G/L/1369  
 
4 November  2020 
(20-7837) Page: 1/5 
Committee on Import Licensing    
 
 
REPORT (20 20) OF THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORT LICENSING  
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS  
1.  The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (hereinafter "the Agreement") which entered 
into force on 1  January  1995, 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 administ rative requirements 
necessary to obtain import licences.  
 
2.  The Committee on Import Licensing was established to afford Members the opportunity of 
consulting on any matter relating to the operation of the Agreement or the furtherance of its 
objectives. T he Committee's Rules of Procedure, which were approved by the Council for Trade in 
Goods, are contained in document  G/L/147.  
 
3.  All Members of the WTO are ipso facto  members of the Committee. Observer governments in the 
General Council of the WTO have Ob server status in the Committee. The International Monetary 
Fund, the World Bank and UNCTAD have regular observer status in the Committee.  
 
4.  The focus of this report is on the period since the Committee's last annual report (G/L/ 1328), 
namely  5 October  2019 – 9 October  2020 (hereinafter "the report ing period"). In 20 20, due to the 
COVID -19 pandemic and related restrictions of in -person activities , the Committee held only 
one formal meeting , on 9 October  2020 (G/LIC/M/ 51, to be issued ). One informal meeting , on 
29 January  2020, and one informal virtual meeting, on 5 June 2020, were held under the 
chairpersonship of Ms  Carol Tsang (Hong Kong, China) . On 30 July 2020, through written 
procedures, the Committee elected  Dr Muhammad Irfan (Pakistan ) by acclamation as Chairperson 
of the Committee  for 2020.1 Pursuant to  the Committee's Rules of Procedure, the  officers  shall hold 
office until the end of the first  meeting of the following year . 
 
5.  Pursuant to Articles  1.4(a) and/or 8.2(b) of the Agreement and procedures agreed by the 
Committee, all Members are required to notify the ir laws, regulations , and administrative procedures 
relevant to import licensing  and to submit copies of any relevant publications or laws and regulations 
upon becoming  a WTO  Member . Any subsequent changes to these laws, regulations , and 
administrative procedures are also required to be published and notified. Pursuant to 
subparagraphs  1-4 of Article  5, Members are also required to notify  the institution of new import 
licensing procedures or changes in these procedures  to the Committee within 60  days of publication . 
To streamline notification procedures, a  notification form, circulated in document  G/LIC/28 , was 
adopted by the Committee (at its formal meeting on 4  April 2019) to be used by Members on a 
voluntary basis for notifications under Article  5.1-5.4, Article  1.4(a) , and Article  8.2(b) of the 
Agreement.  These notifications can be found in document series  G/LIC/N/2/ -. 
 
6.  During the reporting period, t he Committee reviewed  210 notifications  under these 
three  provisions (Annex  I) from the following  18 Members:  Argentina ; Costa Rica; 
Hong Kong,  China;  Indonesia; Republic of Korea; Macao,  China;  Morocco;  Myanmar; Philippines ; 
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Seych elles; Singapore; Switzerland -Liechtenstein ; Chinese Taipei;  
Thailand; Ukraine;  and Viet Nam.2 
 
7.  Article  5.5 of the Agreement allows Members to submit reverse notifications, where a Member 
considers that another Member has not notified the institution of a licensing procedure or changes 
 
1 Mrs. Stephania Aquilina  (Malta)  was elected Vice -Chairperson of the Committee by acclamation on 
9 October  2020. 
2 New notifications were received from  the Republic of Korea  after the agenda for the October 9 meeting 
had closed. These notifications  will be circulated shortly and will be reviewed at the Committee's next meeting.  G/L/1369  
 
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  in the procedures. However, n o such reverse notifications have be en received  within the reporting 
period . 
 
