WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/LIC/N/3/GEO/1
20 August 2001
(01-4050)
Committee on Import Licensing Original:  English
REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES1
Notification under Article 7.3 of the
Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures
GEORGIA
The following notification, dated 3 July 2001, has been received from the Permanent Mission of
Georgia.
_______________
Outline of systems
1. See below.
Purposes and coverage of licensing
2. The import of the following products is subject to licensing in Georgia:(a) chemical facilities for plant protection;
(b) wild animals and birds, fish, bones of extinct animals, hooves, wild plants, seeds of wood
species of forest and similar materials;
(c) products of tobacco;
(d) industrial waste (the import of non-toxic industrial wastes is allowed only for the purpose of
industrial processing.  Import of toxic radioactive industrial wastes for the purpose of their
utilisation, safe disposal, interment and any other purposes is prohibited);
(e) military equipment and technique;
(f) medicines and medicinal materials.
In the case of (a), (b), (c) and (d), the licence on importation is granted by the Ministry of
Economy, Industry and Trade of Georgia, with the approval of the Ministry of Environment and
Natural Resources and Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
In the case of (e), the licence on importation is granted by the Ministry of Justice according to
the recommendation of the Permanent Joint Committee on military-technical issues of the Council of
National Security.
In the case of (f), the licence is granted by the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs
of Georgia, taking into account the requirements of the existing UN Convention.
                                                     
1 See document G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire.G/LIC/N/3/GEO/1
Page 2
3. The licensing applies to any product imported from any country, and products originating in
any country.
4. The licensing requirement does not include any quantitative or value restrictions.  In the case
of (a), (b) and (d) above, the objective is the protection of the ecology and safety of food products.  Inthe case of (c) and (f), import licensing is for public health purposes.  In the case of (e), licensing is
intended to prevent the dissemination of weapons of mass extermination.  It is also to protect the
interests of international and national safety.
5. In the case of (a), (b), (c) and (d) above, the import licensing procedures are implemented on
the basis of resolution No. 35 of Annex 5 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Georgia,
23 January 1995, resolution No. 31 of the Ministry of Trade and Foreign Economic Relations ofGeorgia, 10 July 1998, and Decree No. 391 of the President of Georgia, 28 June 1998.
The import of medicinal agents is regulated by the law of Georgia "on medicine and
pharmaceutics activities" and by Presidential Decree No. 393 of 16 June 1996 concerning "the
additional measure for the providing population by the medicinal agent and supplying institutions bythe medicine equipment" and by adopted provision "on rules of import permission for medicinal agent
in Georgia".
The import licensing procedures mentioned in the case of (e) are implemented according to
the Law of Georgia on "Council of National Security";  Law of Georgia on "State Secret";  No. 582 of15 October 1997 and No. 103 of 13 March 1999 – Decree of the President of Georgia regulating "the
rules for granting licences on weapons for military purposes and personal weapons, also technical
documentation, activities of weapon industry services, trade in weapons, export, transit, re-export and
import of weapons", with attached provisions, and also by the manual of the Ministry of Justice of
Georgia.
Because the system is operated according to the Decree of the President and Cabinet, the
Government of Georgia is authorized to abolish the system without legislation amendments, except in
the case of (e) (military equipment and technique) which is provided by appropriate legislation.
Procedures
6. For products under restriction as to the quantity or value of imports (whether applicable
globally or to a limited number of countries or whether established bilaterally or unilaterally):
There are the following restrictions on:  imports of poisons, narcotics and also those
medicinal agents which are under special control, the quotas of which are determined by the Ministryof Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia, taking into account the requirements of the existing
UN Convention.
I. The information is published in the official Georgian agency of the press:  "Georgian
legislative news".
II. The size of quotas on weapons and other military equipment is determined by the Permanent
Joint Committee of Military-Technical Issues of the Council of National Security.
The size of quotas for import of chemical facilities for plant protection is determined by the
Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture a nd Food, Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Tax
Revenue according to the joint Decree of the above-mentioned Ministries.G/LIC/N/3/GEO/1
Page 3
The size of quotas on poisons and narcotic substances is determined by the Ministry of Health
and Social Affairs of Georgia.
The size of quotas is determined on a yearly basis.  If the size of quota is determined on a
yearly basis but licences are issued for imports on a six-monthly or quarterly basis, importers have toapply for a fresh licence.
III. According to the manual of the Ministry of  Justice, importers can implement the import of
licensed goods until the quotas determined by the Council of National Security are exhausted.  The
names of importers to whom licences have been allocated are known to the executive branches of the
government of Georgia, as well as export promotion bodies of the exporting countries.
IV. Not applicable.
V. The maximum period to obtain a licence is 25 days after the acceptance of the application.
The refusal or permission on importation of weapons, military equipment and techniques is
granted in ten days after reception of the application and the relevant documentation by the Ministry
of Justice, which must include the recommendation of the Joint Permanent Commission of
Military-Technical Issues of the Council of National Security.
