WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/1/ISL/1
26 January 1999
(99-0295)
Committee on Import Licensing Original:  English
AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
Notification under Article 8.2(b)
ICELAND
The following communication, dated 8 January 1999, has been received from the Permanent
Mission of Iceland.
_______________
The delegation of Iceland  hereby submits copies of the full text of all relevant laws and
regulations in Iceland regarding import licensing procedures.  In most cases, the laws and regulations
are available only in Icelandic.  Therefore, a short description of the content of the relevant laws andregulations is also included.  For more detailed information on the content of the laws and regulations
the delegation wishes to refer to WTO document  G/LIC/N/3/ISL/ 1 dated 14 September 1998 which
contains replies to the Questionnaire on Import Licensing Procedures.G/LIC/N/1/ISL/1
Page 2
AGRICULTURAL GOODS
Animals (Including Birds, Fish and Insects) and Animal Products, Feedingstuff, Seeds,
Fertilizers, Plants, Plant Products and Goods of General Quarantine Concern
1. Act No. 54/19901 on importation of animals
The Law prohibits importation to Iceland of any kind of animals, tamed or wild and their
genetics.  The Minister of Agriculture by recommendation of the Chief Veterinarian can authorize the
importation on a given condition, such as certification from foreign authorities on disease-free status
of the animals.  All animals upon entry into Iceland are subject to quarantine measures.
2. Regulation No. 444/19821 on fur-bearing animals and their importation
In Articles 3-9 of this Regulation, the quarantine measures of fur bearing animals are
described.  The duration of quarantine measures is at least 16 months for minks and at least 12 months
for foxes.
3. Act. No. 25/19931 on animal diseases and prevention thereof
The purpose of this Act is to promote sanitary condition of the animals in Iceland and prevent
them from new diseases abroad.  The Minister of Agriculture can impose import restrictions on
various import items such as hay, helm, soil, manure, meat and bone meal, blood, and blood plasma,
unpasteurized milk, uncooked eggs, wool, animal hair, feathers, eiderdown, etc.
These measures are imposed according to the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary
and Phytosanitary Measures.
4. Regulation No. 479/19951 regarding preventive measures towards animal diseases and import
restrictions of animal products containing hormones
The Regulation contains a detailed listing of all items subject to import prohibition in an
effort to prevent importation of animal diseases.  It also contains descriptions of the waivers the
Minister of Agriculture can grant as well as detailed requirements of the origin and sanitarycertificates the importers must submit from the foreign supplier and foreign authorities.
5. Notice No. 483/1995
1 regarding importation of agricultural goods
This Regulation lists import procedures for agricultural goods under HS nos. 0201-0210,
0401-0408, 1601 and 1602 covering goods that have not undergone heating treatment, and what
certificates are needed. The Regulation also states that certificates from the EU countries as well as
Norway, Switzerland, Cyprus and Malta are valid in Iceland.
6. Notice No. 525/19961 regarding importation of uncooked meat
6.(a) with amendments, Notice No. 665/19971
The Regulation authorizes importation of uncooked meat from Denmark, Sweden, Norway,
Finland and Greenland only and describes procedures for the importation and what kind of certificatesis required.
                                                     
