WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/493
12 October 2001
(01-5022)
REPORT (2001) 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 principalobjective 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 furtheranceof 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.  In addition,
representatives of the IMF, UNCTAD and the World Bank are invited to attend meetings of theCommittee in an observer capacity.
4. The Committee held two meetings on 4 April and 9 October 2001 (G/LIC/M/13 and 14).  The
Committee at its meeting in April elected Ms. Simone Rudder of Barbados as Chairperson and
Ms. Nancy Johnston of the United States as Vice-Chairperson for 2001.
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 submit copies of any relevant publications or laws and regulationsupon becoming a WTO Member.  Any subsequent changes to these laws, regulations and
administrative procedures are also required to be notified.  Since the entry into force of the WTO
Agreement, 72 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 dealt with notifications from the following 15 Members:  Burundi, Cameroon,Colombia, Czech Republic, Dominica, Gabon, Hungary, India, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Mali,
Mongolia, Oman, Switzerland, Turkey and Uruguay.  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, 74 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 Members
in 1995,  22 Members in 1996, 25 Members in 1997, 26 Members in 1998, 20 Members in 1999, 32
Members in 2000 and 21 Members in 2001.  During the period covered by this report, the Committee
dealt with notifications from the following 31 Members:  Antigua and Barbuda;  Burkina Faso;
                                                     
1 Annexed to document G/LIC/3.G/L/493
Page 2
Burundi;  Chad;  Colombia;  Costa Rica;  Czech Republic;  Dominica;  Estonia;  European
Communities;  Georgia;  Ghana;  Hong Kong, China;  Hungary;  India;  Jordan;  Liechtenstein;
Macao, China;  Mali;  Oman;  Philippines;  Ro mania;  Singapore;  South Africa; Switzerland;
Trinidad and Tobago;  Tunisia;  Turkey;  Uganda;  United States;  and Zimbabwe.  It also received
notifications for 2001 from Albania;  European Co mmunities;  Hong Kong, China;  and Philippines.
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 India, Japan,
Jordan, Liechtenstein, Poland, Switzerland and Venezuela.  These notifications may be found in
document series G/LIC/N/2/-.
8. The Committee has provided a regular forum for the discussion of specific notifications
submitted by Members.  As evident in the Annex of th is report, there is a lack of compliance with the
mandatory notification requirements under Articles 1.4(a), 8.2(b) and 7.3 and with the voluntary
notification requirement under Article 5.  This lack of compliance of Members with the transparency
obligations of the Agreement has been the main  preoccupation of the Committee for some time now.
9. At the 4 April meeting, the Committee continued its discussion on this issue with a view to
agreeing how to ensure full compliance of all Members.  The Chairman stated that in spite of
reminders and urging from the Committee, and periodic reminders from the Central Registry of
Notifications, the situation had not improved.  Forty-two Members in fact had not submitted any
notification at all since joining the WTO.  There existed a large gap between what was required by the
Agreement and the actual number of notifications received.  Several Members suggested possibleways of remedying the problem (G/LIC/M/13, paragra ph 2).  Following the above meeting, as a first
step, the Chairperson sent letters to all Members who had not notified at all to express the concerns of
the Committee and to urge them to undertake all necessa ry efforts with their authorities to fulfil their
notification obligations before the October 2001 meeting.  The Chairperson recalled that Members
which did not apply any import licensing procedures or had no laws or regulations relevant to theAgreement were also required to notify the Committee of this fact in order to obtain a complete
overview of the import licensing regimes of Members.  Relevant parts of the handbook on WTO
notification requirements, which gives a detailed explanation of the notification requirements as well
as examples of notifications, were also attached to these letters.  In addition, those who had
difficulties in notifying were requested to indica te how they thought the Secretariat could assist to
overcome those difficulties.  Of the 42 Members to whom the letters were addressed, only five,
namely, Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Cameroon, Gabon and Georgia, have submitted notificationsso far;  and no Member has indicated its difficulties in notifying or any technical assistance needs.
