WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 107 - 
 
  ANNEX 2 – DOMINICA  
 WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 108 - 
 
  CONTENTS  
1   ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  ................................ ................................ .....................  111  
1.1   Recent macroeconomic developments  ................................ ................................ ....... 111 
1.1.1    Real economy  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 111 
1.1.2    Fiscal policy  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  113 
1.1.3    Balance of payments, monetary and exchange rate policy  ................................ ........  115 
1.2   Trends and patterns in merchandise and services trade  ................................ ...............  117 
2   TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES ................................ ................................ ........  121  
2.1   General framework  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 121 
2.2   Trade policy formulation and objectives  ................................ ................................ ..... 122 
2.2.1    Main trade laws  ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 122 
2.3   Trade policy objectives  ................................ ................................ ............................  123 
2.4   Trade agreements and arrangements  ................................ ................................ ........  124 
2.4.1    WTO ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  124 
2.4.2    Regional and preferential agreements  ................................ ................................ .... 124 
2.5   Investment regime  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 125 
3   TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEA SURE  ................................ .....................  128  
3.1   Measures directly affecting imports  ................................ ................................ ...........  128 
3.1.1    Customs procedures, valuation, and requirements  ................................ ...................  128 
3.1.2    Rules of origin  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 129 
3.1.3    Tariffs  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  130 
3.1.4    Other  charges affecting imports  ................................ ................................ .............  132 
3.1.5    Import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing  ................................ ........................  134 
3.1.6    Anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard measures  ................................ ............  136 
3.1.7    Other measures affecting imports  ................................ ................................ ..........  136 
3.2   Measures directly affecting exports  ................................ ................................ ...........  137 
3.2.1    Customs procedures and requirements  ................................ ................................ ... 137 
3.2.2    Taxes, charges, and levies  ................................ ................................ ....................  137 
3.2.3    Export prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing  ................................ .........................  137 
3.2.4    Export support and promotion  ................................ ................................ ...............  137 
3.2.5    Export finance, insurance, and guarantees  ................................ ..............................  138 
3.3   Measures affecting production and trade  ................................ ................................ ... 138 
3.3.1    Incentives  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  139 
3.3.2    Standards and other technical requirements  ................................ ...........................  141 
3.3.3    Sanitary and phytosanitary measures  ................................ ................................ ..... 142 
3.3.4    Competition policy and price controls  ................................ ................................ ..... 144 
3.3.5    State trading and state -owned enterprises  ................................ ..............................  144 
3.3.6    Government procurement  ................................ ................................ .....................  144 
3.3.7    Intellectual property rights  ................................ ................................ ....................  148 
3.3.7.1    Copyright  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  148 WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 109 - 
 
  3.3.7.2    Trademarks  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 149 
3.3.7.3    Patents and industrial designs  ................................ ................................ ............  149 
3.3.7.4    Geographical indications  ................................ ................................ ....................  150 
3.3.7.5    Protection of layout -designs of integrated circuits  ................................ .................  150 
3.3.7.6    Protection of new plant varieties  ................................ ................................ .........  150 
3.3.7.7    Enforcement  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 150 
4   TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR  ................................ ................................ ..................  151  
4.1   Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries  ................................ ................................ ............  151 
4.2   Electricity  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  152 
4.3   Manufacturing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  154 
4.4   Services  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................  154 
4.4.1    Banking, finance, and insurance  ................................ ................................ ............  155 
4.4.1.1    Regulation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 155 
4.4.1.2    Onshore financial services  ................................ ................................ ..................  155 
4.4.1.2.1    Banking  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  155 
4.4.1.2.2    Insurance  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 157 
4.4.1.3    Offshore financial services  ................................ ................................ ..................  158 
4.4.2    Telecommunications  ................................ ................................ .............................  158 
4.4.3    Transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  160 
4.4.3.1    Maritime transport  ................................ ................................ ............................  160 
4.4.3.2    Air transport  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 161 
4.4.4   Tourism  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............  162 
5   APPENDIX TABLES  ................................ ................................ ................................ . 165  
 
