RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/VNM/22/Rev.1
4 November 2003
(03-5884)
Working Party on the
Accession of Viet NamOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF VIET NAM
Action Plan for Implementing the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures
Revision
The Government of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam has submitted a revised Action Plan
for Implementing the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures, with the request that it becirculated to the members of the Working Party.WT/ACC/VNM/22/Rev.1
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Action Plan for Implementing the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures
Major obligations of LIC Agreement Proposed actions Proposed date
General obligation
Rules and all information concerning procedures for
the submission of applications are to be published,whenever practicable, 21 days prior to the effectivedate of the requirement but in all events not later thanthe effective date (Article 1.4.a).By the date of accession, the
Government will issue  regulations(in the form of a Government’sDecision) stipulating that legaldocuments related to import
licensing procedures shall generally
take effect at least 21 days afterbeing published in the OfficialGazette.01.01.2005
Applicants are to be allowed a reasonable period to
submit licence applications. Where there is a closingdate for applications, this period should be at least 21
days (Article 1.6).Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will beissued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
The number of administrative bodies which an
applicant has to approach in connection with an
applications is 01, and in any special cases, not toexceed 03. (Article 1.6)Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will be
issued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
Foreign exchange for licensed imports is to be
allocated on the same basis as for goods not requiringimport licences (Article 1.9).Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will beissued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
Application forms are as simple as possible, requiring
only necessary information (Article 1.5).A new Government Decision will
be issued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
Applications are not to be refused for minor
documentation errors if they are not enough to alter
basic information contained in the applications
(Article 1.7).Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will be
issued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
Licensed imports are not to be refused for minor
variations in value, quantity or weight from theamount shown on the licence for reasons consistentwith normal commercial practices (Article 1.8)Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will beissued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
Members are to apply import licensing procedures
neutrally, and administer them in a fair and equitable
manner (Article 1.3)Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will be
issued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
Members are required to submit copies of
publications containing information on import
licensing procedures to th e WTO Secretariat (Article
1.8).Upon
accession
Automatic Licensing
Automatic licensing procedures are not to be
administered in such a way as to have restrictiveeffects on imports (Article 2.2.a).Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will beissued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
Any person, firm or institution fulfilling the legal
requirements should be equally eligible to apply forand obtain import licences. Licence applications may
be submitted on any working day before customs
clearance; they shall be approved immediately onreceipt but in any case within 10 working days(Article 2.2.a)Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will beissued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
It is to be removed as soon as the circumstances
which have given rise to its introduction no longerprevail (Article 2.2.b)Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will beissued to cover this provision.01.01.2005WT/ACC/VNM/22/Rev.1
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Major obligations of LIC Agreement Proposed actions Proposed date
Non-automatic licensing
In cases where import licenses are used to administer
quotas, all relevant information, including exceptions
or derogations, quota amounts, opening and closingdates of quotas and country-specific quota allocationshave to be published 21 days prior to the effectivedate of the requirement, and in all events not later
than the effective date (Articles 3.5. b.c.d).Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will be
issued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
If not for the purpose of quota administration,
Members have to publish sufficient information for
other members and traders to know the basis forgranting and/or allocating licenses. (Article 3.3)Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will be
issued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
The period for processing applications shall not be
longer than 30 days if applications are considered asand when received, and not longer than 60 days ifapplications are considered simultaneously (Article
3.5.f).Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will beissued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
The validity of a licence is to be of reasonable
duration and not be so short as to preclude imports,including those from distant sources (Article 3.5.g).Licences are to be issued in economic quantities(Article 3.5.i)Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will beissued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
Members are to provide, upon the request of any
Member having an interest in the trade in the productconcerned, all relevant information (Article 3.5.a).Upon
accession
Non-automatic import licensing must not have
restrictive or distortive effects on imports additional
to those caused by the imposition of the restriction. Ifa licence is refused, the applicant, on request, shall begiven the reason for refusal (Article 3.2).Regulations (in the form of a
Government’s Decision) will be
issued to cover this provision.01.01.2005
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