10. At the 9 October meeting, the Committee reviewed 25 notifications submitted under
Articles 1.4(a), 8.2(b), 5 and 7.3 of the Agreement.  In reviewing the notifications, the Chair recalled
the Understanding on Procedures for the Review of Notifications (G/LIC/4) agreed to at the fourthmeeting of the Committee.  The Chair also drew Members' attention to questions posed by delegations
concerning several notifications (G/LIC/Q/- series).  Noting that some of these questions had not been
replied to yet, the Committee agreed that the Secretariat would, as a monitoring activity, remind
delegations before each meeting of the outstanding replies to questions that had been posed.
11. At the same meeting, the Committee reiterated its concern about the paucity of notifications
and continued its discussion on steps that could be taken to improve the compliance of all Members
with the notification obligations of the Agreement.  With a view to improving the situation, it was
agreed that the Chair would despatch further reminders to those Members that had not responded to
the letters sent following the April meeting.  It was also agreed that letters would be addressed to all
other Members who had not yet submitted notifications under Articles 1.4(a) and 8.2(b), and to those
who had not submitted notifications since 1998 under Article 7.3.  In addition, the Committee decidedG/L/493
Page 3
that a specific deadline would be given for the receipt of these overdue notifications prior to its next
meeting, scheduled for early 2002.  The Chair was requested to conduct informal consultations, if
necessary, specifically on the issue of Members' technical assistance requirements.G/L/493
Page 4
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, by 30 September
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
Albania Not notified G/LIC/N/1/ALB/1 (24.9.01)
Angola Not notified Not notified
Antigua & Barbuda Not notified G/LIC/N/3/ATG/1 (13.5.01)
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 +
ARG/2/Rev.1-ARG/6
(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/LIC/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/Add.1
(24.11.00)
Burundi G/LIC/N/1/BUR/1 (3.4.01) G/LIC/N/3/BUR/1 (3.4.01)
Cameroon G/LIC/1/Add.3
(13.12.95)G/LIC/N/1/CMR/1 (13.7.01) 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/1-2
(13.6.01)
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 + Add.1
(4.12.00)G/LIC/N/3/COL/1 + Adds.1-
2 (4.12.00)
Congo Not notified Not notified
Congo, Dem Rep. of Not 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/1-3
(15.12.00)
Côte d'Ivoire G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Croatia 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-
CZE/2 (14.3.01)G/LIC/N/3/CZE/1 (27.3.01)
Djibouti Not notified Not notified
Dominica G/LIC/N/1/DMA/1 (8.2.01) G/LIC/N/3/DMA/1 (8.2.01)
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)G/L/493
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, by 30 September
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
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)G/LIC/N/3/EST/1 (5.10.00)
European
CommunitiesG/LIC/N/1/EEC/1/Rev.2 +
Adds.1-2EEC/2 + Add.1-2 (10.1.00)G/LIC/N/3/EEC/1 + Add.1
EEC/2 + Adds.1-27EEC/3 +Adds.1-26EEC/4 + Add.1 (7.10.01)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) G/LIC/N/1/GAB/1 (25.5.01) Not notified
Gambia Not notified G/LIC/N/3/GMB/1
(31.10.97)
Georgia Not notified G/LIC/N/3/GEO/1 (3.7.01)
Ghana Not notified G/LIC/N/3/GHA/1-2