1 Available for consultation in the Secretaria t (Market Access Division) (in Icelandic only).G/LIC/N/1/ISL/1
Page 3
7. Act. No. 76/19701 on salmon and trout fishing
Articles 75-80 of this Law restrict importation of live freshwater fish as well as describe
procedures for sanitation and quarantine measures for importation of roes and ornamental fish.
8. Act. No 22/19941 on control of feeds, fertilizers and seeds
9. Regulation No. 650/19941 on control of feedingstuff
10. Regulation No. 301/19951 on control of seed
11. Regulation on control of fertilizers1
The Law and the Regulations describe in detail registration and notification procedures for
importation of feeds, fertilizers and seeds.
12. Act. No. 51/19811 on protection against plant diseases and pests
The Law authorises the Minister of Agriculture to impose import restrictions and regulations
in an effort to protect Icelandic flora against new diseases and pests that imported plants could
possibly be infected with.
13. Regulation No. 189/19901 on import and export of plants and plant products
The Regulation describes control procedures for import and export of plants and plant
products, what measures can be imposed, certificate requirements as well as lists the types of plants
and pests under import prohibition.
14. Notice No. 117/19901 on protective measures for import of compost for mushroom growing
The Regulation restricts import of compost for mushroom growing in an effort to protect
cattle from being infected by  bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
THERAPEUTIC SUBSTANCES AND GOODS
15. The Pharmaceutical Act No. 93/19942
16. Regulation on the Registration of Proprietary Medicinal Products and the Issuing of
Marketing Authorizations, No. 465/19952
17. Regulation on the Registration of Parallel Imported Medicinal Products and the Issuing of
Marketing Authorization, No. 582/19952
NARCOTIC DRUGS, PHYSIOTROPIC SUBSTANCES AND RELATED CHEMICALS18. Act No. 65/1974 on Narcotic Drugs
1
The Law prohibits import, export, sale, production, stockpiling and distribution of narcotic
drugs unless the Minister of Health has granted special licensing and authorization for such activities,mainly to pharmacies and pharmacists.
                                                     
1 Available for consultation in the Secretaria t (Market Access Division) (in Icelandic only).
2 Available for consultation in the Secretariat (Market Access Division) (in English only).G/LIC/N/1/ISL/1
Page 4
OZONE PROTECTION
19. The Radiation Protection Act, No. 117/19852
20. Regulations relating to safety measures against ionizing radiation, No. 356/19862
WEAPONS21. Act  No. 16/1998
1 on Weapons
22. Regulation No. 265/19971 on weapons and ammunition
Article 5 of the Law and Articles 21-28 of the Regulation control and regulate importation of
weapons, ammunition, explosives and fireworks.  Importation is prohibited without authorization
from the State Chief of Police, who grants trade and import licensing for those products.  It is
prohibited to import weapons that do not bear factory serial number from the producer, unless theweapon is imported for private collection purposes or museum display.  Importation of the following
types of weapons is prohibited;  automatic or semi-automatic handguns and rifles and automatic
shotguns.   Importation of weapons manufactured for military purposes is prohibited.
COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT
23. Act no. 143/1996
1 on Telecommunication
24. Regulation No. 322/19851 on subscriber equipment
25. Regulation No. 589/19941 on CE marking
The licensing system based on CE marking applies to equipment to be connected to public
telecommunication networks including radio netw orks.  The other licensing system with type
approval based upon documentation from an approved external test laboratory or tests by the Post and
Telecom Administration encompasses all types of telecommunication equipment including radio.
The systems apply to goods irrespective of country of origin.
The licensing is not intended to restrict the quantity and value of imports.  The purpose of the
Law and Regulations is to ensure that technical requirements are met including electromagnetic
compatibility.
MACHINES FOR PUBLIC WORKS
26. Regulation No. 388/19891 on Registration and Inspection of Machines for Public Works
27. Regulation No. 580/19951 on Machinery and Technical Equipment
The Customs Directorate are unauthorized to cl ear through customs new or used mobile or
other construction machinery, prior to a declaration in relation thereto issued by the Administration of
Occupational Safety and Health.  At present the process is as follows:
                                                     