8.  Article  7.3 of the Agreement requires all Members to provide replies to the Questionnaire on 
Import Licensing Procedures3 by 30  September each year. During the report ing period, the 
Committee reviewed  39 notifications (Annex  II) from the following 34 Members:  Albania;  Kingdom 
of Bahrain ; Cameroon ; Canada;  China; Colombia; Costa Rica;  Cuba;  El Salvador; European Union; 
Hong Kong, China;  India; Indonesia;  Japan; Kazakhstan ; Republic of Korea;  Macao, China; Malaysia; 
Mauritius;  Montenegro; New Zealand; Panama; Philippines; the Russian Federation; Seychelles; 
Singapore; South Africa; Switzerland -Liechtenstein; Chinese Taipei; Turkey; Ukraine; United States;  
and Uruguay .4 These notifications can be found in document series  G/LIC/N/3/ -. 
 
9.  The Committee has provided a regular forum for exchanging views on notifications submitted by 
Members. Written comments and questions concerning notifications submitted to the Committee 
and/or on import licensi ng procedures maintained by Members, and replies thereto, may  be found 
in the document series  G/LIC/Q/ -. During the review period , the United States posed questions to 
the Dominican Republic ( G/LIC/Q/DOM/ 2); Egypt (G/LIC/Q/EGY/3); Argentina (G/LIC/Q/ARG/18)  
and Kenya (G/LIC/Q/ KEN/1). Japan posed questions to Indonesia (G/LIC/Q/IDN/41).  The following 
Members provided written responses to comments and questions: Brazil to the European Union 
(G/LIC/Q/ BRA/25); Egypt to the European Union ( G/LIC/Q /EGY/2 ); Kenya to the United States 
(G/LIC/Q/KEN/2) and Myanmar to the United  States (G/LIC/Q/ MMR/2). At the Committee 's meeting, 
Members exchanged views on the issues raised.  
10.  In addition , the following Members requested to include in the agenda specific issues regarding 
other Members' import licensing regimes  and measures.  At the Committee meeting held on 
9 October 2020 , the European Union made  an oral statement on Brazil's importation of 
nitrocellulose; on Egypt's import licensing requirements for certain agricultural and processed 
products; on India's importation of pneumatic tyres; on Indonesia's import licensing regime for 
certain textile products; and on Thailand's importation of feed w heat. The United States made oral 
statements on China 's changes to import licensing for certain recoverable materials; on India's 
import licensing requirement for boric acid and on Indonesia's import licensing regime for cellphones, 
handheld computers, and  tablets. Canada and Australia made statements on India's quantitative 
restrictions on certain pulses. Members whose licensing measures had been questioned responded 
at the meeting  and other interested Members also made comments . 
11.  At the informal meeti ng held on 29 January  2020, the Chairperson, based on her consultations 
with Members, outlined a number of factors which had led to the low compliance rate of notifications 
under Article  7.3 (the Reply to the Annual Questionnaire), namely, a  lack of unders tanding of the 
Questionnaire , difficulties in coordinating among government agencies , and notification  work not 
being given priority in Capitals. She urged Members to seek feasible solutions to improve the 
situation. The Secretariat made a presentation on notification obligations under Article  7.3 to 
Members. In addition , Members exchanged views on a number of operational issues concerning the 
Committee, including a  schedule of meetings , an annotated agenda , a contact list  of delegates and  
greater Member engagement at Committee meetings.  
12.  At the informal meeting held virtually on 5 June 2020, the Chairperson proposed the use of  
written procedures to review pending notifications and those Members that took the floor indicated 
that they were open to considering  this proposal . The Chair person also  sought Members ' views on 
holding an in-person  formal meeting of the Committee in July . Some Members expressed 
reservations and the Chair subsequently postpone d the Committee's next formal meeting  to the 
autumn .  
13.  At the Committee's formal meeting held on 9 October  2020, the Committee officially launched 
the new import licensing website  (https://importlicensing.wto.org ). 
 
3 Annexed to document  G/LIC/3.  
4 New notifications under Article  7.3 were received from  Costa Rica; Honduras; Hong Kong, China;  
Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Republic of Korea; Japan; Thailand and the United States , after the agenda for the 
October  9 meeting had closed. These notifications will be  circulated shortly and will be review ed at the 
Committee's next meeting.  G/L/1369  
 
