RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/W/13
21 September 2000
(00-3785)
DRAFT
REPORT (2000) OF THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORT LICENSING
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS
1. The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (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 (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 are invited to attend meetings of the
Committee in an observer capacity.
4. The Committee held [two] meetings on 11 April [and 11 October] 2000 (G/LIC/M/11 and
[12]).  [The Committee at its meeting in October 2000 elected […] as Chairman and […] as Vice-
Chairperson for 2000.  Pursuant to the Committee's Rules of Procedure (G/L/147), 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.  Since the entry into
force of the WTO Agreement, 65 Members (the European Communities and its member States
counted as one) have notified their legislation and/or publications under these provisions.  During the
period covered by this report, the Committee received notifications from the following ten Members:
Bangladesh, Chad, the Czech Republic, Estonia, the European Communities, Guatemala, Hungary,the Kyrgyz Republic, Madagascar and Singapore. These notifications may be found in 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, 65 Members (the European Communities and its member States counted as one) havemade notifications under this provision.  This includes replies to the Questionnaire from 11 Members
in 1995,  22 Members in 1996, 25 Members in 1997, 25 Members in 1998, 20 Members in 1999 and
15 Members in 2000.  During the period covered by this report, the Committee received notifications
from Canada, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Chad, Gu atemala, Haiti, Hungary, Iceland, Jamaica, the
                                                     
1 Annexed to document G/LIC/3.G/LIC/W/13
Page 2
Kyrgyz Republic, Malta, Namibia, Norway, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates.  These
notifications may be found in document series G/LIC/N/3/-.
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 Singapore and
Venezuela.  These notifications may be  found in document series G/LIC/N/2/-.
8. At the meeting on 11 April 1999, the European Communities reiterated their concerns
regarding the compatibility with the Agreement of certain modifications introduced by Brazil in
August 1998 to its non-automatic import licensing system which had still not been notified to the
Committee (G/LIC/M/11, paragraph 2).
9. [At its meeting on 11 October 2000, the Committee conducted its third biennial review of the
implementation and operation of the Agreement under Article 7.1 on the basis of a factual reportprepared by the Secretariat (G/LIC/W/14).  It also addressed the situation with respect to the
compliance of Members with the transparency oblig ations of the Agreement and how this situation
could be improved (G/LIC/M/12).]
10. 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 by only about
58 per cent of the WTO Members.  The Annex reflects the current status of notifications.  In light of
this situation, the Chairperson, recognizing the importance of notifications for the effective
