WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/L/264
2 November 1998
(98-4254)
REPORT (1998) OF THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORT LICENSING
1. The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (the Agreement) establishes disciplines on
users of import licensing systems with the principal objective of ensuring that the procedures applied
for granting import licences do not in themselves restrict trade.  It aims to simplify, clarify and
minimize the administrative requirements necessary to obtain import licences.
2. The Committee on Import Licensing (the Committee) was established to afford Members the
opportunity of consulting on any matters relating to the operation of the Agreement or the furtherance
of its objectives.
3. All Members of the WTO are ipso facto  members of the Committee.  Observer governments
in the General Council of the WTO have observer status in the Committee.  In addition,
representatives of the IMF, UNCTAD and the World Bank attend meetings of the Committee in anobserver capacity.
4. The Committee held two meetings on 24 April and 20 October 1998 (G/LIC/M/7 and 8).  The
Committee at its meeting in April 1998 elected Mrs. Marie Gosset (Côte d'Ivoire) as Chairperson and
Mr. Marshall Couper (New Zealand) as Vice-Chairperson for 1998.  Pursuant to the Committee's
Rules of Procedure, they took office at the end of that meeting.
5. Pursuant to Articles 1.4(a) and/or 8.2(b) of the Agreement, all Members are required to notify
their laws, regulations and administrative procedures relevant to import licensing.  During the period
covered by this report, the Committee received notifications from the following 19 Members:  Brazil;
Chad; Czech Republic;  European Communities;  Hong Kong, China;  Hungary;  Indonesia;  St.Kitts
& Nevis;  Korea;  Madagascar;  Mauritius;  Nigeria;  Panama;  Philippines;  Qatar; Singapore;
Trinidad and Tobago;  Turkey;  and Zimbabwe.  Since the entry into force of the WTO Agreement, 57
Members (the European Communities and its member States counted as one) have notified theirlegislation and/or publications under these provisions.  These notifications may be found in document
series G/LIC/N/1/-.
6. Article 7.3 of the Agreement requires all Members to provide replies to the Questionnaire on
Import Licensing Procedures
1 by 30 September each year.  Since the entry into force of the WTO
Agreement, 55 Members (the European Communities and its member States counted as one) havemade notifications under this provision.  This includes replies to the Questionnaire from 11 Members
in 1995,  22 Members in 1996, 25 Members in 1997 and 24 Members in 1998.  During the period
covered by this report, the Committee received notifications from Bolivia;  Brazil;  Costa Rica;
Cyprus;  Haiti;  Hong Kong, China;  Hungary;  Icela nd;  Indonesia;  Jamaica;  Japan;  Korea;  Malta;
New Zealand;  Nigeria;  Norway;  Panama;  Philippines;  Qatar;  Switzerland;  Trinidad and Tobago;Turkey;  United States;  and Zimbabwe.  These notifications may be found in document series
G/LIC/N/3/-.
7. The Committee also received pursuant to Article 5 of the Agreement notifications relating to
the institution of new import licensing procedures or changes in these procedures from Brazil;
                                                     
1 Annexed to document G/LIC/3.G/L/264
Page 2
Hong Kong, China;  Hungary;  India;  Japan;  Me xico;  Nigeria;  Panama;  Papua New Guinea;  and
Singapore.  These notifications may be  found in document series G/LIC/N/2/-.
8. At its meeting on 20 October 1998, the Committee discussed the situation with respect to the
invocation of delayed application provisions of the Agreement by 24 developing country Members
since the beginning of the WTO Agreement.  It was noted that the two-year period of delay allowedunder the Agreement had expired for all these Members, and accordingly the obligations of
Article 2.2(a)(ii) and (a)(iii) apply to all current WTO Members.  It was recalled that the invocation of
the above provisions did not exempt the Members concerned from the obligation to notify under the
Agreement.  The mandatory notifications included  publications and legislation relevant to import
licensing, and replies to the Questionnaire on Import Licensing Procedures by 30 September each
year.  Those Members that had not yet made the necessary notifications under the Agreement were
urged to do so at the earliest opportunity.
9. The Committee also conducted its second biennial review of the implementation and
operation of the Agreement under Article 7.1 on the basis of a factual report prepared by the
Secretariat (G/LIC/W/10 and G/LIC/M/8).