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  14.  On technical assistance, between October  2019 and February  2020,  the Secretariat organized 
a workshop on import licensing  and notifications  in Macao, China; provided technical assistance 
training  sessions  on import licensing issues in the Advanced Trade Po licy Course ( ATPC) in Geneva ; 
in the Regional Trade Policy Course ( RTPC) for French -speaking Africa , and in the National Workshop 
on WTO  Notification Requirement s held in Zimbabwe. Due to the COVID -19 pandemic, no 
on-the-ground technical assistance activities were held after March  2020. Nevertheless , online 
presentation s on import licensing were delivered  in September  2020 to Caribbean country officials  
during a virtual RTPC for the region  and to  East Timor in the context of its accession to the WTO . 
_______________
  G/L/1369  
 
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  ANNEX  I: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED DURING THE RE PORT  PERIOD PURSUANT TO 
ARTICLE  1.4(A) AND/OR 8.2(B), ARTICLE  5.1-5.4 OF THE AGREEMENT1 
FROM 5 OCTOBER  2019 TO 9 OCTOBER  2020 
MEMBER  DOCUMENT  DATE OF ISSUANCE OF THE 
DOCUMENT  
ARGENTINA  G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.5  
G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.6  
G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.7  
G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/Add.7/Corr.1  05.03.2020  
14.04.2020  
29.07.2020  
19.08.2020  
COSTA RICA  G/LIC/N/2/CRI/4 -24 05.02.2020  
HONG KONG, CHINA  G/LIC/N/2/HKG/14  
G/LIC/N/2/HKG/15  
G/LIC/N/2/HKG/15/Corr.1  
G/LIC/N/2/HKG/16  25.02.2020  
26.05.2020  
02.06.2020  
28.08.2020  
INDONESIA  G/LIC/N/2/IDN/43 -44 18.10.2019  
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF  G/LIC/N/2/KOR/3 -6 
G/LIC/N/2/KOR/7 -19 
G/LIC/N/2/KOR/20 -23 11.11.2019  
12.11.2019  
13.11.2019  
MACAO, CHINA  G/LIC/N/2/MAC/1  24.06.2020  
MOROCCO  G/LIC/N/2/MAR/5  
G/LIC/N/2/MAR/5/Corr.1  26.02.2020  
06.03.2020  
MYANMAR  G/LIC/N/2/MMR/2  16.09.2020  
PHILIPPINES  G/LIC/N/2/PHL/3 -18 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/19 -22 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/23 -32 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/33 -37 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/38 -39 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/40 -41 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/42 -47 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/48 -52 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/53 -65 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/66 -72 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/73  
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/74 -83 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/84 -94 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/95 -105 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/106 -115 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/116 -118 
G/LIC/N/2/PHL/119 -139 10.03.2020  
11.03.2020  
12.03.2020  
26.03.2020  
27.03.2020  
31.03.2020  
01.04.2020  
02.04.2020  
09.04.2020  
20.04.2020  
23.04.2020  
24.04.2020  
29.04.2029  
06.05.2020  
18.05.2020  
28.07.2020  
24.08.2020  
SAUDI ARABIA , KINGDOM 
OF G/LIC/N/2/SAU/2  11.02.2020  
SEYCHELLES  G/LIC/N/2/SYC/1  24.06.2020  
SINGAPORE  G/LIC/N/2/SGP/7  30.04.2020  
SWITZERLAND -
LIECHTENSTEIN2 G/LIC/N/2/CHE/4 -6 01.10.2019  
CHINESE TAIPEI  G/LIC/N/TPKM/8 -13 
G/LIC/N/2/TPKM/13/Rev.1  14.10.2019  
08.04.2020  
THAILAND  G/LIC/N/2/THA/5  04.06.2020  
UKRAINE  G/LIC/N/2/UKR/9  05.02.2020  
VIET NAM  G/LIC/N/2/VNM/3 -18 16.12.2019  
 
1 New notifications were received from the Republic of K orea after the agenda for the October 9 meeting 
had closed. These notifications will be circulated shortly and will be reviewed at the Committee's next meeting.  
2 Notifications from Switzerland -Liechtenstein (G/LIC/N/2/CHE/4 -6) had been circulated before the 
reporting period; however, they were reviewed at the Committee's meeting of 9 October  2020.  G/L/1369  
 
