WORLD TRADE G/LIC/N/3/MAR/1
7August 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-3140)
Original: French Committee onImport Licensing Procedures
REPLIES TOQUESTIONNAIRE ONIMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 7.3OFTHE AGREEMENT
ONIMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
MOROCCO
Thefollowing notification, dated 3July1996, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent Mission
ofMorocco.
_______________
Outline ofsystems
1. Import regime
Except forcertain products subject toimport licensing (explosives, retreaded tyres, worn
clothing), allproducts arefreely importable.
Importsrequireanimportindenture("engagementd'importation")(fivecopies)whichisarranged
directly withanapproved bankselected bytheimporter. Itisvalid forsixmonths from thedateof
signature.
However, goods imported under thespecial regimes provided forinChapter 1ofTitleVIof
theCustoms andExcise Code donotrequire animport indenture. These aregoods which maybe
imported freeofimport duties andtaxes, suchasshipments toambassadors anddiplomatic andconsular
services, exceptional shipments ofnocommercial value andgoods returning tothenational territory
which areofMoroccan origin orhavealready beencleared forhome use.
Animportlicenceisrequiredforimportssubjecttoquantitativerestrictionstobeclearedthrough
customs. Thelicence isissued bytheMinistry ofForeign Trade afterconsultation withtheMinistry
concerned. Thedecision togrant orrefuse thelicence isnotified totheapplicant bytheMinistry of
Foreign Trade within 30daysfromthedateofapplication. Sixcopies ofthelicence areestablished.
Licences arevalid foramaximum ofsixmonths from thedateofissue bytheMinistry ofForeign
Trade.
Thelicences must beaccompanied byfivecopies oftheproforma invoices. Theinvoices
muststate, asaminimum, theex-factory unitprice, thequantity expressed inappropriate unitsofand
thetrade description oftheimported goods.G/LIC/N/3/MAR/1
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Purposes andcoverage oflicensing
2. Licensing system: Inaccordance withtheprovisions ofArticle 17ofLawNo.13-89 onforeign
trade, thefollowing aresubject toimport licensing: goods which arethesubject ofquantitative
restrictions withaviewtosafeguarding public morals, safety, health, lawandorder. Licences allow
customs clearance ofthegoods andfinancial settlement oftheimports concerned. Import licences
areissued bytheMinistry ofForeign Trade afterconsultation withtheministries concerned. They
arevalid foramaximum ofsixmonths from theirdateofissue.
Products covered: Since thepublication oftheOrder oftheMinister forForeign Trade, Foreign
Investment andHandicrafts No.1308-94 (Bulletin Officiel 4262 of6July1994), asamended and
completed inparticular byOrder No.971-96 of15May1996(Bulletin Officiel 4378of16May1996),
onlyalimited listofproducts hasbeensubject toquantitative restrictions, including explosives, worn
clothing andusedandretreaded tyres. These products remain subject toimport licensing forsafety
andhealth reasons, inaccordance withArticle 1ofLawNo.13-89 onforeign tradeandtheprovisions
ofArticles XXandXXIofGATT 1994.
Adetailed listofthegoods subject toimport licensing isannexed (Annex A).
3. Licences arerequired forimports fromallsources andanynatural orlegalperson dealing in
imports isfreetochoose thecountry oforigin.
4. Theimport licensing regime isapplied forsafety andhealth reasons anditsobjective isnot
inanywaytorestrict thequantity orvalue ofimports.
5. LawNo.13-89 (Title III,Article 17)andtheOrder oftheMinister forForeign Trade, Foreign
Investment andHandicrafts No.1308-94.
Pursuant tothelaw,thepublic authorities areempowered todetermine theproducts subject
toimport licensing (Title I,Article 1,ofDecree 2-93-415, implementing LawNo.13-89).
TheGovernment mayamend theimport regime without having toobtain theagreement ofthe
Legislative butmust respect theprinciples laiddown inLawNo.13-89 onforeign trade.
Procedures
6. Import licences forproducts subject toquantitative restrictions areissued astheapplications
arelodged, onanon-discriminatory basis andwithcomplete transparency, inaccordance withthe
principles oftheWTO Agreement onImport Licensing Procedures andastheyareapplied forhealth
andsafety reasons theydonotinanywayrestrict thevalue orquantity ofimports.
Licences fortheimport ofworn clothing orusedorretreaded tyres, however, arenotgranted
forhealth andsafety reasons.
7. Themaximum time-limit forissuing import licences is30daysfrom thedateoflodging the
application.
However, notime-limit hasbeenfixedforlodging licence applications andanynatural orlegal
person mayapply foralicence atanytime.
Licence applications areconsidered bytheMinistry ofForeign Trade afterconsultation with
theministries concerned.G/LIC/N/3/MAR/1
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8. Thereasonsforrefusalofanimportlicencearecommunicatedtotheapplicantwithinamaximum
period of30daysfrom thedateofapplication. Importers mayresubmit licence applications.
Eligibility ofimporters toapply forlicence
9. Anynatural orlegalperson lawfully resident inMorocco mayapply foranimport licence.
Documentational andother requirements forapplication forlicence
10. SeetheAnnexes toOrder No.1518-94 fixing theprocedures forobtaining import licences.
11. Theforms forimport licences mustbeaccompanied byfivecopies oftheproforma invoices.
Theinvoices muststate, asaminimum, theex-factory unitprice, thequantity expressed inappropriate
units andthetrade description oftheimported goods.
12. No.
13. No.
Conditions oflicensing
14. Import licences areissued bytheMinistry ofForeign Trade afterconsultation withtheministries
concerned. They arevalid foramaximum ofsixmonths from theirdateofissue.
15. No.
16. No.
17. Noconditions other thanthose provided forinLawNo.13-89 onforeign trade andits
implementing textsareattached totheissue ofalicence.
Other procedural requirements
18. No.
19. Yes.G/LIC/N/3/MAR/1
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ANNEX A
ListofProducts Subject toImport Licensing
Tariff heading Commodity
Chapter 36 Powders andexplosives
40.12 Retreaded pneumatic tyres; usedpneumatic
tyres
63.09.00 Worn clothing
Source: Ministry ofForeign Trade.