 RESTRICTED  
  
G/LIC/W/60  
 
19 October  2023 
(23-7055) Page: 1/6 
Committee on Import Licensing    
 
  
DRAFT REPORT (202 3) OF THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORT LICENSING   
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS  
1.  The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (hereinafter "the Agreement") which entered 
into force on 1  January  1995, 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 was established to afford Members the oppor tunity of 
consulting on any matter relating to the operation of the Agreement or the furtherance of its 
objectives. The Committee's Rules of Procedure, which were approved by the Council for Trade in 
Goods, are contained in document  G/L/147 . 
 
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. The International Monetary 
Fund, the World Bank and UNCTAD have regular observer status in the Committee.  
 
4.  The focus of this report is on the period since the Committee's last annual report ( G/L/1 433), 
namely 8 October  2022 – 31 October  2023 (hereinafter  "the reporting period"). In 202 3, the 
Committee held two formal meetings, on 23 May 2023 (G/LIC/M/5 6), under the chairpersonship of 
Mr. Jia Jie L oh (Singapore) , and on 31 October 202 3 (G/LIC/M/5 71), under the chairpersonship  of 
Mr. Nat Tharnpanich  (Thailand).  Both meetings took place in hybrid mode  with in -person and remote 
attendance . The Committee als o held two informal meeting s, which took place in hybrid mode,  on 
14 March  2023 under the chairpersonship of Mr. Jia Jie L oh (Singapore)  and on 29 September 2023 
under the chairpersonship of  Mr. Nat Tharnpanich  (Thailand) . On 8 June 2023, through written 
procedures, the Committee elected Mr. Nat Tharnpanich  (Thailand)  by acclamation as Chairperson 
of the Committee for 202 3. Pursuant to the Committee's Rules of Procedure, the officers shall hold 
office until the end of the first  meeting of the following year . 
 
5.  Pursuant to Articles  1.4(a) and/or 8.2(b) of the Agreement and procedures agreed by the 
Committee, all Members are required to notify their laws, regulations, and administrative procedures 
relevant to import licensing and to submit copies of any relevant publications or laws and regulations 
upon becoming a WTO  Member. Any subsequent changes to these laws, regulations, and 
administrative procedures are also required to be published and notified. Pursuant to 
subparagraphs  1-4 of Article  5, Members a re also required to notify the institution of new import 
licensing procedures or changes in these procedures to the Committee within 60  days of publication.  
 
6.  During the reporting period, the Committee reviewed [102] notifications under these 
three  provisions (Annex  I) from the following [13] Members:  Argentina; Dominican Republic; 
European Union; Hong Kong, China; Korea, Republic of; Kyrgyz Republic; Macao, China; Myanmar; 
Philippines; Switzerland -Liechtenstein; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; and Ukraine . 
 
7.  Article  5.5 of the Agreement allows Members to submit reverse notifications, where a Member 
considers that another Member has not notified the institution of a licensing procedure or changes 
in the procedures. However, no such reverse notifications hav e been received within the reporting 
period.  
 
 
1 To be issued.  G/LIC/W/60  
 
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  8.  Article  7.3 of the Agreement requires all Members to provide replies to the Questionnaire on 
Import Licensing Procedures2 by 30  September each year. During the reporting period, the 
Committee reviewed  [46] notifications (Annex  II) from the following [34] Members: Albania ; 
Australia; Brazil; Burkina Faso; Canada ; Colombia; Costa Rica; El Salvador; European Union; 
The Gambia; Honduras ; Hong Kong, China ; India; Israel ; Japan ; Kazakhstan ; Korea, Republic of ; 
Kyrgyz Republic ; Macao, China ; Mauritius ; Myanmar ; New Zealand ; Nicaragua ; Panama ; 
Philippines ; Singapore ; Switzerland -Liechtenstein ; Chinese Taipei; Tunisia ; Türkiye ; Ukraine ; 
United  Kingdom, United States ; Uruguay . These notifications can be  found in document 
series  G/LIC/N/3/.  
 
9.  The Committee has provided a regular forum for exchanging views on notifications submitted by 
Members. Written comments and questions concerning notifications submitted to the Committee 
and/or on import licensing procedures maintained by Members, and replies thereto, may be found 
in the document series  G/LIC/Q/ -. During the review period, the United States posed questions to 
Argentina ( G/LIC/Q/ARG/22 ), India ( G/LIC/Q/IND/ 29), Indonesia ( G/LIC/Q/IDN/50 ) and the 
Philippines ( G/LIC/Q/PHL/ 11). The following Members provided written responses to comments and 
questions: the Philippines to the follow -up questions from the Unit ed States ( G/LIC/Q/PHL /10) and 
Indonesia to the United States  (G/LIC/Q/IDN/ 51). At the Committee meeting s, Members exchanged 
views on the issues raised.  
 
