WORLD TRADE G/LIC/N/1/UGA/1
3October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3994)
Original: English Committee onImport Licensing
AGREEMENT ONIMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLES 1.4(a) AND 8.2(b)
UGANDA
Thefollowing communication hasbeenreceived from thePermanent Mission ofUganda.
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External tradeinUganda, i.e.import andexport trade, isregulated bytheExternal Trade Act
(1964)1whose administration andexecution istheresponsibility oftheMinister forTrade. The
administrative arrangements ofthisActreflect thegeneral situation andhavealways demanded that
whoever engages inimport orexport tradehastoobtain documentary consent fromabodyordepartment
designated bytheMinister responsible fortrade toissue sucha"licence". Currently therules and
allinformation concerning procedures forthesubmission ofapplications arespeltoutintheExporters '
andImporters 'Guide1,having instituted anImport Certification System inNovember 1991.
Under thecurrent Import Certification System, aholder ofthecertificate canimport anygoods
notontheshortnegative listofimports. Import controls asameans ofprotection havebeendismantled
infavour oftariffarrangements. Thesystem isopenandacertificate canbeobtained within aworking
day-lessthan12hours. (Thereport prepared forthefirstTrade Policy Review ofUganda2provides
more information onthis.) Thecertificate isvalid foraperiod ofsixmonths andautomatically
renewable.
Thecontact point forinformation istheDirectorate ofForeign Trade, Ministry ofTrade and
Industry, PlotNo.6/8Parliamentary Avenue, P.O. Box7103, Kampala. Theadministrative body
forsubmission ofapplications istheMinistry ofTrade andIndustry, PlotNo.6/8Parliamentary Avenue,
P.O.Box7103, Kampala.
Bothautomatic andnon-automatic import licensing procedures areapplied inUganda. Inboth
cases, theapplicant ischarged atoken administrative feetocover thecostofstationery. Incaseof
automatic import certification procedures, theadministrative purpose ismainly forregistration of
importers andexporters, datacollection andhandling oftradeenquiries. Thenon-automatic procedures
aretheretocaterforthenegative list.Theadministrative purpose ismainly toapply safeguard measures
butnotatrade restriction.
Theprocedures arereviewed administratively from timetotime. Itisdifficult toascertain
whether andwhen theycanbeeliminated completely. Itcanhowever benoted herethatthecurrent
procedure ismore transparent.
1Available forconsultation intheSecretariat (Market Access Division) (English only).
2WT/TPR/S/4 dated 30June 1995.