G/LIC/N/3/MAC/23  
 
15 July 2020  
(20-4825) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Import Licensing  Original: English  
 
 REPLIES TO QUESTIONN AIRE ON IMPORT LICEN SING PROCEDURES1 
NOTIFICATION UNDER A RTICLE 7.3  
OF THE  AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES  (2020) 
MACAO, CHINA 
The following communication, dated 15 July 2020 , is being circulated at the request of the delegation 
of Macao, China.  
 
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Macao, China’s import licensing regime, as notified in document G/LIC/N/3 /MAC/22 , has not been 
modified and still remains valid for 2020, except for the changes introduced with regard to 
paragra phs 1, 2 and 5 under Section 2.A (Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances; 
Pharmaceutical Products and Medicines Including Western Medicines And Chinese Proprietary 
Medicines; Modified Milk For Infant Feeding; Diagnostic And Laboratory Reagents; Pestici des; 
Essential Oil; Therapeutic Preparations For Use On The Hair; And Chemicals, Chemical Fertilisers, 
Colouring Matter And Dyes) of Part 2 (Health Bureau); paragraphs  1, 2, 5 under Section 3.4 (Narcotic 
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) and Section 3.5 ( Rough Diamond) of Part 3 (Macao Economic 
Bureau) as follows:  
 
2 HEALTH  BUREAU  
1.1  Drugs and psychotropic substances; pharmaceutical products and medicines 
(including western medicines and chinese proprietary medicines); modified milk for infant 
feeding; diagno stic and laboratory reagents; pesticides; essential oil; therapeutic 
preparations for use on the hair; and chemicals, chemical fertilisers, colouring matter and 
dyes  
Outline of System  
1. The import of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is subject to licensing control under 
Decree -Law no. 34/99/M and Law no. 17/2009, amended by Law no. 10/2016 and Law no. 10/2019.  
Licensing in relation to substances listed in Tables 1 to 4 of Law no. 17/2009 is administered by the 
Health Bureau, whereas the  controlled chemicals of 1988 UN Convention, as listed in Tables 5 to 6 
appended to the Law, are administered by the Macao Economic Services. (Details of the licensing 
system of the controlled chemicals of 1988 UN Convention are specified in Section D of P art III.)  In 
this regard, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances mentioned in this section refer to substances 
administered by the Health Bureau, as specified in Tables 1 to 4 of Law no. 17/2009.  
 
The import of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, pharmaceutical products and medicines is 
controlled through (i) licensing of importers and (ii) issuing of import license. An importer of narcotic 
drugs, psychotropic substances, pharmaceutical products and medicines has to be licensed with the  
Health Bureau before applying for an import license to import these products for each consignment. 
Import licenses are also required for import of the other items specified above. Importers of such 
products have to apply for the import licenses from the H ealth Bureau to import the mentioned 
products for each consignment.  
 
1 See document G/LIC/3, Annex for Questionnaire  G/LIC/N/3/MAC/23  
 
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  The licensing system is intended for public health reasons and to fulfil the Macao SAR’s international 
obligations.  
 
Purpose and Coverage of Licensing  
2. Import license issued by the Healt h Bureau is required for the import of all of the above -mentioned 
products, which are specified in the Group B of Table B under Annex II of Chief Executive Decision 
no. 487/2016, and Tables 1 to 4 appended to Law no. 17/2009, amended by Law no. 10/2016 and  
Law no. 10/2019.  
 
5. The import licensing system is statutorily provided under the Decree -Law no. 34/99/M; 
Decree -Law no. 58/90/M; Law no. 7/2003, amended by Law no. 3/2016; Administrative Regulation 
no. 28/2003, amended by Administrative Regulation no. 1 9/2016; and Law no. 17/2009, amended 
by Law no. 10/2016 and Law no. 10/2019.  Legislation does not leave designation of products subject 
to licensing to administrative discretion.  Legislative approval is required when any changes are 
introduced to the exi sting system.  
 
3 MACAO ECONOMIC BUR EAU 
3.4 Narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (controlled chemicals of 1988 
Convention)  
Outline of System  
1.  The import of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is subject to licensing control under 
Law no. 17/ 2009, amended by Law no. 10/2016 and Law no. 10/2019.  Licensing in relation to 
substances listed in Tables 5 and 6 appended to the Law is administered by Macao Economic Bureau.  
 