10.  A number of specific trade concerns were raised by Members during the reporting period. 
Table  1 show s the specific trade concerns raised by  Members during the formal meetings of the 
Committee.  
Table 1 - List of trade concerns considered at the  formal meetings of the  Committee on 
Import Licensing  on 23 May and 31 October  2023  
No. Measure  
(implemented by)  Member(s) raising 
the concern  Additional 
intervention(s) by  Link to trade 
concerns database:  
1 Angola: Import Licensing 
Requirements  European Union  United States  IL ID45  
 
2 Dominican Republic: New 
Import Licensing System  European Union   IL ID47  
3 Egypt: Import Licensing 
Requirements for Certain 
Agricultural and Processed 
Products  European Union   IL ID43  
4 India: Importation of 
Pneumatic Tyres  European Union, 
Indonesia, 
Chinese  Taipei and 
Thailand  Japan, United States  IL ID41  
5 Indonesia: Commodity 
Balancing Mechanism  European Union, 
Japan  Republic of Korea, 
United States  IL ID46  
6 Indonesia: Import Licensing 
Regime for Certain Textile 
Products  European Union, 
Japan   IL ID37  
7 Indonesia: Import 
restriction: Compulsory 
Registration by Importers of 
Steel Products  Japan  
 European Union, 
United States  IL ID36  
8 Indonesia: Import restriction 
on air conditioners  Japan  
 Republic of Korea  IL ID35  
9 Thailand: Importation of 
Feed Wheat  European Union   IL ID33  
10 India: import licensing 
measures on pcs, tablets, 
and other electronic 
products  China   [to be included 
after the Formal 
Committee 
Meeting ] 
11 India: Import on Viscose 
Staple Fiber (VSF)  Indonesia   [to be included 
after the Formal 
Committee 
Meeting ] 
 
 
2 Annexed to document  G/LIC/3 . G/LIC/W/60  
 
- 3 - 
 
  11.  At the Committee meeting s held on 14 March, 23 May and 29 September , the Secretariat made 
presentations on the new online Import Licensing Notification Portal developed with the aim to 
facilitate Members' drafting and submission of N2 and N3 n otifications and building of the Impor t 
Licensing database. A pilot version of the Import Licensing Notification Portal was made available by 
the Secretariat for testing between 9 June 2023 and its launch. The Import Licensing Notification 
Portal  was launched and  became operational as from the  Committee meeting of 31 October 2023.  
At the Committee Meeting held on 23 May 2023, the Committee approved the inclusion of specific 
trade concerns on import licensing into the WTO Trade Concerns Database , which was a ccordingly  
modified by  the Secretariat . 
12.  Between  October  2022 and October  2023, the Secretariat organized and participated to several 
virtual  and in -person  activit ies focusing on import licensing procedures and notification obligations . 
On 13 March 2023, the Secretariat delivered a presentation on Import Licensing notifications 
obligations to a meeting of the LDC Group. On 25 -27 October 2023, the Secretariat organised an 
Import Licensing and Notifications workshop for capital -based offici als from developing and least -
developed WTO country Members in Geneva. Upon the request of Ecuador , a Member specific 
technical assistance workshop on import licensing and notifications was held in a virtual format in 
September  2023. On-line presentations and interactive workshops were delivered to government 
officials as part of the RTPCs for  Latin America, the Caribbean and French -speaking Africa  (in English , 
French, and Spanish ). In addition, training sessions on import licensing were also presented duri ng 
the Advanced Trade Policy Course (ATPC) in Geneva in 202 3. 
_______________  G/LIC/W/60  
 
- 4 - 
 
  ANNEX I: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED DURING THE REPORT PERIOD PURSUANT TO 
ARTICLE 1.4(A) AND/OR 8.2(B), ARTICLE 5.1 -5.4 OF THE AGREEMENT1
 
