. /.RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/Q/VEN/3
22 May 2002
(02-2835)
Committee on Import Licensing Original:  English
NOTIFICATION BY VENEZUELA PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 5 OF
THE AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
(NEW IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES OR CHANGES)
Comments and requests from the UNITED STATES to VENEZUELA1
The following communication, dated 15 May 2002, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of the United States.
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Venezuela requires import licences for a large number of products including corn,
grain sorghum, various oilseeds and their products, yellow grease, poultry, dairy products andgrapes, among others. While Venezuela has previously notified import licensing for some of theseagricultural products, i.e., those submissions appear to be incomplete. For example, thenotifications do not include current Venezuelan import licensing requirements for corn, soybeanmeal and yellow grease.
For those products that Venezuela did notify as being subject to import licensing, in
G/LIC/N/2/VEN/3 and 4, the notification does not indicate that licensing for any of these productsis non-automatic, despite the fact that licences are currently being denied for many of the productsin question. Generally, issuance of import licences depends upon compliance with absorptionagreements or unclear SPS requirements.  Problems reported to my authorities include delays inissuance, reduction in allowable quantities, requirements to prove that domestic products have alsobeen purchased, and the addition of new SPS requirements.  Usually these extra requirements anddelays are not done in writing.
We are particularly concerned about Venezuela’s import licensing requirements for corn.
Issuance of import licences for yellow corn have come to practically a complete standstill since aSeptember 2001 announcement by the Venezuelan Ministry of Agriculture that no import licenceswould be issued until all domestically produced corn had been marketed.
We understand that Venezuela’s recent refusal to issue import licences for grapes may be
attributable to phytosanitary concerns.  Notification of import licensing policies on this product, andthe reasons they were undertaken, would help clarify the situation for importers.
We would also note that Venezuela has failed to provide initial information on its import
licensing requirements to Committee Members in the form of a response to the Import LicensingQuestionnaire.  The information provided through that questionnaire is particularly important in the
                                                     
1 See Understanding on Procedures for the Review of Notifications (G/LIC/4).G/LIC/Q/VEN/3
Page 2
case of Venezuela, since the import licensing practices currently in place have had a severely
restrictive effect on imports of a wide variety of agricultural products.
Of particular interest would be:· Any specific administrative requirements related to import licensing requirements for the
commodities mentioned above, as well as products previously notified to the Committee,including any quantitative limitations on the amount  of imports allowed with a single import
licence.
· The number of import licences granted, the number rejected, and the quantity of product
imported, for the above-mentioned products, as well as products previously notified to theCommittee, by supplying country, over the last 24 months.
· The Venezuelan government agencies involved in administration of import licensing
requirements for the above-mentioned products.
· The legal authority under Venezuelan law for such actions.
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