G/LIC/Q/TZA/1  
 
28 September 2021  
(21-7204) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Import Licensing  Original: English  
 
 
IMPORT LICENSING SYSTEM OF TANZANIA  
QUESTIONS FROM THE UNITED STATES TO TANZANIA  
The following communication, dated 23 September 2021, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of the United States.  
 
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According to the 2019 Tanzania Trade Policy Review (TPR), the East African Community (EAC) 
restricts importation of 44 categories of goods. These restrictions are implemented by EAC Partner 
States through import permits and licenses.  Tanzania has other prohibitions on top of the 
harmonized restrictions. According to the Secretariat 's report,  
"Tanzania has a number of other prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing requirements at the 
national level. Many of these restraints are due to the  procedures put in place by the acts 
relating to the various agricultural marketing boards; in many cases, they involve licensing 
requirements. In addition to these prohibitions or restrictions that are set out in laws or 
regulations, Tanzania has taken ot her measures during the period to control the movement 
of food crops. " 
The Secretariat 's TPR report states that all animals, birds, fish, poultry and their products require 
an import permit and certification from the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry o f Livestock and 
Fisheries Developments, the Tanzania Bureau of Standards, Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission, 
the Meat Board or the Dairy Board.  
1. Does the government of Tanzania maintain any import licensing regime for meat, dairy, and 
poultry products?  
a. What is the nature of this regime(s) (automatic or non -automatic)?  
b. What is the purpose of this regime(s)?  
c. Does Tanzania maintain a list of the products requiring import permits and the ministry 
responsible for issuing those permits? If so, we request Tanzania to provide this information 
including the relevant laws and regulations, and the website links where t he information is 
published.  
The United States has received reports from importers in Zanzibar that the Ministry of Livestock and 
Fisheries Developments has denied import permits for the importation of poultry and poultry 
products into mainland Tanzania.  
2. Please clarify the process for granting import permits for poultry and other agricultural products.  
Which ministry reviews the application and grants the import permit? What factors are taken into 
considerations by the relevant ministry when reviewing  an application?  
3. When importers are denied an import permit, what is the range of reasons provided to the 
importer? What is the appeals process following the denial of the import permit? Could Tanzania 
outline the process in detail?   
4. We request Tanz ania provide the relevant laws and regulations, and the links to websites where 
this information is published.  G/LIC/Q/TZA/1  
 
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  5. Could Tanzania explain the decision to allow imports into the semi -autonomous region of Zanzibar, 
but not to mainland Tanzania?  
6. Are there a ny restrictions on importing agricultural commodities such as poultry to mainland 
Tanzania and/or Zanzibar? If so, could Tanzania please submit a list of products currently restricted 
along with explanations for the import suspensions?  
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