that the laws and guidances in this area are changing day by day, hour by hour, so the chart is intended as a helpful reference, but not intended to replace obtaining up to the date legal guidance from local counsel.

What the Chart Shows

For select countries, the chart shows what medical PPE items are subject to export controls, whether you can obtain a license or whether exports are simply prohibited, where to find the applicable law and other relevant links, and the name and contact information for a lawyer in the country who can help.

Here is the chart.

The chart also shows a few key countries that do NOT have export controls on their medical PPE and therefore can be used as sources for medical PPE provided the laws do not change: Bangladesh, Chile, Hong Kong, Japan, and New Zealand.