VI. Importers are able to implement the importation as soon as they receive the licence.VII. The Permanent Joint Commission of Military-Technical Issues of the Council of National
Security considers the licence application on import of weapons, military equipment and techniques.
The recommendation of the above-mentioned Commission is compulsory for the granting of the
import licence by the Ministry of Justice.
VIII. There is no limitation on the granting of licences.IX. The licence on import of weapons and military equipment is necessary in spite of the
existence of export permits that are issued by exporting countries.
X. Not applicable.XI. There are no products for which licences are issued on condition that goods should be
exported and not sold in the domestic market.
7.(a) Short-time licensing, or licences for cargo which has already been delivered in port, is
allowed only in exceptional cases according to the interests of the country.
(b) Licences for importation of weapons, military equipment and other techniques cannot be
granted immediately upon request.
(c) There are no such limitations.
(d) Applications for licences for importation of weapons and military equipment must be
considered by the Permanent Joint Commission of Military-Technical Issues of the Council of
National Security, according to the recommendation of the Ministry of Justice, which considers theapplication during ten days.  The recommendation of the Permanent Joint Commission of
Military-Technical Issues of the Council of National Security is not compulsory and can be granted
only by the Ministry of Justice of Georgia in the case of importation of the following:G/LIC/N/3/GEO/1
Page 4
- export and import of component parts of military equipment intended for the industry and
repair of military products for Georgian products;
- export of those products which are necessary for military production in foreign countries
under Georgian licence;
- export of those military techniques, support and training equipment, spare parts, and their
servicing and repairs, which were previously delivered to foreign countries;
- import of spare parts for the implementation of repair work and the exploitation of military
techniques, armaments and training equipment which are adopted by the Ministry of Defence
of Georgia;  and
- import of military techniques which were previously produced in Georgia and handed to
foreign countries for the implementation of repair works.
8. The reasons for rejection of a licence may be the following:
In the case of (a), (b) and (d) – threat of ecological damage.In the case of (c) – the infringement of those provisions which are provided under paragraph 4
of Presidential decree No. 391 of 28 June 1998.
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
9. Any person has the right to obtain a licence.Documentational and other requirements for application for licence
10. In the application the following must be mentioned:
-  name of applicant;
-  commodity description and quantity;  and
-  exporting country.
The application must include:-  import contract or transport invoice, consignment or customs declaration;  and
-  note from a bank on existence of a bank account.
In the case of (a) – the agreement of the Ministry of Protection of Environment and Natural
Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
In the case of (b) and (d) – the agreement of the Ministry of Protection of Environment and
Natural Resources and the State Department of Forestry.  For obtaining a licence the importer
presents to the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia the following documentation:
-  licence on wholesale trade;
-  signed or initial agreement, enclosing the list of medicinal agents, prices and quantity;
-  filled application by the importer, in the blank confirmed by the Ministry of Labour, Health
and Social Affairs of Georgia;
-  furthermore a letter of attorney must be represented on that person who has the right of
customs clearance, the receipt of licence charge, which constitutes 0.1 per cent of the paid-inamount for the budget transmission.
The list of documents which must be presented by the applicant for obtaining a licence for
importation of military equipment and other techniques is as follows:G/LIC/N/3/GEO/1
Page 5
-  recommendation of the Joint Commission of Military-Technical Issues of the Council of
National Security;
-  application of legal or physical person;
-  signed contract or protocol of intention;-  technical documentation of weapons for military purposes and personal weapons;
permission on weapon industry, services, trade in weapons, transit, re-export and import of
weapons, which is issued by the governmental institutions of those countries where the
contracts were registered or the participation at the protocol of intention;
-  in case of necessity the existence of the certificate of final consumer, if the person obtaining
the licence is not the consumer himself;
-  the original of the certificate of final consumer, issued by import-involved institutions.
11. There is no documentation required before importation.12. The consideration of the application for obtaining a licence for the importation of weapons
and other military techniques equipment and its issuing are chargeable.  The amount is determined bythe Ministry of Justice according to the Law of Georgia on "Prices and Pricing".
The products specified in cases (a), (b), (c) and (d) are free of charge.The amount for licensing for products specified in case (f) constitutes 0.1 per cent of the
paid-in amount for the budget transmission.
13. There is no advance payment.Conditions of licensing
14. The licence is granted for the period of validity of the contract, but no more than one calendar
year.  The validity of a licence can be extended upon justified request of the applicant.
15. There are no penalties for the non-use of a licence.16. The issued licence cannot be transferred to another juridical person.17. There are no other conditions attached to the issue of a licence.Other procedural requirements
18. There are no other administrative procedures for obtaining a licence.19. The imported goods are automatically provided with foreign exchange by banking authorities.
The licence is not always required as a condition of obtaining foreign exchange.  Foreign
exchange is always available to cover an issued  licence.  There are no formalities for obtaining
foreign exchange.
__________