CHARTS  
 
Chart 1.1 Merchandise trade by main SITC sections, 2014 and 2021  ................................ .... 118 
Chart  3.1 Frequency distribution of MFN tariff rates, 2021  ................................ ...................  132 
 
TABLES  
 
Table  1.1 Selected economic indicators, 2014 -21 ................................ ...............................  111 
Table  1.2 Central government fiscal accounts, 2014 -21 ................................ ......................  113 
Table  1.3 Balance of payments, 2014 -21 ................................ ................................ ..........  116 
Table  1.4 Trade in services, 2014 -21 ................................ ................................ ................  119 
Table  2.1 Major trade -related laws and regulations, 2022  ................................ ...................  122 
Table  2.2 Ministries and agencies dealing with trade  ................................ ...........................  124 
Table  3.1 Structure of the tariff schedule in Dominica, 2013 and 2021  ................................ .. 130 
Table  3.2 Summary analysis of the MFN tariff, 2021  ................................ ...........................  131 
Table  3.3 Rates of the excise tax and the environmental surcharge  ................................ ...... 134 WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 110 - 
 
  Table  3.4 Goods subject to prohibitions, licensing, or other restrictions or import  
requirements, 2021  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  135 
Table  3.5 Main taxes in Dominica, 2022  ................................ ................................ ............  139 
Table  3.6 Subsidies granted under the Fiscal Incentives Act, 1973  ................................ ....... 140 
Table  3.7 Intellectual property rights legislation and terms of protection, 2022  ......................  148 
Table  4.1 Selected telecommunications indicators, 2013 -21 ................................ ................  159 
Table  4.2 Visitor arrivals, by main category, 2014 -21 ................................ .........................  162 
Table  4.3 Revenue collected on tourism activities, FY2013/14 -FY2020/21  .............................  163 
 
BOX 
 
Box 1.1 Key (fiscal) policy responses  ................................ ................................ ..................  114 
 
APPENDIX TABLES  
 
Table  A1.1 Merchandise visible exports and imports by SITC section, 2014 -21 ........................  165 
Table A2. 1 Notifications to the WTO, 2014 -22 (September)  ................................ ..................  166 WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 111 - 
 
  1  ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT  
1.1  Recent  macroeconomic developments  
1.1.1   Real economy  
1.1.  Dominica is an upper middle -income country with a population estimated at 73,370 inhabitants 
in 2020, and a per capita GDP of USD  6,872.1 During the review period, real GDP growth fluctuated 
significantly, with three episodes of economic contraction in eight years, and an eco nomic growth 
that never lasted more than two consecutive years. Growth rates fluctuated between -16.6% and 
6.7%, and in general, negative growth tended to be larger than the subsequent positive growth, 
which points out rather slow recoveries from each of t hese episodes.  
1.2.  Dominica's recent economic performance is a story of resilience after natural disasters and 
economic shocks: Tropical Storm Erika and Hurricane Maria hit the island in 2015 and 2017, 
respectively. These natural phenomena generated losses est imated to almost be, respectively, one 
and three times the value of GDP. Dwellings, basic services' supply, and agriculture production were 
particularly affected. In 2020, Dominica's travel sector, the main economy activity of its trade 
balance, was hit by  the COVID -19 pandemic, which also negatively impacted the economic activity 
of related sectors, such as transportation.  
1.3.  Agriculture (including livestock and forestry) remains the main economic sector, and its 
contribution to GDP increased from 13.0% in 20 14 to 16.5% in 2021 (Table  1.1). Despite its 
vulnerability to natural disasters and crop conditions, the sector remains the main source of exported 
goods. Bananas is the main crop for the agriculture sector and, although its production was severely 
affecte d by the Hurricane Maria, the crop contributed around a quarter of the agricultural production 
in 2021.  
1.4.  Other major sectors in the economy are transport, storage and communication, public 
administration, wholesale and retail trade, and financial intermedia tion, with contributions to GDP 
ranging between 11.1% and 9.4% in 2021. Among them, financial intermediation is the one showing 
the fastest growth, with its contribution to GDP doubling over the review period (+4.6%). Almost all 
of this change is related t o the performance of Dominica's banking sector. Public administration has 
also increased (+2.8%) its contribution to GDP during the review period; however, Dominica's 
manufacturing sector is relatively small, its contribution to GDP is on decline from its peak at 4% in 
2015, and its share in 2021 was only 2.5%. Dominica's tourism sector remains smaller than that of 
other OECS countries, although it is the main source for foreign exchange and a major source for 
employment.  
1.5.  The negative performance of the pri vate education subsector was a salient factor during the 
review period. Its contribution to GDP was 6.6% in 2014 while it was almost unnoticed (1%) in 
2021. This is due to the relocation of a private international medical school after 40  years in the 
count ry. 
1.6.  At the time of the preparation of this Review, there were no data available on GDP by 
expenditure and employment.  
Table  1.1 Selected economic indicators, 2014 -21 
 
