RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/LIC/3
7November 1995
ORGANIZATION(95-3441)
WTO Committee onImport Licensing
PROCEDURES FOR NOTIFICATION AND REVIEW
UNDER THE AGREEMENT ONIMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
Note bytheSecretariat
Atitsmeeting on12October 1995, theCommittee onImport Licensing agreed toapply the
following procedures fornotification andreview under theAgreement onImport Licensing Procedures.
_______________
(1) Notifications under Article 1.4(a)1
- Members shallnotify theCommittee thesources inwhich theinformation concerning import
licensing procedures arepublished, andshall make copies ofthese publications available tothe
Secretariat.
- Members which wereParties totheTokyo Round Code shalldecide forthemselves whether
thenotifications theyhavemade inthisrespect under theTokyo Round Code shallremain valid, and
whether onlychanges thathaveoccurred since should benotified, ornewfullnotifications should be
made.
- Members which were notParties totheTokyo Round Code shallmake fullnotifications.
- Notifications bycurrent Members shallbemade by12January 1996.2
- Incases where thepublications arenotinaWTO official language, Members shallprovide,
together withsuchpublications, asummary ofthenotification inoneoftheWTO languages. Other
Members mayaskforafulltranslation iftheysowish, orseekanyadditional information onabilateral
basis. Anyissues thatcannot besolved onabilateral basis maybebrought totheattention ofthe
Committee.
Copies ofpublications received shallbekeptintheSecretariat forconsultation byinterested
delegations. Members shallbeinformed periodically bytheSecretariat ofthenotifications received.
1Asconcerns notifications submitted forcirculation asdocuments, theCommittee agreed thatdelegations,
where possible, would alsoprovide copies oftheir notifications ondiskettes, preferably inWordPerfect 5.2.
AsregardsrepliestotheQuestionnaireonImportLicensingProcedures,delegationswouldindicatewherechanges
have been made withregard totheir previous notifications.
2Informal consultations shallbeconducted bytheChairman regarding atime-limit fornotifications forfuture
Members.G/LIC/3
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(2) Procedures forReview under Article 7.1
- TheCommittee shallreview onceevery twoyears theimplementation andoperation ofthe
Agreement onthebasis ofafactual report prepared bytheSecretariat.
(3) Notifications under Article 7.31
- Members shallcomplete theQuestionnaire onImport Licensing Procedures by30September
eachyear(seeAnnex).2
- Members shall decide forthemselves whether thereplies provided previously under the
GATT 1947procedures shallremain validunder theWTO Agreement, andwhether onlychanges that
haveoccurred since should benotified, ornewfullnotifications should bemade.
(4) Notifications under Article 8.2(b)1
- Thefirstnotification under Article 8.2(b) byMembers which were notParties totheTokyo
Round Code shallcontain thefulltextofrelevant lawsandregulations ineffect onentry intoforce
oftheWTO Agreement fortheMember concerned.
- Members which wereParties totheTokyo Round Code shalldecide forthemselves whether
theirfullnotifications oflegislation made under theTokyo Round Code should remain valid under
theWTO Agreement, andwhether onlychanges thathaveoccurred since should benotified, ornew
fullnotifications should bemade.
- Notifications bycurrent Members shallbemade by12January 1996.3
- IncaseswherethelegislationisnotinaWTOofficiallanguage,Membersshallprovide,together
withsuchlegislation ,asummary ofthenotification inoneoftheWTO languages. Other Members
mayaskforafulltranslation iftheysowish, orseekanyadditional information onabilateral basis.
Anyissues thatcannot besolved onabilateral basismaybebrought totheattention oftheCommittee.
Copies oflegislation received shallbekeptintheSecretariat forconsultation byinterested
delegations, andMembers shallbeinformed periodically bytheSecretariat ofthenotifications received.
1Asconcerns notifications submitted forcirculation asdocuments, theCommittee agreed thatdelegations,
where possible, would alsoprovide copies oftheir notifications ondiskettes, preferably inWordPerfect 5.2.