implementation and functioning of the Agreement, urged Members to fulfil their notificationobligations.
[To be completed following the meeting of the Committee on 11 October 2000.]G/LIC/W/13
Page 3
ANNEX
Notifications
Member Footnote 5 to
Article 2.2 Two-
year delayed
application
(date of WTO
Membership)Articles 1.4.(a)/8.2.(b)
Publications/legislation – First
notification upon WTO
Membership, ad hoc thereafter
(date of latest communication)Article 7.3
Replies to Questionnaire -
Annual
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
Albania Not notified Not notified
Angola Not notified Not notified
Antigua & Barbuda Not notified Not notified
Argentina G/LIC/N/1/ARG/1-2
(19.12.97)G/LIC/N/3/ARG/1 + Corr.1
& ARG/2 (19.12.97)G/LIC/N/2/ARG/1-6 +
ARG/2/Rev.1 (26.11.99)
Australia G/LIC/N/1/AUS/1 & Add.1
(28.4.97)G/LIC/N/3/AUS/1 & Rev.1
(28.4.97)
Bahrain G/LIC/N/1/BHR/1 (27. 5.97) G/IC/N/3/BHR/1 (5.9.00)
Bangladesh G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/BGD/1 (31.3.00) G/LIC/N/3/BGD/1 (31.3.00)
Barbados G/LIC/N/1/BRB/1 (4.10.96) G/LIC/N/3/BRB/1 (15.9.95)
Belize Not notified Not notified
Benin G/LIC/N/1/BEN/1 (18.12.96) Not notified
Bolivia G/LIC/1/Add.2
(13.9.95)G/LIC/N/1/BOL/1 (29.5.97) G/LIC/N/3/BOL/1-2 +
Corr.1, BOL/3 (20.6.00)
Botswana Not notified Not notified
Brazil G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/BRA/1 (24.4. 98) G/LIC/N/3/BRA/1 (24.4.98) G/LIC/N/2/BRA/1
(24.4.98)
Brunei Darussalam Not notifie d G/LIC/N/3/BRN/1 (4.3.97)
Bulgaria G/LIC/N/1/BGR/1 (20.3.97) G/LIC/N/3/BGR/1 (20.3.97)
Burkina Faso G/LIC/1/Add.1
(3.6.95)G/LIC/N/1/BFA/1 (8.1.97) G/LIC/N/3/BFA/1 (8.1.97)
Burundi Not notified Not notified
Cameroon G/LIC/1/Add.3
(13.12.95)Not notified Not notified
Canada G/LIC/N/1/CAN/1 (29.1.96) G/LIC/N/3/CAN/1-3
(2.9.99)
Central African Rep. Not notified Not notified
Chad G/LIC/N/1/TCD/1-2 (18.7.00) G/LIC/N/3/TCD/1 (18.7.00)
Chile G/LIC/N/1/CHL/1 (16.7.96) G/LIC/N/3/CHL/1 &
Adds.1-2 (3.2.99)
Colombia G/LIC/1 (30.4.95) G/LIC/N/1/COL/1 (12.1.96) G/LIC/N/3/COL/1 & Add.1
(2.11.96)
Congo Not notified Not notified
Congo, Dem. Rep.
ofNot notified Not notified
Costa Rica G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/CRI/1 (21.11.95) G/LIC/N/3/CRI/1-2 (7.5.98)
Côte d'Ivoire G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Cuba G/LIC/N/1/CUB/1 (11.1.96) Not notified
Cyprus G/LIC/N/1/CYP/1 (30.5.96) G/LIC/N/3/CYP/1+ Rev.1 &
CYP/2 (28.8.98)
Czech Republic G/LIC/N/1/CZE/1 + Add.1
(24.1.00)Not notified
Djibouti Not notified Not notified
Dominica Not notified Not notified
Dominican Rep. G/LIC/1/Add.2
(9.3.95)Not notified Not notified
Ecuador Not notified G/LIC/N/3/ECU/1 (1.8.95)
Egypt Not notified Not notified
El Salvador G/LIC/1 (7.5.95) Not notified Not notified
Estonia G/LIC/N/1/EST/1 + Add.1
(10..5.00)Not notifiedG/LIC/W/13
Page 4
Member Footnote 5 to
Article 2.2 Two-
year delayed
application
(date of WTO
Membership)Articles 1.4.(a)/8.2.(b)
Publications/legislation – First
notification upon WTO
Membership, ad hoc thereafter
(date of latest communication)Article 7.3
Replies to Questionnaire -
Annual
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
