WORLD TRADE G/LIC/N/3/UGA/1
25June1997
ORGANIZATION(97-2617)
Original: English Committee onImport Licensing
REPLIES TOQUESTIONNAIRE ONIMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES1
Notification under Article 7.3ofthe
Agreement onImport Licensing Procedures
UGANDA
Thefollowing notification, dated 17June1997, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent Mission
ofUganda.
_______________
Outline ofsystem
1. Import licensing (orcertification) system isregulated bytheExternal Trade Act.Thelicensing
(certification) system isadministered bytheDirectorate ofForeign Trade intheMinistry ofTrade
andIndustry.
Purposes andcoverage oflicensing
2. Imports ofallcategories aresubject toautomatic licensing andonlythose ontheNegative List
ofBanned Imports aresubject tonon-automatic licensing. TheNegative ListofImports has11items
onlyandissubject toreview from timetotime.
3. Thecertification system applies togoods originating inandcoming from allcountries.
4. Automatic import licensing (certification) ismainly forstatistical andrecord purposes, handling
oftradeenquiries andguidance indecision-making. Non-automatic import licensing isforthepurpose
ofadministering import bansandrestrictions maintained pursuant tothestatutory instruments inforce.
5. Thelicensing system isoperated under theExternal Trade Actrequirements. Authority exists
tosuspend thesystem whenever itisdetermined thatsuchaction isappropriate. Notice ofsuchaction
hastobepublished intheGovernment Gazette.
Procedures
6. Forproducts under restriction/ban:
i. Wedonotoperate anyquota system, butcananytimeliftthebanontheitems inthe
Negative Listoncedeemed necessary.
1Annex todocument G/LIC/3.G/LIC/N/3/UGA/1
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ii. There arenoquota arrangements inthesystem.
iii. Licences areissued toimporters regardless ofwhether theyareproducers ofidentical
products. Once alicence hasbeenissued itcanbeusedforsixmonths foranyquantity
andfrom anycountry.
iv. Noquota system.
v. Applications forlicences (import certificates) areprocessed within 2-3hours ofa
working day.
vi. Import licences (certificates) aregranted immediately onfilling thesimple application
forms.
vii. Licence applications areconsidered byoneadministrative body (Ministry ofTrade
andIndustry).
viii. Licences foritems notontheNegative Listareissued automatically andarenotbased
onpastperformance.
ix. There arenobilateral quotas orexport restraint arrangements. Export permits from
exporting countries arenotrequired.
x. Nolicences areissued oncondition thatgoods should beexported andnotsoldinthe
domestic market.
7. Where thereisnoquantitative limitonimportation ofaproduct oronimports fromaparticular
country:
(a) Application foralicence canbemade anytimeduring aworking day.Licences canbeobtained
within ashorter time-limit (2-3hours) orforgoods arriving attheportofentrywithout alicence.
(b) Licences arealways granted immediately onrequest.
(c) There arenolimitations astotheperiod oftheyearduring which application forlicence and/or
importation maybemade.
(d) Animporter hastoapproach onlyoneadministrative organ inconnection withanapplication.
8. None. Thereasons foranyrefusal aregiven totheapplicant inwriting andnormally relate
tothegoods ontheNegative List.
Eligibility ofimporters toapply forlicence
9. Allpersons, firms andinstitutions areeligible toapply forlicences.
Documentational andother requirements forapplication forlicence
10. Asample application formisavailable forreference intheMinistry. Animporter isrequired
tosubmit thefollowing documents:
- Certificate ofRegistration orIncorporation ofthecompany/firm.
- Atrade licence (wholesale orretail).G/LIC/N/3/UGA/1
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11. Upon actual importation (inthecaseofanitemontheNegative List)animporter isrequired
tosubmit theapproved import licence oracopythereof.
12. There isalicensing feeoradministrative charge ofUSh1,500 perlicence (about US$1.25).
13. There isnodeposit oradvance payment requirement associated withtheissuance oflicences.
14. Alicence isvalid forsixmonths from thedateofissue andisautomatically extended fora
further sixmonths. Thereafter thevalidity canbeextended asandwhen theapplicant sowishes.
15. There isnopenalty forthenon-utilization ofalicence oraportion ofit.
16. Licences arenottransferable between importers.
17. There arenospecial conditions attached totheissuance ofalicence.
Other procedural requirements
18. There arenoother administrative procedures, apartfromimport licensing requirements prior
toimportation.
19. Foreign exchange isautomatically provided bythebanking authorities forgoods tobeimported,
onpayment oflocalcurrency equivalent.