RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/W/11
18 September 1998
(98-3577)
Committee on Import Licensing
DRAFT
REPORT (1998) OF THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORT LICENSING
1. The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (the Agreement) establishes disciplines on
users of import licensing systems with the principal objective of ensuring that the procedures applied
for granting import licences do not in themselves restrict trade.  It aims to simplify, clarify and
minimize the administrative requirements necessary to obtain import licences.
2. The Committee on Import Licensing (the Committee) was established to afford Members the
opportunity of consulting on any matters relating to the operation of the Agreement or the furtherance
of its objectives.
3. All Members of the WTO are ipso facto  members of the Committee.  Observer governments
in the General Council of the WTO have observer status in the Committee.  In addition,
representatives of the IMF, UNCTAD and the World Bank attend meetings of the Committee in anobserver capacity.
4. The Committee held two meetings on 24 April and 20 October 1998 (G/LIC/M/7 and 8).  The
Committee at its meeting in April 1998 elected Mrs. Marie Gosset (Côte d'Ivoire) as Chairperson and
Mr. Marshall Couper (New Zealand) as Vice-Chairperson for 1998.  Pursuant to the Committee's
Rules of Procedure, they took office at the end of that meeting.
5. Pursuant to Articles 1.4(a) and/or 8.2(b) of the Agreement, all Members are required to notify
their laws, regulations and administrative procedures relevant to import licensing.  During the periodcovered by this report, the Committee received notifications from the following 14 Members:  Brazil;
Chad; European Communities; Hong Kong, China; Hungary; St.Kitts & Nevis; Korea; Madagascar;
Mauritius; Nigeria; Panama; Philippines; Qatar an d Turkey.  Since the entry into force of the WTO
Agreement, 54 Members (the European Communities and its member States counted as one) have
notified their legislation and/or publications under these provisions.  These notifications may be foundin document series G/LIC/N/1/-.
6. Article 7.3 of the Agreement requires all Members to provide replies to the Questionnaire on
Import Licensing Procedures
1 by 30 September each year.  Since the entry into force of the WTO
Agreement, 52 Members (the European Communities and its member States counted as one) have
made notifications under this provision.  This includes replies to the Questionnaire from 11 Membersin 1995,  22 Members in 1996, 25 Members in 1997 and 16 Members in 1998.  During the period
covered by this report, the Committee received notifications from Bolivia; Brazil; Costa Rica; Cyprus;
Haiti; Hungary; Iceland; Jamaica; Japan; Korea; Malta; New Zealand; Nigeria; Philippines; Qatar and
Turkey.  These notifications may be found in document se ries G/LIC/N/3/-.
                                                     
1 Annexed to document G/LIC/3.G/LIC/W/11
Page 2
7. The Committee also received pursuant to Article 5 of the Agreement notifications relating to
the institution of new import licensing procedures or changes in these procedures from Brazil;
Hong Kong, China; Hungary; India; Japan; Ni geria; Panama and Papua New Guinea.  These
notifications may be found in document series G/LIC/N/2/-.
8. The Committee conducted its second biennial review of the implementation and operation of
the Agreement under Article 7.1 on the basis of a factual report prepared by the Secretariat
(G/LIC/W/10 and G/LIC/M/8).
9. The Committee has provided a regular forum for the discussion of specific notifications
submitted by Members and of concerns regarding notifications.  It should be noted that the mandatory
notification requirements under Articles 1.4(a), 8.2(b) and 7.3 are complied with only by about half of
WTO Members.  The Annex reflects the current status of notifications.G/LIC/W/11
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ANNEX
(i) Notifications of legislation and/or publicati ons (Articles 1.4(a) and/or 8.2(b)) received from :
(54 Members) (G/LIC/N/1/- series)
Argentina
Australia
Bahrain
Barbados
Benin
Bolivia
BrazilBulgaria
Burkina Faso
Canada
Chad
ChileColombia
Costa Rica
Cuba
Cyprus
ECFijiHonduras
Hong Kong, China
Hungary
India
Jamaica
Japan
KenyaSt. Kitts & Nevis
Korea
Liechtenstein
Madagascar
MaltaMauritius
Morocco
New Zealand
Nicaragua
NigerNigeriaNorway
Pakistan
Panama
Peru
Philippines
Qatar
RomaniaSingapore
Slovenia
Swaziland
Switzerland
TunisiaTurkey
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
United States
UruguayZimbabwe
(ii) Replies to the Questionnaire on Import Licensi ng Procedures (Article 7.3) received from :
(52 Members) (G/LIC/N/3/- series)  The date of latest communication is indicated within
brackets.
Argentina (19.12.97)
Australia (28.4.97)
Barbados (15.9.95)
Bolivia (24.8.98)
Brazil (24.4.98)
Brunei Dar. (4.3.97)Bulgaria (20.3.97)
Burkina Faso(8.1.97)
Canada (2.10.97)
Chile (9.9.97)
Colombia (29.11.96)Costa Rica (7.5.98)
Cyprus (28.8.98)
Ecuador (1.8.95)
EC (29.7.97)
Fiji (1.4.97)Gambia (31.10.97)
Haiti (27.2.98)Hong Kong, China (25.9.97)
Hungary (19.1.98)
Iceland (1.9.98)
India (29.11.95)
Jamaica (29.5.98)
Japan (2.4.98)Kenya (10.11.97)
Korea (6.4.98)
Liechtenstein (18.4.97)
Malaysia (4.12.97)
Mali (9.5.97)Malta (17.7.98)
Mauritius (2.11.95)
Morocco (22.12.97)
Namibia (28.2.97)
New Zealand (24.3.98)Nigeria (16.2.98)
Norway (3.11.97)Peru (27.8.96)
Philippines (6.4.98)
Poland (7.10.97)
Qatar (24.3.98)
Romania  (4.9.96)
Senegal (20.1.97)Singapore (17.11.97)
Slovenia (6.6.97)
South Africa (13.5.97)
Switzerland (14.4.97)
Trinidad & Tobago (17.1.96)Tunisia (31.10.96)
Turkey (8.5.98)
Uganda (17.6.97)
United States (29.9.95)
Uruguay (4.9.96)G/LIC/W/11
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(iii) Notifications of institution of import licensi ng procedures or changes therein (Article 5)
received from:  (16 Members) (G/LIC/N/2/- series)
Argentina
BrazilEC
Hong Kong, China
Hungary
India
Japan
LiechtensteinMalaysia
NigeriaPakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Romania
South Africa
Switzerland
(iv) Developing countries which have invoked the two-year delayed application provisions
(footnote 5 to Article 2.2):  (24 Members ) (G/LIC/1 and Adds.1-3)
Bangladesh (as from 1.1.95)
Bolivia (13.9.95)
Brazil (1.1.95)
Burkina Faso (3.6.95)
Cameroon (13.12.95)
Colombia (30.4.95)Costa Rica (1.1.95)
Côte d'Ivoire (1.1.95)
Dominican Republic (9.3.95)El Salvador (7.5.95)
Gabon (1.1.95)
Guatemala (21.7.95)
Honduras (1.1.95)
Indonesia (1.1.95)
Kenya (1.1.95)Malaysia (1.1.95)
Myanmar (1.1.95)
Sri Lanka (1.1.95)Thailand (1.1.95)
Tunisia (29.3.95)
Turkey (26.3.95)
United Arab Emirates (10.4.96)
Uruguay (1.1.95)
Venezuela (1.1.95)
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