EuropeanCommunitiesG/LIC/N/1/EEC/1/Rev.2
&Adds.1-2 & EEC/2 +Adds.1-2  (10.1.00)G/LIC/N/3/EEC/1 + Add.1
& EEC/2 + Adds.1-27(28.9.99)G/LIC/N/2/EEC/1-2
(4.7.97)
Fiji G/LIC/N/1/FJI/1 (30.7.97) G/LIC/N/3/FJI/1 (1.4.97)
Gabon G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Gambia Not notified G/LIC/N/3/GMB/1
(31.10.97)
Georgia Not notified Not notified
Ghana Not notified G/LIC/N/3/GHA/1 (28.4.99)
Grenada Not notified Not notified
Guatemala G/LIC/1/Add.1
(21.7.95)G/LIC/N/1/GTM/1-2 (20.1.00) G/LIC/N/3/GTM/1 (20.1.00)
Guinea Not notified Not notified
Guinea Bissau Not notified Not notified
Guyana Not notified Not notified
Haiti G/LIC/N/1/HTI/1 (8.10.99) G/LIC/N/3/HTI/1-2
(27.4.00)
Honduras G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/HND/1 (31.10.96) Not notified
Hong Kong, China G/LIC/N /1/HKG/1-4 (20.4.98) G/LIC/N/3/HKG/1 + Rev.1-
2, HKG/2-3+Corr.1
(30.9.99)G/LIC/N/2/HKG/1-2
(27.1.98)
Hungary G/LIC/N/1/HUN/1-3 (7.3.00) G/LIC/N/3/HUN/1-3
(7.3.00)G/LIC/N/2/HUN/1
(19.1.98)
Iceland G/LIC/N/1/ISL/1 (8.1.99) G/LIC/N/3/ISL/1-2 (5.6.00)
India G/LIC/N/1/IND/1/Rev.1 +
IND/2 (6.9.99)G/LIC/N/3/IND/1-3
(14.10.99)G/LIC/N/2/IND/1-2
(6.9.99)
Indonesia G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/IDN/1 (27.10.98) G/LIC/N/3/IDN/1 (27.10.98)
Israel Not notified Not notified
Jamaica G/LIC/N/1/JAM/1 (1.7.96) G/LIC/N/3/JAM/1 + Add.1
(14.3.00)
Japan G/LIC/N/1/JPN/1 &
JPN/2/Rev.1 (7.1.97)G/LIC/N/3/JPN/1 + Corr.1
(2.4.98)G/LIC/N/2/JPN/1-2
(18.8.98)
Jordan Not notified Not notified
Kenya G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/3/KEN/1 (10.11.97) G/LIC/N/3/KEN/1
(10.11.97)
Korea G/LIC/N/1/KOR/1-3 (3 .4.98) G/LIC/N/3/KOR/1-2
(6.4.98)
Kuwait Not notified Not notified
Kyrgyz Republic G/LIC/N/1/KGZ/1 (6 .1.00) G/LIC/N/3/KGZ/1 (11.4.00)
Latvia G/LIC/N/1/LVA/1 (18.5.99) G/LIC/N/3/LVA/1 (18.5.99)
Lesotho Not notified Not notified
Liechtenstein G/LIC/N/1/LIE/1 (18.4.97) G/LIC/N/3/LIE/1 + Add.1
(9.11.98)G/LIC/N/2/LIE/1
(18.4.97)
Macau, China Not notified G/LIC/N/3/MAC/1-2
(16.11.99)
Madagascar G/LIC/N/1/MDG/1-2
(31.3.00)Not notified
Malawi G/LIC/N/1/MWI/1 (10.5.99) G/LIC/N/3/MWI/1 (10.5.99)
Malaysia G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified G/LIC /N/3/MYS/1 (4.12.97) G/LIC/N/2/MYS/1-2
(21.7.99)
Maldives Not notified Not notified
Mali Not notified G/LIC/N/3/MLI/1 (9.5.97)
Malta G/LIC/N/1/MLT/1 (29.5.96) G/LIC/N/3/MLT/1-2 +
MLT/2/Corr.1 + Add.1
(6.6.00)
Mauritania Not notified Not notifiedG/LIC/W/13
Page 5
Member Footnote 5 to
Article 2.2 Two-
year delayed
application
(date of WTO
Membership)Articles 1.4.(a)/8.2.(b)
Publications/legislation – First
notification upon WTO
Membership, ad hoc thereafter
(date of latest communication)Article 7.3
Replies to Questionnaire -
Annual
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
Mauritius G/LIC/N/1/MUS/1 &
Adds.1-3  (4.5.98)G/LIC/N/3/MUS/1 (2.11.95)
Mexico Not notified Not notified G/LIC/N/2/MEX/1
(16.10.98)
Mongolia Not notified Not notified
Morocco G/LIC/N/1/MAR/1 (3.7.96) G/LIC/N/3/MAR/1-2 +
MAR/2/Add.1 (18.2.99)
Mozambique Not notified Not notified
Myanmar G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Namibia Not notified G/LIC/N/3/NAM/1-3
(30.3.00)
New Zealand G/LIC/N/1/NZL/1 (2.8.96) G/LIC/N/3/NZL/1 + Add.1