FROM 8 OCTOBER  2022 – 31 OCTOBER  2023  
MEMBER  DOCUMENT  DATE OF ISSUANCE OF THE 
DOCUMENT  
Argentina  G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.14/Rev.1  
G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.15  17/10/2022  
16/12/2022  
Dominican Republic  G/LIC/N/2/DOM/2  
G/LIC/N/2/DOM/3  22/12/2022  
22/12/2022  
European Union  G/LIC/N/2/EU/19  
G/LIC/N/2/EU/20  
G/LIC/N/2/EU/21  
G/LIC/N/2/EU/22  
G/LIC/N/2/EU/23  
G/LIC/N/2/EU/24  
G/LIC/N/2/EU/25  30/11/2022  
30/11/2022  
30/11/2022  
11/05/2023  
11/05/2023  
26/09/2023  
26/09/2023  
Hong Kong, China  G/LIC/N/2/HKG/22  
G/LIC/N/2/HKG/23  
G/LIC/N/2/HGK/24  01/06/2023  
01/06/2023  
06/07/2023  
Korea, Republic of  G/LIC/N/2/KOR/49  
G/LIC/N/2/KOR/50  
G/LIC/N/2/KOR/51  
G/LIC/N/2/KOR/52  
G/LIC/N/2/KOR/53  
G/LIC/N/2/KOR/54  
G/LIC/N/2/KOR/55  13/10/2022  
13/10/2022  
13/10/2022  
13/10/2022  
13/10/2022  
13/10/2022  
13/10/2022  
Kyrgyz Republic  G/LIC/N/2/KGZ/1  
G/LIC/N/2/KGZ/2  
G/LIC/N/2/KGZ/3  
G/LIC/N/2/KGZ/4  
G/LIC/N/2/KGZ/5  
G/LIC/N/2/KGZ/6  
G/LIC/N/2/KGZ/7  17/04/2023  
17/04/2023  
17/04/2023  
17/04/2023  
17/04/2023  
17/04/2023  
17/04/2023  
Macao, China  G/LIC/N/2/MAC/4  
G/LIC/N/2/MAC/5  
G/LIC/N/2/MAC/6  
G/LIC/N/2/MAC/7  
G/LIC/N/2/MAC/8  09/11/2022  
09/11/2022  
09/11/2022  
31/03/2023  
31/03/2023  
Myanmar  G/LIC/N/2/MMR/8  
G/LIC/N/2/MMR/8/Rev.1  
G/LIC/N/2/MMR/9  
G/LIC/N/2/MMR/10  
G/LIC/N/2/MMR/11  
G/LIC/N/2/MMR/12  
G/LIC/N/2/MMR/13  09/05/2023  
06/06/2023  
16/06/2023  
03/08/2023  
31/08/2023  
11/10/2023  
11/10/2023  
Philippines  G/LIC/N/2/PHL/141  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/142  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/143  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/144  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/145  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/146  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/147  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/148  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/149  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/150  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/151  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/152  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/153  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/154  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/155  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/156  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/157  19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
20/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
 
1 New notifications were received from [XXX]  after the agenda for the 31 October meeting had closed. 
These notifications were included in this report among the notifications submitted during the review period and 
they will be reviewed at the Committee's nex t meeting.  G/LIC/W/60  
 
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  MEMBER  DOCUMENT  DATE OF ISSUANCE OF THE 
DOCUMENT  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/158  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/159  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/160  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/161  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/162  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/163  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/164  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/165  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/166  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/167  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/168  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/169  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/170  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/171  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/172  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/173  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/174  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/175  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/176  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/177  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/178  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/179  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/180  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/181  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/182  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/183  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/184  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/185  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/186  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/187  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/188  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/189  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/190  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/191  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/192  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/193  19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
19/12/2022  
20/12/2022  
20/12/2022  
20/12/2022  
20/12/2022  
16/01/2023  
16/01/2023  
16/01/2023  
16/01/2023  
16/01/2023  
16/01/2023  
16/01/2023  
16/01/2023  
07/02/2023  
07/02/2023  
07/02/2023  
07/02/2023  
07/02/2023  
07/02/2023  
07/02/2023  
07/02/2023  
07/02/2023  
21/02/2023  
21/02/2023  
21/02/2023  
21/02/2023  
21/02/2023  
Switzerland -Liechtenstein  G/LIC/N/2/CHE/7  26/09/2023  
Thailand  G/LIC/N/2/THA/7  17/08/2023  
Chinese Taipei  G/LIC/N/2/TPKM/18  
G/LIC/N/2/TPKM/19  
G/LIC/N/2/TPKM/20  17/01/2023  
17/01/2023  
17/01/2023  
Ukraine  G/LIC/N/2/UKR/22  
G/LIC/N/2/UKR/23  
G/LIC/N/2/UKR/24  
G/LIC/N/2/UKR/25  28/10/2022  
28/10/2022  
31/01/2023  
 31/08/2023  G/LIC/W/60  
 
