WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/CIV/1
8 February 2002
(02-0647)
Committee on Importing Licensing Original:  French
REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures1
COTE D'IVOIRE
The following communication, dated 10 January 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Côte d'Ivoire.
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Outline of system
1. The import licensing regime is laid down by Decree No. 93-313 of 11 March 1993, and
Regulation No. 0038 of 12 March 1993 implementing Decree No. 93-313 of 11 March 1993
establishing the list of goods subject to import licensing.2  The licensing system is administered by the
Department of Trade.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. Imports of freely importable goods are subject to automatic licensing; imports of petroleum
products and cotton fabrics included in the annex to this notification, are subject to non-automatic
licensing.
3. The licensing regime is applicable to products originating in or coming from any country.
4. Automatic import licensing is used for statistical purposes. Non-automatic import licensing is
used to administer the import restrictions maintained under Decree No. 93-313 of 11 March 1993.
5. The licensing system is not statutorily required. The system may be suspended when such
action is deemed appropriate. The action in question is published in the Official Gazette.
Procedures
6. For products under restriction:
I. Information on quotas, procedures for filing licence applications, exceptions and waivers is
published in the Official Gazette.
II. Quotas are set for the year.
                                                     
1 The questionnaire is contained in the annex to document G/LIC/3.
2 Available for consultation in the Secretariat (Market Access Division) (French only).G/LIC/N/3/CIV/1
Page 2
III. Licences are issued to importers regardless of whether they are producers of like products.
Under the regulations, licence-holders are required to use a specific percentage of the licences
allocated to them, and to surrender the unused remainder thereof, which is then reassigned to other
eligible importers. The unused remainder of allocations is not added to the quotas for the succeedingyear. The list of importers to whom licences have been  issued is not published in the Official Journal.
IV. From the time of announcing the opening of quotas, a period of at least 30 (thirty) days is
allowed for the submission of applications for licences.
V. Licence applications are processed within a period of 2-3 weeks.
VI. Import licences are granted at least 30 days prior to the date of opening of the period of
importation.
VII. Licence applications are processed by a single administrative entity. (Ministry of Trade –
Directorate of Foreign Trade).
VIII. Licences are issued primarily on the basis of import history. A portion of the quota is
allocated to new importers. Import licence applications are examined as and when they are received.
IX. There are no bilateral quotas or export restraint arrangements. Export permits issued by the
exporting countries are not required.
X. Export permits issued by the exporting countries are not required.XI. Licences are not issued on condition that goods should be exported and not sold in the
domestic market.
7. When there is no quantitative limit on importation of a product or imports from a particular
country:
(a) The licence application must be filed at least one week before the import operation is
to take place. Licences can be obtained within a shorter time-limit, or for goodsarriving at the border without a licence.
(b) Under certain circumstances, a licence may be issued immediately upon request.
(c) There are no limitations as to the period of the year during which licence applications
and/or importation may be made.
(d) In connection with import licence applications, importers approach a single
administrative entity.
8. None. The reasons for refusal are given to the ap plicant in writing. In the event of refusal to
issue a licence, the applicant has the right to appeal to the Directorate of Foreign Trade.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. All persons, firms and or institutions are eligible to apply for licences.G/LIC/N/3/CIV/1
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Documentational and other requirements for application for licence
10. A sample application form is available for reference in the Secretariat. Importers are required
to submit the following documents with their applic ation: pro forma invoice, and samples for textile
products containing over 90 per cent cotton.
11. Upon actual importation, the importer is required to present the approved import licence or a
copy thereof.
12. No licence fee or administrative charge is collected.
13. Issue of the licence is not conditional on payment of a deposit or an advance.
Conditions of licensing
14. The period of validity of a licence is one year reckoned as from its date of issue. The term of
the licence may be extended at the applicant's request.
15. There is no penalty for non-utilization of all or part of a licence.16. Licences are not transferable between importers.17. No conditions are attached to the issue of a licence. (Possession of importer code).18. Import operations are not subject to any other administrative procedure, apart from licensing
procedures: the requirement to hold an importer/exporter code issued by the Directorate of ForeignTrade.
19. Foreign exchange is automatically provided by the banking authorities for goods to be
imported.G/LIC/N/3/CIV/1
Page 4LIST OF GOODS COVERED BY IMPORT RESTRAINT ARRANGEMENTS
I.   Petroleum products
ECOWAS HEADING WAEMU HEADING DESCRIPTION
270900 2709000000 W Crude petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous materials
271010 2710001000 V Partly refined petroleum oils, including topped crudes
271021 2710002100 A White Spirit
271029 2710002900 D Other special spirits
271031 2710003100 N Aviation spirit
271032 2710003200 J Premium grade petrol
271033 2710003300 V Regular motor spirit
271039 2710003900 M Other light oils
271041 2710004100 L Jet fuel
271042 2710004200 C Kerosene
271049 2710004900 Z Other medium oils
271050 2710005010 P Distillate diesel-oil (DDO), imported
271051 2710005100 W Gas oils
271052 2710005200 D Domestic fuel oils
271053 2710005300 B Light fuel oils
271054 2710005400 N Heavy oils
271055 2710005500 J Heavy oils IIG/LIC/N/3/CIV/1
Page 5II.      Cotton fabrics
ECOWAS HEADING WAEMU HEADING DESCRIPTION
5208110000 L Plain-woven unbleached fabrics of cotton weighing not more than 100 g/m2 550902
5208120000 Z Plain-woven unbleached fabrics of cotton weighing more than 100 g/m2
550924 5208230000 T Bleached dimity, damask cloth, and the like
550941 5208391000 T Dyed dimity, damask cloth, and the like
550946 5212230000 H Other dyed fabrics of cotton weighing more than 200g/m2
5208511000 F Plain-woven wax-printed fabrics of cott on, containing at least 85% by weight
of cotton and weighing more than 100g/m2550951
5209511000 A Plain-woven wax-printed fabrics of cotton, containing at least 85% by weight
of cotton and weighing more than 200g/m2
550953 5212150000 B Other printed fabrics of cotton, weighing not more than 200g/m2
550954 5212250000 L Other printed fabrics of cotton, weighing more than 200g/m2
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