Purpose and Coverage of Licensing  
2.  This licensing system covers all substa nces listed in Tables 5 and 6 appended to Law no.  17/2009, 
amended by Law no. 10/2016 and Law no. 10/2019.  
 
5.  Licensing for the above -mentioned substances is a statutory requirement maintained under Law 
no. 17/2009, amended by Law no. 10/2016 and Law no.  10/2019.  A regulation detailing on the 
procedures of licensing is already under way.  However, it is clear that legislation does not leave the 
designation of substances to be subject to licensing to administrative discretion.  Legislative approval 
is req uired before any changes could be made to the existing system.  
 
3.5 Rough diamonds  
Outline of System  
The import of rough diamonds is subject to licensing control under law no. 15/2019 and 
Administrative Regulation no. 29/2019, and is administered by the Ma cao Economic Bureau.  
 
Purpose and Coverage of Licensing  
This licensing system covers three types of rough diamonds of which the HS codes are 7102.10, 
7102.21 and 7102.31.  
 
This licensing system applies in rough diamonds accompanied by a Kimberley Process (KP) 
Certificate issued by the government of the exporti ng country or territory, and shall be limited to 
only among KP members, which prohibit import of rough diamonds in absence of a Certificate issued 
by a KP member, as well as export of rough diamonds to non -KP members.  
 
Macao Special Administrative Region i mplemented the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme 
(KPCS) through the People’s Republic of China on 1 October 2019. This licensing system is not 
construed to be a means to place restrictions on either the quantity or the value of imports, but to 
ensure that international trade of rough diamonds fulfil the international obligation in line with KPCS.  
 G/LIC/N/3/MAC/23  
 
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  5. Licensing of the above -mentioned rough diamonds is a statutory requirement maintained under 
law no. 15/2019 and Administrative Regulation no. 29/2019. Leg islation does not leave their 
designation to be subject to licensing to administrative discretion.  Legislative approval is required 
before any changes could be made to the existing system.  
 
Procedures  
6. Not applicable.  
 
7. 
 
(a) A legal/natural person sh all obtain an import license from the Macao Economic Bureau before 
importing any consignment of rough diamonds.  
 
(b) Where there is proof of a genuine need, import licenses might be processed immediately on 
request.  
 
(c) There is no limitation as to the pe riod of the year during which application for licenses and/or 
importation may be submitted.  
 
(d)  The Macao Economic Bureau is the sole administrative organ to issue licenses for the rough 
diamonds.  
 
8. No application will be refused if the ordinary criter ia are met.  In circumstances where license 
application is not accepted, the applicant who has the right to appeal to the Macao Economic Bureau 
will be informed of the relevant reasons.  
 
Eligibility of Importers to Apply for License  
9.(a) Not applicable.  
 
(b) Importers who comply with Article 11 of Law no. 7/2003, amended by Law no. 3/2016, are 
eligible to apply for licenses.  
 
Documentational and other requirements for application for a licence  
10. Applicants must submit applications for Import  License by means of Electronic Data Interchange 
(EDI).  
 
11. A copy of the Kimberley Process Certificate issued by the competent authority of the place of 
provenance and operating license (import & export) issued by the Macao Economic Bureau have to 
be pre sented upon actual importation. While commercial invoices of the rough diamonds concerned, 
manifests of cargo, remittance receipts and other documents need to be presented as well if 
necessary.  
 
12. No administrative fee is charged for the issuance of impo rt licenses.  
 
13. No deposit or advance payment is required.  
 
Conditions of licensing  
14. According to Law 15/2019, applicants are required to hold a valid Operating License for 
importation of rough diamonds.  
 
15. There is no penalty for non -utilisation o f an import license.  
 
16. Import licenses are neither transferable nor negotiable among importers.  
 
17.(a) Not applicable.  
 
(b) No. G/LIC/N/3/MAC/23  
 
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  Other procedural requirement  
18. There are no other administrative procedures required prior to importation.  
 
19. There are no foreign exchange controls. No license is required as a condition to obtaining foreign 
exchange . 
 
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