10. At the request of the Council for Trade in Goods, the Committee also had a preliminary
exchange of views on those aspects of trade facilitation which it regarded as being related to the
Agreement.  It agreed to continue the discussion at further meetings of the Committee in February
1999 with a view to agreeing on a report to th e Council for Trade in Goods for its informal
discussions to be held on this subject in March 1999 (G/LIC/M/8).
11. The Committee has provided a regular forum for the discussion of specific notifications
submitted by Members and of concerns regarding notifications.  It should be noted that the mandatory
notification requirements under Articles 1.4(a), 8.2(b) and 7.3 are complied with by only about half of
the WTO Members.  The Annex reflects the current status of notifications.  In light of this situation,the Committee, recognizing the importance of notifications for the effective implementation and
functioning of the Agreement, urges Members to fulfil their notification obligations.G/L/264
Page 3
ANNEX
Notifications
Members Footnote 5 to Article 2.2
Two-year delayed
application
(date of WTO
Membership)Articles 1.4.(a)/8.2.(b)
Publications/legislation
(date of latest
communication)Article 7.3
Replies to Questionnaire -
Annual
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
Angola Not notified Not notified
Antigua & Barbuda Not notified Not notified
Argentina G/LIC/N/1/ARG/1-2
(19.12.97)G/LIC/N/3/ARG/1 + Corr.1
& ARG/2 (19.12.97)G/LIC/N/2/ARG/1-
3 (15.1.97)
Australia G/LIC/N/1/AUS/1 & Add.1
(28.4.97)G/LIC/N/3/AUS/1 & Rev.1
(28.4.97)
Bahrain G/LIC/N/1/BHR/1 (27.5.97) Not notified
Bangladesh G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Barbados G/LIC/N/1/BRB/1 (4.10.96) G/LIC/N/3/BRB/1 (15.9.95)
Belize Not notified Not notified
Benin G/LIC/N/1/BEN/1 (18.12.96) Not notified
Bolivia G/LIC/1/Add.2 (13.9.95) G/LIC/N/1/BOL/1 (29.5.97) G/LIC/N/3/BOL/1-2 +
Corr.1 (24.8.98)
Botswana Not notified Not notified
Brazil G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/BRA/1 (24.4. 98) G/LIC/N/3/BRA/1 (24.4.98) G/LIC/N/2/BRA/1
(24.4.98)
Brunei Darussalam Not notifie d G/LIC/N/3/BRN/1 (4.3.97)
Bulgaria G/LIC/N/1/BGR/1 (20.3.97) G/LIC/N/3/BGR/1 (20.3.97)
Burkina Faso G/LIC/1/Add.1 (3.6.95) G/LIC/N/1/BFA/1 (8.1.97) G/LIC/N/3/BFA/1 (8.1.97)
Burundi Not notified Not notified
Cameroon G/LIC/1/Add.3
(13.12.95)Not notified Not notified
Canada G/LIC/N/1/CAN/1 (29.1.96) G/LIC/N/3/CAN/1-2
(2.10.97)
Central African Rep. Not notified Not notified
Chad G/LIC/N/1/TCD/1 (22.7.98) Not notified
Chile G/LIC/N/1/CHL/1 (16.7.96) G/LIC/N/3/CHL/1 & Add.1
(9.9.97)
Colombia G/LIC/1 (30.4.95) G/LIC/N/1/COL/1 (12.1.96) G/LIC/N/3/COL/1 & Add.1
(2.11.96)
Congo Not notified Not notified
Costa Rica G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/CRI/1 (21.11.95) G/LIC/N/3/CRI/1-2 (7.5.98)
Côte d'Ivoire G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Cuba G/LIC/N/1/CUB/1 (11.1.96) Not notified
Cyprus G/LIC/N/1/CYP/1 (30.5.96) G/LIC/N/3/CYP/1+ Rev.1 &