1 Available for consultation in the Secretaria t (Market Access Division) (in Icelandic only).
2 Available for consultation in the Secretariat (Market Access Division) (in English only).G/LIC/N/1/ISL/1
Page 5
The importer shall apply for the registration of each mobile and the construction machinery he or she
intends to import by filling in a special application form.  The Administration of Occupational Safety and
Health then allocates a specific registration number to the machinery, writes the number down on the
application form which is then returned to the importer.  By then the Administration of Occupational Safetyand Health has fulfilled its task concerning the customs registration of the machinery. Subsequent to the
registration of the machinery the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health will inspect all machinery
subject to inspection in accordance with Regulation No. 388/1989, and at present this means that the
machinery's compliance with the requirements of Regulation No. 580/1995 on Machinery and Technical
Equipment will be checked.
HAZARDOUS AND HEALTH RELATED GOODS
28. Act No. 52/1988
1 on Toxic and Hazardous Chemical Substances
Articles 5 and 6 of this Law deal with importation of toxic and hazardous substances and list
those permitted to import such substances subject to approval by the Minister of Environment.  Thoseare:  manufactures of toxic substances, chemical factories, pharmacies, and distributors of toxic
substances.
29. Regulation No. 74/1983
1 prohibiting the import and use of asbestos
Import and use of asbestos is prohibited in Iceland.  Waivers can be granted from this rule  by
recommendation from the Administration of Occupational Safety and Health and only in cases where
there are no substitutes available for the matter.
30. Regulation No. 330/19891 on chrome content in cement
The Regulation requires that imported cement cannot contain more chrome than 2 mg/kg.
31. Regulation No. 690/19941 on cosmetics
The Regulation mainly deals with prohibition on import and production of cosmetics that
contain certain dangerous substances listed in annexes to the Regulation.
32. Regulation No. 236/19901 on classification, labelling and handling of dangerous substances
32.(a) Regulation No. 766/19971 on Amendments of the Regulation No. 236/1990
The Regulation lists in detail dangerous substances and how they should be treated  when
imported, manufactured, packed, labelled and distributed in Iceland.
33. Regulation No. 520/19911 on importation, production and distribution of toys containing lead
The Regulation prohibits importation, production and distribution of toys containing lead, except
authorized  specially by the Environmental and Food Agency.
                                                     
1 Available for consultation in the Secretaria t (Market Access Division) (in Icelandic only).G/LIC/N/1/ISL/1
Page 6
34. Regulation No. 84/19961 on  import, use and disposal of PCBs, PCTs, and substitutes
dangerous to the environment
The Regulation prohibits importation and use of  PCB and PCT substances as well as
manufactured goods containing these substances if the amount of the substances is lower than0.005 per cent.
Waivers can be granted from this rule by the Administration of Occupational Safety and
Health  after consultation with the Environment and Food Agency and it is absolutely clear that there
are no substitutes for these matters available.
35. Regulation No. 694/1994
1 on the restriction on production and import of toys, ornamental
objects that contain certain chemicals
The Regulation prohibits import of toys and ornamental objects that contain poisonous and
hazardous substances such as benzene if the amount of benzene is higher than 5 mg/kg.
36. Regulation No. 447/19961 on the use and prohibition of the use of cadium and its compounds
The Regulation prohibits import of goods if they contain higher amount of cadium than
0.01 per cent of their weight.  A waiver can be granted from this rule if it is necessary to use cadium
as colouring substance or binding agent for security reasons.
37. Regulation no. 448/19961 on the use and the prohibition of use of certain chemical substances
in the treatment of textile products
The regulation prohibits import of textile goods if they have been treated with the following
chemicals:
2,3-dibromprophyl phosphate, TRIS CAS-no. 126-72-7
1-aziridinyle phosphate-oxide, TEPA CAS-no. 5455-55-1
Polybrombyphenile PBB CAS no. 59536-65-1
38. Regulation no. 571/19971 on batteries and accumulators that contain certain dangerous
substances
Article 4 of this Regulation prohibits import and production of batteries and accumulators
containing more than 0.025 per cent mercury and cadium and more than 0.4 per cent lead.
SHIPS, BOATS AND FLOATING STRUCTURES
39. Act No. 35/19931 on control of ships
The Law applies to import of ships, boats and floa ting structures.  The licensing is statutorily
required.  The legislation does not leave the designation of the ships to be subject to licensing toadministrative description.  It is prohibited to import fishing ships that are more than 15 years old.
__________
                                                     
1 Available for consultation in the Secretaria t (Market Access Division) (in Icelandic only).