- 6 - 
 
  ANNEX  II: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED DURING THE REPORT PERIOD  
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE  7.3 OF THE AGREEMENT1 
FROM 8 OCTOBER  2022 – 31 OCTOBER  2023  
MEMBER  DOCUMENT  
(YEAR NOTIFIED FOR)  DATE OF ISSUANCE 
OF THE DOCUMENT  
Albania  G/LIC/N/3/ALB/12  2022 08/03/2023  
Australia  G/LIC/N/3/AUS/16  2023 05/10/2023  
Brazil  G/LIC/N/3/BRA/12  2023 21/09/2023  
Burkina Faso  G/LIC/N/3/BFA/7  
G/LIC/N/3/BFA/8  
G/LIC/N/3/BFA/9  2019 
2020 
2022 29/06/2023  
29/06/2023  
29/06/2023  
Canada  G/LIC/N/3/CAN/21  
G/LIC/N/3/CAN/22  2022 
2023 08/03/2023  
22/09/2023  
Colombia  G/LIC/N/3/COL/16  2022 05/04/2023  
Costa Rica  G/LIC/N/3/CRI/19  2022 13/01/2023  
El Salvador  G/LIC/N/3/SLV/5  2020, 2021 09/12/2022  
European Union  G/LIC/N/3/EU/12  2023 02/10/2023  
The Gambia  G/LIC/N/3/GMB/5  2023 08/02/2023  
Honduras  G/LIC/N/3/HND/14  2023 03/04/2023  
Hong Kong, China  G/LIC/N/3/HKG/27  2023 05/10/2023  
India G/LIC/N/3/IND/22  
G/LIC/N/3/IND/23  2022 
2023 30/11/2022  
11/10/2023  
Israel  G/LIC/N/3/ISR/6  
G/LIC/N/3/ISR/7  2022 
2023 16/06/2023  
02/10/2023  
Japan  G/LIC/N/3/JPN/21  
G/LIC/N/3/JPN/22  2022 
2023 13/01/2023  
04/09/2023  
Kazakhstan  G/LIC/N/3/KAZ/7  2023 06/07/2023  
Korea, Republic of  G/LIC/N/3/KOR/15  
G/LIC/N/3/KOR/16  2022 
2023 11/10/2022  
22/09/2023  
Kyrgyz Republic  G/LIC/N/3/KGZ/3  
G/LIC/N/3/KGZ/3/Corr.1  2022 
2022 02/02/2023  
17/04/2023  
Macao, China  G/LIC/N/3/MAC/26  2023 31/08/2023  
Mauritius  G/LIC/N/3/MUS/12  2022 10/02/2023  
Myanmar  G/LIC/N/3/MMR/1  2023 04/10/2023  
New Zealand  G/LIC/N/3/NZL/9  
G/LIC/N/3/NZL/10  2022 
2023 09/11/2022  
05/10/2023  
Nicaragua  G/LIC/N/3/NIC/15  2023 05/10/2023  
Panama  G/LIC/N/3/PAN/14  2023 25/05/2023  
Philippines  G/LIC/N/3/PHL/15  
G/LIC/N/3/PHL/15/Rev.1  2022 
2022 18/11/2022  
21/02/2023  
Singapore  G/LIC/N/3/SGP/18  
G/LIC/N/3/SGP/19  2022 
2023 10/02/2023  
11/10/2023  
Switzerland -Liechtenstein  G/LIC/N/3/CHE/19  2023 26/09/2023  
Chinese Taipei  G/LIC/N/3/TPKM/13  
G/LIC/N/3/TPKM/14  2022 
2023 11/10/2022  
19/10/2023  
Tunisia  G/LIC/N/3/TUN/7  2022 19/12/2022  
Türkiye  G/LIC/N/3/TUR/20  2023 05/10/2023  
Ukraine  G/LIC/N/3/UKR/16  2023 04/09/2023  
United Kingdom  G/LIC/N/3/ GBR/3 2023 17/10/2023  
United States  G/LIC/N/3/USA/20  2023 06/10/2023  
Uruguay  G/LIC/N/3/URY/16  2022 29/03/2023  
 
_________  
 
1 New notifications were received from  [XXX]  after the agenda for the 31 October meeting had closed. 
These notifications were included in this report among the notifications submitted during the review period and 
they will be reviewed at the Com mittee's next meeting.  