(24.3.98)
Nicaragua G/LIC/N/1/NIC/1 (18.7.96) Not notified
Niger G/LIC/N/1/NER/1 (10.12.97) Not notified
Nigeria G/LIC/N/1/NGA/1 (16.2.98) G/LIC/N/3/NGA/1-2
(16.2.98)G/LIC/N/2/NGA/1-2
(16.2.98)
Norway G/LIC/N/1/NOR/1-2 (3.11.97) G/LIC/N/3/NOR/1 + Corr.1
& NOR/2 + Adds.1-2(7.4.00)
Pakistan G/LIC/N/1/PAK/1 (6.5.96) Not notified G/LIC/N/2/PAK/1
(6.5.96)
Panama G/LIC/N/1/PAN/1-2
(19.10.98)G/LIC/N/3/PAN/1 (22.1.99) G/LIC/N/2/PAN/1
(21.7.98)
Papua New Guinea Not notified Not notified G/LIC/N/2/PNG/1
(6.2.98)
Paraguay Not notified Not notified
Peru G/LIC/N/1/PER/1 (13.2.96) G/LIC/N/3/PER/1-2 +
Add. 1 (4.10.99)
Philippines G/LIC/N/1/PHL/1 (6.4.98) G/LIC/N/3/PHL/1-3 +
PHL/3/Corr.1 (11.1.00)
Poland Not notified G/LIC/N/3/POL/1 (7.10.97)
Qatar G/LIC/N/1/QAT/1 (24.3.98) G/LIC/N/3/QAT/1 (24.3.98)
Romania G/LIC/N/1/ROM/1-2 (1.3.99) G/LIC/N/3/ROM/1-2
(6.7.99)G/LIC/N/2/ROM/1-2
(6.7.99)
Rwanda Not notified Not notified
St. Kitts & Nevis G/LIC/N/1/K NA/1 (17.7.98) Not notified
St. Lucia Not notified Not notified
St. Vincent &
GrenadinesNot notified Not notified
Senegal Not notified G/LIC/N/3/SEN/1 (20.1.97)
Sierra Leone Not notified Not notified
Singapore G/LIC/N/1/SGP/1-3 (23.2.00) G/LIC/N/3/SGP/1-2
(17.11.97)G/LIC/N/2/SGP/1
(2.11.98)
Slovak Republic Not notified Not notified
Slovenia G/LIC/N/1/SVN/1 (27.11.96) G/LIC/N/3/SVN/1 (6.6.97)
Solomon Islands Not notified Not notified
South Africa Not notified G/LIC/N/3/ZAF/1-2
(20.9.99)G/LIC/N/2/ZAF/1
(9.7.97)
Sri Lanka G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Suriname Not notified Not notified
Swaziland G/LIC/N/1/SWZ/1 (19.8.96) Not notified
Switzerland G/LIC/N/1/CHE/1 (14.4.97) G/LIC/N/3/CHE/1-2
(28.10.98)G/LIC/N/2/CHE/1
(14.4.97)
Tanzania Not notified Not notified
Thailand G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notifiedG/LIC/W/13
Page 6
Member Footnote 5 to
Article 2.2 Two-
year delayed
application
(date of WTO
Membership)Articles 1.4.(a)/8.2.(b)
Publications/legislation – First
notification upon WTO
Membership, ad hoc thereafter
(date of latest communication)Article 7.3
Replies to Questionnaire -
Annual
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
Togo Not notified Not notified
Trinidad & Tobago G/LIC/N/1/TTO/1 (28.10.98) G/LIC/N/3/TTO/1-2
(28.10.98)
Tunisia G/LIC/1 (29.3.95) G/LIC/N/1/TUN/1 +  Add.1
(21.1.99)G/LIC/N/3/TUN/1-3
(23.11.99)
Turkey G/LIC/1 (26.3.95) G/LIC/N/1/TUR/1,
TUR/2/Rev.1 & TUR/3(29.6.99)G/LIC/N/3/TUR/1-2 +
TUR/2/Corr.1 & TUR/3(29.6.99)
Uganda G/LIC/N/1/UGA/1 (16.8.96) G/LIC/N/3/UGA/1 (17.6.97)
United ArabEmiratesG/LIC/1/Add.3
(10.4.96)G/LIC/N/1/ARE/1 (19.3.97) G/LIC/N/3/ARE/1 (11.4.00)
United States G/LIC/N/1/USA/1 & Rev.1
(1.10.96)G/LIC/N/3/USA/1-2
(1.10.98)
Uruguay G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/URY/1 (4.9.96) G/LIC/N/3/URY/1 + Add.1
(27.1.99)
Venezuela G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not no tified Not notified G/LIC/N/2/VEN/1
(28.2.00)
Zambia Not notified Not notified
Zimbabwe G/LIC/N/1/ZWE/1-2 (21.9.98) G/LIC/N/3/ZWE/1 (21.9.98)
TOTAL
MEMBERS = 123224 652652192
__________
                                                     
2 The European Communities and its member States counted as one Member.