AsregardsrepliestotheQuestionnaireonImportLicensingProcedures,delegationswouldindicatewherechanges
have been made withregard totheir previous notifications.
2Originally circulated asGATT 1947 document L/3515, andsubsequently revised bytheWTO Committee
onImport Licensing atitsmeeting on12October 1995 andissued asdocument G/LIC/2.
3Informal consultations shallbeconducted bytheChairman regarding atime-limit fornotifications forfuture
Members.G/LIC/3
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ANNEX*
QUESTIONNAIRE ONIMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
Thepresent questionnaire isdesigned toelicit information onimport licensing andsimilar
administrative procedures1maintained inandapplied tothecustoms territories towhich GATT 1994
applies. Ifdifferent procedures ormethods oflicensing orsimilar administrative procedures areapplied
todifferent categories ofproducts, todifferent countries ofsupply ortodifferent modes ofimportation,
theyshould beseparately described inrespect ofeachquestion asrelevant.
Outline ofSystems
1. Giveabriefdescription ofeachlicensing system asawhole and,withrespect toeach, reply
tothefollowing questions asrelevant, placing allofthematerial withrespect toagiven system in
sequence together, andusing cross references asappropriate when elements which havealready been
described arealsopresent inanother system.
Purposes andCoverage ofLicensing
2. Identify eachlicensing system maintained andstatewhatproducts, appropriately grouped, are
covered.
3. Thesystem applies togoods originating inandcoming from which countries?
4. Isthelicensing intended torestrict thequantity orvalue ofimports, andifnot,whatareits
purposes? Have alternative methods ofaccomplishing thepurposes beenconsidered andifsowhich?
Whyhavetheynotbeenadopted?
5. Citethelaw,regulation and/or administrative order under which thelicensing ismaintained.
Isthelicensing statutorily required? Does thelegislation leave designation ofproducts tobesubjected
tolicensing toadministrative discretion? Isitpossible forthegovernment (ortheexecutive branch)
toabolish thesystem without legislative approval?
Procedures
6. Forproducts under restriction astothequantity orvalue ofimports (whether applicable globally
ortoalimited number ofcountries orwhether established bilaterally orunilaterally):
I. Isinformation published, andwhere, concerning allocation ofquotas andformalities offiling
applications forlicences? Ifnot,howisitbrought totheattention ofpossible importers? Of
governments andexport promotion bodies ofexporting countries andtheirtraderepresentatives?
Istheoverall amount published? Theamount allocated togoods from eachcountry? The
maximum amount allocated toeachimporter? Howtorequest anyexceptions orderogations
from thelicensing requirement?
*Thetextreproduced below isidentical tothatindocument G/LIC/2.
1Similar procedures areunderstood toinclude technical visas, surveillance systems, minimum price
arrangements, andother administrative reviews effected asaprior condition forentry ofimports.G/LIC/3
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II. Howisthesizeofthequotas determined: onayearly, six-monthly orquarterly basis? Are
there cases where thesizeofquota isdetermined onayearly basis butlicences areissued for
imports onasix-monthly orquarterly basis? Inthelatter case, isitnecessary forimporters
toapply forfresh licence onasix-monthly orquarterly basis?
III. Arelicences allotted forcertain goods partly oronlytodomestic producers oflikegoods?
What stepsaretaken toensure thatlicences allocated areactually usedforimports? Areunused
allocations added toquotas forasucceeding period? Arethenames ofimporters towhom
licences havebeenallocated made known togovernments andexport promotion bodies of
exporting countries uponrequest? Ifnot,forwhatreason? (Indicate products towhich replies
relate.)
IV. From thetimeofannouncing theopening ofquotas, asindicated inIabove, whatistheperiod
oftimeallowed forthesubmission ofapplications forlicences?
V. What aretheminimum andmaximum lengths oftimeforprocessing applications?
VI. Howmuch timeremains, ataminimum, between thegranting oflicences andthedateofopening
oftheperiod ofimportation?