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  ANNEX  II: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED DURING THE RE PORT  PERIOD  
PURSUANT TO ARTIC LE 7.3 OF THE AGREEMENT1 
FROM 5 OCTOBER  2019 TO 9 OCTOBER  2020 
MEMBER  DOCUMENT  
(YEAR NOTIFIED FOR)  DATE OF ISSUANCE 
OF THE DOCUMENT  
ALBANIA  G/LIC/N/3/ALB/8  
G/LIC/N/3/ALB/9  2019 
2020 20.11.2019  
25.09.2020  
BAHRAIN, KINGDOM OF  G/LIC/N/3/BHR/3  2019 17.12.2019  
CAMEROON  G/LIC/N/3/CMR/8  2018-2019 01.10.2019  
CANADA  G/LIC/N/3/CAN/19  2019 10.07.2020  
CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/CHN/16  
G/LIC/N/3/CHN/17  
G/LIC/N/3/CHN/18  
G/LIC/N/3/CHN/18/Corr.1  2017 
2018 
2019 30.01.2020  
30.01.2020  
30.01.2020  
05.02.2020  
COLOMBIA  G/LIC/N/3/COL/13  2019 16.04.2020  
COSTA RICA  G/LIC/N/3/CRI/16  2019 10.02.2020  
CUBA  G/LIC/N/3/CUB/10  2019 13.03.2020  
EL SALVADOR  G/LIC/N/3/SLV/4  2019 27.08.2020  
EUROPEAN UNION  G/LIC/N/3/EU/9  2020 16.09.2020  
HONG KONG, CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/HKG/23  2019 08.10.2019  
INDIA  G/LIC/N/3/IND/19  2019 04.11.2019  
INDONESIA  G/LIC/N/3/IDN/11  2019 28.02.2020  
JAPAN  G/LIC/N/3/JPN/18  2019 09.10.2019  
KAZAKHSTAN  G/LIC/N/3/KAZ/4  2019 20.11.2019  
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF  G/LIC/N/3/KOR/12  2019 20.12.2019  
MACAO, CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/MAC/22/Corr.1G/LI
C/N/3/MAC/23   
2020 17.10.2019  
15.07.2020  
MALAYSIA  G/LIC/N/3/MYS/14  
G/LIC/N/3/MYS/14/Corr.1  2018-2019 08.04.2020  
24.04.2020  
MAURITIUS  G/LIC/N/3/MUS/9  
G/LIC/N/3/MUS/10  2019 
2020 20.02.2020  
23.09.2020  
MONTENEGRO  G/LIC/N/3/MNE/4  2020 08.07.2020  
NEW ZEALAND  G/LIC/N/3/NZL/6  2019 01.11.2019  
PANAMA  G/LIC/N/3/PAN/11  2020 22.06.2020  
PHILIPPINES  G/LIC/N/3/PHL/13  2020 16.09.2020  
RUSSIAN FEDERATION  G/LIC/N/3/RUS/5  2019 09.10.2019  
SEYCHELLES  G/LIC/N/3/SYC/3  2020 18.09.2020  
SINGAPORE  G/LIC/N/3/SGP/15  2019 24.04.2020  
SOUTH AFRICA  G/LIC/N/3/ZAF/8  2019 04.11.2019  
SWITZERLAND -
LIECHTENSTEIN  G/LIC/N/3/CHE/15  
G/LIC/N/3/CHE/16  2019 
2020 08.10.2019  
29.09.2020  
CHINESE TAIPEI  G/LIC/N/3/TPKM/10  2019 01.11.2019  
TURKEY  G/LIC/N/3/TUR/16  2019 26.03.2020  
UKRAINE  G/LIC/N/3/UKR/12  2019 02.10.2019  
UNITED STATES  G/LIC/N/3/USA/16  2019 28.01.2020  
URUGUAY  G/LIC/N/3/URY/13  
G/LIC/N/3/URY/14  2019 
2020 17.10.2019  
22.07.2020  
 
_________  
 
1 New notifications under Article  7.3 were received from  Costa Rica; Honduras; Hong Kong, China; 
Indonesia; Kazakhstan;  Republic of Korea; Japan; Thailand and United States , after the agenda for the 
October  9 meeting had closed. These notifications will be circulated shortly and will be reviewed at the 
Committee's next meet ing.