CYP/2 (28.8.98)
Czech Republic G/LIC/N/1/CZE/1 (28.10.98) Not notified
Dem Rep. of Congo Not notified Not notified
Djibouti Not notified Not notified
Dominica Not notified Not notified
Dominican Rep. G/LIC/1/Add.2 (9.3.95) Not notified Not notified
Ecuador Not notified G/LIC/N/3/ECU/1 (1.8.95)
EuropeanCommunitiesG/LIC/N/1/EEC/1/Rev.2
&Adds.1-2 & EEC/2(12.1.98)G/LIC/N/3/EEC/1 (29.7.97) G/LIC/N/2/EEC/1-
2 (4.7.97)
Egypt Not notified Not notified
El Salvador G/LIC/1 (7.5.95) Not notified Not notified
Fiji G/LIC/N/1/FJI/1 (30.7.97) G/LIC/N/3/FJI/1 (1.4.97)
Gabon G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Gambia Not notified G/LIC/N/3/GMB/1
(31.10.97)
Ghana Not notified Not notified
Grenada Not notified Not notified
Guatemala G/LIC/1/Add.1 (21.7.95) Not notified Not notifiedG/L/264
Page 4
Members Footnote 5 to Article 2.2
Two-year delayed
application
(date of WTO
Membership)Articles 1.4.(a)/8.2.(b)
Publications/legislation
(date of latest
communication)Article 7.3
Replies to Questionnaire -
Annual
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
Guinea Bissau Not notified Not notified
Guinea, Rep. of Not notified Not notified
Guyana Not notified Not notified
Haiti Not notified G/LIC/N/3/HTI/1 (27.2.98)
Honduras G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/HND/1
(31.10.96)Not notified
Hong Kong, China G /LIC/N/1/HKG/1-4
(20.4.98)G/LIC/N/3/HKG/1 + Rev.1-
2, HKG/2 (30.9.98)G/LIC/N/2/HKG/1-
2 (27.1.98)
Hungary G/LIC/N/1/HUN/1-2
(19.1.98)G/LIC/N/3/HUN/1-2
(19.1.98)G/LIC/N/2/HUN/1
(19.1.98)
Iceland Not notified G/LIC/N/3/ISL/1 (1.9.98)
India G/LIC/N/1/IND/1/Rev.1
(2.5.97)G/LIC/N/3/IND/1 (29.11.95) G/LIC/N/2/IND/1
(29.5.98)
Indonesia G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/IDN/1 (27.10.98) G/LIC/N/3/IDN/1 (27.10.98)
Israel Not notified Not notified
Jamaica G/LIC/N/1/JAM/1 (1.7.96) G/LIC/N/3/JAM/1 (29.5.98)
Japan G/LIC/N/1/JPN/1 &
JPN/2/Rev.1 (7.1.97)G/LIC/N/3/JPN/1 + Corr.1
(2.4.98)G/LIC/N/2/JPN/1-2
(18.8.98)
Kenya G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/3/KEN/1
(10.11.97)G/LIC/N/3/KEN/1
(10.11.97)
Korea G/LIC/N/1/KOR/1-3 (3.4.98) G/LIC/N/3/KOR/1-2 (6.4.98)
Kuwait Not notified Not notified
Lesotho Not notified Not notified
Liechtenstein G/LIC/N/1/LIE/1 (18.4.97) G/LIC/N/3/LIE/1 (18.4.97) G/LIC/N/2/LIE/1
(18.4.97)
Macau Not notified Not notified
Madagascar G/LIC/N/1/MDG/1 (28.1.98) Not notified
Malawi Not notified Not notified
Malaysia G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified G/L IC/N/3/MYS/1 (4.12.97) G/LIC/N/2/MYS/1
(31.3.95)
Maldives Not notified Not notified
Mali Not notified G/LIC/N/3/MLI/1 (9.5.97)
Malta G/LIC/N/1/MLT/1 (29.5.96) G/LIC/N/3/MLT/1-2
(17.7.98)
Mauritania Not notified Not notified
Mauritius G/LIC/N/1/MUS/1 &
Adds.1-3 (4.5.98)G/LIC/N/3/MUS/1 (2.11.95)
Mexico Not notified Not notified G/LIC/N/2/MEX/1
(16.10.98)
Mongolia Not notified Not notified
Morocco G/LIC/N/1/MAR/1 (3.7.96) G/LIC/N/3/MAR/1-2
(22.12.97)
Mozambique Not notified Not notified