(17.8.01)
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 -HKG/3+Corr.1HKG/4-5  (27.9.01)G/LIC/N/2/HKG/1-2
(27.1.98)
Hungary G/LIC/N/1/HUN/1-4 (8.3.01) G/LIC/N/3/HUN/1-3 +
HUN/3/Add.1 (8.3.01)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 -4 (27.9.01)G/LIC/N/3/IND/1-4
(24.10.00)G/LIC/N/2/IND/1-4
(27.9.01)
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
(14.3.2000)
Japan G/LIC/N/1/JPN/1-2/Rev.1
(7.1.97)G/LIC/N/3/JPN/1 + Corr.1
(2.4.98)G/LIC/N/2/JPN/1-3
(12.4.01)
Jordan G/LIC/N/1/JOR/1-2 (3.9.01) G/LIC/N/3/JOR/1 (2.10.00) G/LIC/N/2/JOR/1
(1.12.00)
Kenya G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) No t notified 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 -2
(17.10.00)G/LIC/N/3/LIE/1 + Add.1 -
LIE/3/Rev.1(23.3.01)G/LIC/N/2/LIE/1 -2
(17.10.00)
Lithuania Not notified Not notified
Macao, China Not notified G/LIC/N/3/MAC/1-3/Rev.1
(28.2.01)
Madagascar G/LIC/N/1/MDG/1-2
(31.3.2000)Not notified
Malawi G/LIC/N/1/MWI/1 (10.5.99) G/LIC/N/3/MWI/1 (10.5.99)G/L/493
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, by 30 September
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
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 G/LIC/N/1/MLI/1 (23.7.01) G/LIC/N/3/MLI/1-2
(23.7.01)
Malta G/LIC/N/1/MLT/1 (29.5.96) G/LIC/N/3/MLT/1-2 +Corr.1
& Add.1 (6.6.00)
Mauritania Not notified Not notified
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)
Moldova Not notified Not notified
Mongolia G/LIC/N/1/MNG/1 (24.4.01) Not notified
Morocco G/LIC/N/1/MAR/1 (3.7.96) G/LIC/N/3/MAR/1-2 +
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
(30.3.2000)
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)
Oman G/LIC/N/1/OMN/1 (9.1.01) G/LIC/N/3/OMN/1 (1.4.01)
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  +
Corr.1-PHL/4 (10.10.01)
Poland Not notified G/LIC/N/3/POL/1 (7.10.97) G/LIC/N/2/POL/1-5
(4.6.01)
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 +Add.1
(12.12.00)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
(23.02.2000)G/LIC/N/3/SGP/1-3
(13.10.00)G/LIC/N/2/SGP/1-2
(23.02.2000)
Slovak Republic Not notified Not notifiedG/L/493
Page 7
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, by 30 September
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
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/1-3 +
ZAF/3/Rev.1(14.8.01)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/1-2
(21.9.00)G/LIC/N/3/CHE/1-3+Add.1
(21.2.01)G/LIC/N/2/CHE/1-2
(21.9.00)
Tanzania Not notified Not notified
Thailand G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Togo Not notified Not notified
Trinidad & Tobago G/LIC/N/1/TTO/1 (28.10.98) G/LIC/N/3/TTO/1-3
(27.2.01)
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 +
Add.1 (11.12.00)
Turkey G/LIC/1 (26.3.95) G/LIC/N/1/TUR/1,
TUR/2/Rev.1-TUR/3 +Add.1
(3.7.01)G/LIC/N/3/TUR/1-2 +
Corr.1-TUR/4  + Corr.1
(3.7.01)
Uganda G/LIC/N/1/UGA/1 (16.8.96) G/LIC/N/3/UGA/1 + Add.1
(8.11.00)
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/1-3
(6.11.00)
Uruguay G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/URY/1 -3
(17.9.01)G/LIC/N/3/URY/1 + Add.1
(27.1.99)
Venezuela G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notif ied Not notified G/LIC/N/2/VEN/1-2
(14.2.01)
Zambia Not notified Not notified
Zimbabwe G/LIC/N/1/ZWE/1-2
(21.9.98)G/LIC/N/3/ZWE/1+Adds.1-
2 (15.2.01)
TOTALMEMBERS =127
224 722742212
__________
                                                     
2 The European Communities and its member States counted as one Member.