2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019a 2020a 2021b 
GDP (current XCD  million)  1,405  1,460  1,556  1,408  1,498  1,651  1,361  1,496  
GDP (current USD  million)  520 541 576 522 555 612 504 554 
Real GDP growth (% change)  4.8 -2.7 2.8 -6.6 3.5 5.5 -16.6 6.7 
GDP per capita (USD)  7,389  7,596  8,089  7,507  7,981  8,466  6,872  n.a. 
GDP by economic activity (% of current GDP)  
Agriculture, livestock and 
forestry  13.0 13.6 15.8 13.0 10.6 11.6 14.7 16.5 
Crops  12.0 12.3 14.3 11.5 9.4 10.5 13.4 15.3 
Bananas  1.1 1.3 1.4 0.7 0.3 1.2 1.5 3.8 
 
1 Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and International Monetary Fund.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 112 - 
 
   
2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019a 2020a 2021b 
Other crops  10.9 10.9 12.9 10.8 9.2 9.3 11.9 11.4 
Livestock  0.8 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.1 0.9 1.2 1.1 
Fishing  0.4 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5 
Mining & quarrying  1.1 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.3 1.1 0.6 0.6 
Manufacturing  3.0 4.0 2.6 1.9 2.5 2.3 2.9 2.5 
Electricity & water  4.2 4.1 4.3 3.7 2.4 3.3 4.2 4.0 
Electricity  3.4 3.1 3.2 2.5 1.8 2.6 3.3 3.2 
Water  0.8 1.0 1.1 1.2 0.6 0.7 1.0 0.9 
Construction  4.2 3.3 4.1 4.4 10.0 8.5 4.5 5.0 
Wholesale & retail trade  10.8 9.8 9.2 8.8 11.2 10.6 9.3 9.5 
Hotels & restaurants  1.8 1.6 1.4 1.4 1.1 1.3 0.6 0.5 
Hotels  0.9 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.2 
Restaurants  0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.4 0.3 
Transport, storage and 
communications  12.4 13.3 13.6 13.4 14.1 14.3 11.4 11.1 
Transport and storage  7.6 8.0 8.4 9.1 9.5 9.5 5.7 5.8 
Road transport  5.1 5.8 6.3 6.5 6.2 6.6 3.5 3.4 
Sea transport  0.8 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 
Air transport  0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 
Supporting and auxiliary 
transport activities  1.6 1.5 1.5 1.9 2.5 2.2 1.7 1.8 
Communications  4.7 5.3 5.2 4.3 4.6 4.7 5.7 5.3 
Financial intermediation  4.8 4.7 4.6 6.0 4.8 7.3 9.7 9.4 
Banks  3.9 3.9 4.2 4.3 4.2 6.3 8.5 8.3 
Insurance  0.7 0.6 0.2 1.5 0.4 0.8 0.9 0.9 
Activities auxiliary to 
financial intermediation  0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.3 
Real estate, renting and 
business activities  7.6 7.2 6.8 5.8 5.5 5.5 6.6 6.2 
Owner occupied dwellings  5.1 4.8 4.6 3.7 3.6 3.5 4.3 4.1 
Real estate activities  1.4 1.3 1.2 1.0 0.8 1.1 1.3 1.2 
Renting of machinery and 
equipment  0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 
Computer and related 
activities  0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 
Business services  0.8 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.8 0.7 
Public administration, defence & 
compulsory social security  7.9 8.1 7.6 11.3 9.1 8.9 11.1 10.7 
Education  9.5 9.8 9.6 9.3 3.7 3.6 4.5 4.2 
Public  2.8 2.9 2.8 3.0 2.8 2.8 3.4 3.3 
Private  6.6 6.8 6.8 6.3 0.9 0.8 1.0 1.0 
Health and social work  3.1 3.1 3.1 3.4 3.2 3.0 3.8 3.6 
Public  2.6 2.7 2.7 2.9 2.8 2.6 3.3 3.2 
Private  0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.4 
Other community, social & 
personal service  0.8 0.8 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.8 
Activities of private households 
as employers  0.3 0.3 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 
Less: FISIM  1.1 1.1 1.2 1.3 2.0 1.8 2.1 2.1 
GVA in basic prices  83.8 84.2 84.0 83.7 78.6 80.7 83.1 83.2 
Plus: Product taxes  16.6 16.2 16.4 16.7 21.8 19.8 17.5 17.4 
Less: Subsidies  0.4 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.6 
Prices and interest rates  
Inflation (%, end of period)  0.5 -0.7 0.7 -1.5 4.0 0.1 -0.7 3.8 
Inflation (%, period average)  0.8 -0.9 0.1 0.3 1.0 1.5 -0.7 1.5 
Money supply (M1) (% growth)  10.3 11.1 16.0 44.9 2.0 -16.8 .. .. 
Monetary liabilities (M2) (% 
growth)  7.8 4.0 6.0 18.3 1.4 -6.3 .. .. 
Deposit interest rate (%)  2.8 2.1 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.6 
Lending interest rate (%)  8.8 8.4 8.1 8.0 7.6 7.5 6.5 5.9 WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 113 - 
 
