On 27 May 2020 Deputy Director-General (DDG) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Alan Wolff, discussed the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on the future of world trade. DDG Wolff said that the pandemic has heightened the urgent need to examine the WTO’s principles and values. DDG Wolff called for immediate action to prevent national restrictions being placed on the availability of vaccines and pharmaceutical remedies and warned that collective action is essential to fight the pandemic and, in particular, to prevent a strong second wave of infections.