VII. Isconsideration oflicence applications effected byasingle administrative organ? Ormust
theapplication bepassed ontoother organs forvisa,noteorapproval? Ifso,which? Does
theimporter havetoapproach more thanoneadministrative organ?
VIII. Ifthedemand forlicences cannot befullysatisfied, onwhatbasisistheallocation toapplicants
made? Firstcome, firstserved? Pastperformance? Isthereamaximum amount tobeallocated
perapplicant and,ifso,onwhat basis isitdetermined? What provision ismade fornew
importers? Areapplications examined simultaneously oronreceipt?
IX. Inthecaseofbilateral quotas orexport restraint arrangements where export permits areissued
byexporting countries, areimport licences alsorequired? Ifso,arelicences issued
automatically?
X. Incases where imports areallowed onthebasisofexport permits only, howistheimporting
country informed oftheeffect given bytheexporting countries totheunderstanding between
thetwocountries?
XI. Arethere products forwhich licences areissued oncondition thatgoods should beexported
andnotsoldinthedomestic market?
7. Where thereisnoquantitative limitonimportation ofaproduct oronimports fromaparticular
country:
(a) Howfarinadvance ofimportation mustapplication foralicence bemade? Canlicences
beobtained within ashorter time-limit orforgoods arriving attheportwithout alicence
(forexample, owing toinadvertency)?
(b) Canalicence begranted immediately onrequest?
(c) Arethereanylimitations astotheperiod oftheyearduring which application forlicence
and/or importation maybemade? Ifso,explain.G/LIC/3
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(d) Isconsideration oflicence applications effected byasingle administrative organ? Or
musttheapplication bepassed ontoother organs forvisa,noteorapproval? Ifso,
which? Does theimporter havetoapproach more thanoneadministrative organ?
8. Under what circumstances mayanapplication foralicence berefused other thanfailure to
meettheordinary criteria? Arethereasons foranyrefusal given totheapplicant? Have applicants
arightofappeal intheevent ofrefusal toissue alicence and,ifso,towhatbodies andunder what
procedures?
Eligibility ofImporters toApply forLicence
9. Areallpersons, firms andinstitutions eligible toapply forlicences:
(a) under restrictive licensing systems?
(b) under non-restrictive systems?
Ifnot,isthere asystem ofregistration ofpersons orfirms permitted toengage inimportation? What
persons orfirms areeligible? Isthere aregistration fee? Isthere apublished listofauthorized
importers?
Documentational andOther Requirements forApplication forLicence
10. What information isrequired inapplications? Submit asample form. What documents isthe
importer required tosupply withtheapplication?
11. What documents arerequired upon actual importation?
12. Isthere anylicensing feeoradministrative charge? Ifso,what istheamount ofthefeeor
charge?
13. Isthere anydeposit oradvance payment requirement associated withtheissue oflicences?
Ifso,statetheamount orrate,whether itisrefundable, theperiod ofretention andthepurpose of
therequirement.
Conditions ofLicensing
14. What istheperiod ofvalidity ofalicence? Canthevalidity ofalicence beextended? How?
15. Isthere anypenalty forthenon-utilization ofalicence oraportion ofalicence?
16. Arelicences transferable between importers? Ifso,areanylimitations orconditions attached
tosuchtransfer?
17. Areanyother conditions attached totheissue ofalicence:
(a) forproducts subject toquantitative restriction?
(b) forproducts notsubject toquantitative restriction?G/LIC/3
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Other Procedural Requirements
18. Arethere anyother administrative procedures, apart from import licensing andsimilar
administrative procedures, required prior toimportation?
19. Isforeign exchange automatically provided bythebanking authorities forgoods tobeimported?
Isalicence required asacondition toobtaining foreign exchange? Isforeign exchange always available
tocover licences issued? What formalities must befulfilled forobtaining theforeign exchange?