   
2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019a 2020a 2021b 
Memorandum:          
Population (persons)  70,437  71,185  71,234  69,472  69,511  72,231  73,370  .. 
Exports of goods and services 
(% of GDP, current prices)  53.9 49.6 46.8 41.7 28.2 34.5 18.8 18.9 
Imports of goods and services 
(% of GDP, current prices)  65.1 60.4 57.2 61.3 75.7 67.8 55.3 54.5 
Exchange rate (domestic 
currency per USD)  2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 2.7 
Real effective exchange rate 
based on CPI (Index)  94.2 98.3 99.4 98.3 96.3 98.0 96.0 91.3 
Real effective exchange rate 
based on CPI (% change)  -0.3 4.3 1.1 -1.0 -2.1 1.8 -2.0 -4.9 
.. Not available.  
a Preliminary data.  
b Estimates.  
Source:  Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) (as of October  2022); Annual Economic and Financial 
Review (as of December  2021), and International Monetary Fund (IMF).  
1.1.2   Fiscal policy  
1.7.  As a member of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), fiscal policy is the only 
macroeconomic tool available for policymakers in Dominica. The Ministry of Finance and Investment 
is responsible for fiscal policy.  
1.8.  Regarding current revenues and expenditures, Dominica managed to keep a surplus over the 
entire period, except for 2020. Until 2015, current revenue, which amounted to approximately 27% 
of GDP, was mainly driven by tax revenue2 while non -tax revenue generated less than one fifth of 
the whole revenue. Afterwards, non -tax revenue surged and became a key component of the current 
revenue accounting, in average since 2016, for close to half (46%) of it. The Citizenship by 
Investment (CBI) programme is the main element behind the changes obse rved in non -tax revenue 
with marked surges in 2016 and 2021. For instance, in 2021, the non -tax revenue represented 
30.9% of GDP, which corresponds to 57.6% of the collected revenue, following a doubling of the 
revenue collected by the CBI programme when c ompared to its value in 2020.3 As regards tax 
revenue, 60% of it is related to taxes on goods and services, mainly the VAT. Taxes on international 
trade and transactions, including customs service charge and import duties, accounted for 22% of 
tax revenue  while taxes on income and profits were the source of 17% of tax revenue, on average  
(Table  1.2). 
Table  1.2 Central government fiscal accounts, 2014 -21 
(% of GDP)   
2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  
Current revenue  26.9 27.6 49.5 44.1 48.0 39.3 40.2 53.6 
Tax revenue  22.5 22.6 22.5 23.3 26.9 26.4 23.6 22.7 
Taxes on goods and services  13.3 13.0 13.0 13.4 16.8 14.8 13.7 13.6 
Of which:  Licences  1.3 1.4 1.3 1.5 1.4 1.3 1.4 1.4 
VAT  9.2 8.7 8.7 8.7 11.7 10.0 9.2 9.6 
Taxes on income and profits  4.1 4.5 4.4 4.5 3.2 4.6 4.2 3.4 
Of which:  Personal income tax  2.4 2.2 2.1 2.4 1.9 1.7 2.1 1.9 
Taxes on property  0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.7 0.5 0.7 
Taxes on international trade 
and transactions  4.5 4.5 4.7 4.9 6.4 6.3 5.2 5.1 
Of which:  CSC 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.4 2.3 1.8 1.4 1.5 
Import duty  2.5 2.6 2.5 2.3 3.1 3.1 2.8 2.8 
Non-tax revenue  4.5 5.1 26.9 20.8 21.1 12.9 16.7 30.9 
Of which:  Citizenship by 
Investment  3.2 3.9 25.5 19.8 18.5 11.0 15.4 28.9 
Capital revenue  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 
 