Myanmar G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Namibia Not notified G/LIC/N/3/NAM/1 (28.2.97)
New Zealand G/LIC/N/1/NZL/1 (2.8.96) G/LIC/N/3/NZL/1 + Add.1
(24.3.98)
Nicaragua G/LIC/N/1/NIC/1 (18.7.96) Not notified
Niger G/LIC/N/1/NER/1 (10.12.97) Not notified
Nigeria G/LIC/N/1/NGA/1 (16.2.98) G/LIC/N/3/NGA/1-2
(16.2.98)G/LIC/N/2/NGA/1-
2 (16.2.98)
Norway G/LIC/N/1/NOR/1-2
(3.11.97)G/LIC/N/3/NOR/1 + Corr.1
& NOR/2 + Add.1 (2.11.98)
Pakistan G/LIC/N/1/PAK/1 (6.5.96) Not notified G/LIC/N/2/PAK/1
(6.5.96)
Panama G/LIC/N/1/PAN/1-2
(19.10.98)G/LIC/N/3/PAN/1 (19.10.98) G/LIC/N/2/PAN/1
(21. 7.98)
Papua New Guinea Not notified Not notified G/LIC/N/2/PNG/1
(6.2.98)G/L/264
Page 5
Members Footnote 5 to Article 2.2
Two-year delayed
application
(date of WTO
Membership)Articles 1.4.(a)/8.2.(b)
Publications/legislation
(date of latest
communication)Article 7.3
Replies to Questionnaire -
Annual
(date of latest
communication)Article 5 - Ad hoc
(date of latest
communication)
Paraguay Not notified Not notified
Peru G/LIC/N/1/PER/1 (13.2.96) G/LIC/N/3/PER/1 (27.8.96)
Philippines G/LIC/N/1/PHL/1 (6.4.98) G/LIC/N/3/PHL/1-2 (6.4.98)
Poland Not notified G/LIC/N/3/POL/1 (7.10.97)
Qatar G/LIC/N/1/QAT/1 (24.3.98) G/LIC/N/3/QAT/1 (24.3.98)
Romania G/LIC/N/1/ROM/1 (4.9.96) G/LIC/N/3/ROM/1 (4.9.96) G/LIC/N/2/ROM/1
(3.10.95)
Rwanda Not notified Not notified
St. Kitts & Nevis G/LIC/N/1/K NA/1 (17.7.98) Not notified
St. Lucia Not notified Not notified
St. Vincent &
GrenadinesNot notified Not notified
Senegal Not notified G/LIC/N/3/SEN/1 (20.1.97)
Sierra Leone Not notified Not notified
Singapore G/LIC/N/1/SGP/1-2
(2.11.98)G/LIC/N/3/SGP/1-2
(17.11.97)G/LIC/N/2/SGP/1
(2.11.98)
Slovak Republic Not notified Not notified
Slovenia G/LIC/N/1/SVN/1 (27.11.96) G/LIC/N/3/SVN/1 (6.6.97)
Solomon Islands Not notified Not notified
South Africa Not notified G/LIC/N/3/ZAF/1 (13.5.97) G/LIC/N/2/ZAF/1
(9.7.97)
Sri Lanka G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Suriname Not notified Not notified
Swaziland G/LIC/N/1/SWZ/1 (19.8.96) Not notified
Switzerland G/LIC/N/1/CHE/1 (14.4.97) G/LIC/N/3/CHE/1-2
(28.10.98)G/LIC/N/2/CHE/1
(14.4.97)
Tanzania Not notified Not notified
Thailand G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Togo Not notified Not notified
Trinidad & Tobago G/LIC/N/1/TTO/1 (28.10.98) G/LIC/N/3/TTO/1-2
(28.10.98)
Tunisia G/LIC/1 (29.3.95) G/LIC/N/1/TUN/1 (3.10.96) G/LIC/N/3/TUN/1
(31.10.96)
Turkey G/LIC/1 (26.3.95) G/LIC/N/1/TUR/1 &
TUR/2/Rev.1 (8.5.98)G/LIC/N/3/TUR/1-2 +
Corr.1 (8.5.98)
Uganda G/LIC/N/1/UGA/1 (16.8.96) G/LIC/N/3/UGA/1 (17.6.97)
United ArabEmiratesG/LIC/1/Add.3 (10.4.96) G/LIC/N/1/ARE/1 (19.3.97) Not notified
United States G/LIC/N/1/USA/1 & Rev.1
(1.10.96)G/LIC/N/3/USA/1-2
(1.10.98)
Uruguay G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) G/LIC/N/1/URY/1 (4.9.96) G/LIC/N/3/URY/1 (4.9.96)
Venezuela G/LIC/1 (1.1.95) Not notified Not notified
Zambia Not notified Not notified
Zimbabwe G/LIC/N/1/ZWE/1-2
(21.9.98)G/LIC/N/3/ZWE/1 (21.9.98)
TOTAL NOTIFIED 24 57 55 18
__________