RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/LIC/W/9
22October 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-4609)
Original: English Committee onImport Licensing
PROPOSAL ONADOPTION OFCONSOLIDATED PUBLIC NOTICE
Statement byKorea
Thefollowing statement made bythedelegation ofKorea atthemeeting oftheCommittee
on16October 1997 isbeing circulated attherequest ofthatdelegation.
_____________
I. BACKGROUND
1. TheWTO Agreement onImport Licensing Procedures notes inthepreamble thatMembers
recognize "that theflowofinternational trade could beimpeded bytheinappropriate useofimport
licensingprocedures",andare"convincedthatimportlicensing...shouldbeimplementedinatransparent
andpredictable manner". Thepreamble alsonotes thatMembers desire "tosimplify, andbring
transparency to,theadministrative procedures andpractices usedininternational trade...".
2. TheAgreement provides thateachMember shallnotify itsimport licensing procedures tothe
Committee onImport Licensing. Accordingly, theCommittee reviews themwithaviewtoenhancing
transparency andpredictability, promoting thesmooth flowofinternational tradethrough simplification
ofunnecessary administrative procedures.
3. Thereview ofnotifications onMembers 'import licensing procedures todatehasrevealed that
eachMember 'simport licensing procedures arescattered throughout many individual regulations, which
makes itdifficult tosystematically understand eachMember 'simport licensing procedures. Thisgives
risetoinconvenience anddisrupts thesmooth flowofinternational trade, asexporters and/or importers
must lookupindividual regulations toobtain theimport licensing procedure foraspecific item.
4. TheKorean Government believes thattheConsolidated Public Notice based onArticle 15of
theForeign Trade Actgreatly facilitates theabove objectives. Inthisregard, wepropose todiscuss
thepractical application ofthisregime byallMembers intheCommittee.
II. CONSOLIDATED PUBLIC NOTICE
1. Overview
A. TheConsolidated Public Notice comprises theimport licensing procedures forspecific
items scattered among 53individual lawswhich arenotcovered bytheForeign Trade Act.Theimport
licensing procedures fortheseitems areaimed atprotecting thelivesorhealth ofhuman beings, animals
andplants, public morals, theenvironment, andsafety andsecurity.
./.G/LIC/W/9
Page2
B. Asfortheoperation oftheConsolidated Public Notice, competent government agencies
responsible forthespecified items subject tothe53individual lawssubmit totheMinistry ofTrade,
Industry andEnergy (MOTIE) materials onexport andimport procedures oftheitems concerned.
After reviewing andmaking adjustments ofthose submitted materials, MOTIE announces the
ConsolidatedPublicNoticeoftheitemseachquarterbeforeitisimplemented.SinceMOTIEconsolidates
theimport licensing procedures ofspecific items intotheConsolidated Public Notice according tothe
HScode, exporters and/or importers caneasily identify theimport andexport procedure foraspecific
itemsimply byreferring theHScodeoftheitem.
Thefollowing isanexample ofConsolidated Public Notice:
HSCode Item Export andimport
procedure/requirementRelevant lawsand
Regulations
9405.10 Chandeliers andother
electric ceiling orwall
lighting fittings,
excluding those usedfor
lighting public open
spaces orthoroughfaresModel andtype
approval from Korean
National Institute of
Technology andQuality
(KNITQ)Electric Appliance
Safety Control Act
C. Iftheimport licensing procedure foranitemprescribed intheindividual lawisnot
consistent withtheconsolidated Public Notice, oriftheimport licensing procedure foraspecific item
isnotstipulated inanindividual law,thatwhich isstipulated intheConsolidated Public Notice prevails.
2. Merits oftheConsolidated Public Notice
- systematic, comprehensive andspeedy identification oftheimport licensing procedures
ofspecific items;
- cost,timeandmanpower savings inidentifying import licensing procedures; and
- eliminationofinconveniencecausedbyoperatingseparateexportandimportregulations
byeachgovernment agency.
III. KOREA 'SPROPOSAL
1. Korea proposes thateachMember consider adopting asystem similar toKorea 'sConsolidated
Public Notice. Korea alsoproposes thattheCommittee onImport Licensing review thissystem with
aviewtorecommending ittotheMembers. Korea alsoproposes thattheCommittee consider drawing
upanotification format tonotify eachMember 'simplementation totheCommittee.
2. Korea willcontinue toencourage other Members toadopt thissystem inthisCommittee and
other relevant fora,including theconsultation ontradefacilitation. Korea iswilling toprovide detailed
information toMembers upon request.