2 Tax revenue remained stable around 23.9% of GDP during the review period.  
3 A continued risk to current revenues is revenue variability related to the CBI programme.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 114 - 
 
   
2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  
Grants  3.7 2.5 1.4 7.7 2.8 1.6 12.9 4.0 
Current expenditure  25.1 25.8 25.4 31.6 32.3 37.7 44.2 36.4 
Goods and services  8.0 7.3 7.8 9.3 11.5 16.1 21.8 15.5 
Interest payments  1.9 1.7 1.7 1.8 2.2 2.1 2.6 2.1 
Domestic interest payments  0.8 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.6 
External interest payments  1.0 1.3 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.0 1.2 0.5 
Personal emoluments  10.3 11.2 9.8 13.0 10.7 9.6 11.9 11.4 
Transfers and subsidies  5.0 5.6 6.0 7.5 8.0 10.0 7.9 7.3 
Capital expenditure  8.7 6.6 10.8 19.8 25.6 18.4 12.7 28.3 
Capital expenditure and net 
lending  8.7 6.5 10.7 19.7 25.6 18.3 12.6 28.3 
Current account balance  1.8 1.8 24.0 12.5 15.6 1.6 -4.0 17.2 
Primary balance (after grants)  -1.3 -0.5 16.4 2.3 -5.0 -13.0 -1.0 -4.9 
Overall balance (after grants)  -3.2 -2.2 14.7 0.5 -7.1 -15.1 -3.6 -7.0 
Total financing  3.2 2.2 -14.7 -0.5 7.1 15.1 3.6 7.0 
Domestic financing  1.3 -1.9 -10.7 0.4 9.5 12.0 -3.6 -0.7 
Commercial banks  1.0 -7.2 -14.8 0.7 19.8 8.0 0.6 4.1 
ECCB  -0.6 -0.4 -1.1 -2.3 -1.5 1.8 -0.9 2.0 
Other  0.9 5.7 5.2 2.0 -8.8 2.2 -3.3 -6.8 
External financing  2.3 3.7 -3.5 -0.8 -2.4 -0.2 7.8 6.1 
Arrears  -0.4 0.5 -0.5 0.0 0.0 3.3 -0.7 1.6 
Domestic arrears  -0.4 0.5 -0.5 0.0 0.0 3.3 -0.7 1.6 
External arrears  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source:  Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).  
1.9.  Regarding current expenditure, there was an increase in their level since 2017 when 
expenditures surpassed the USD  150 million threshold and, subsequently, USD  200 million in 2019.  
The reconstruction efforts and the pandemic crisis generated a need for additional expenditures for 
goods and services. Besides 2017, authorities managed to keep personal emoluments below 
USD 60 million during the review period, which also con tributed to the positive results in the current 
account balance.  
1.10.   Indeed, the economic consequences of the COVID -19 pandemic increased the pressure on 
the authorities to provide rapid policy responses to enterprises and citizens in need. Box 1.1 
summarizes policy responses adopted by the authorities that included extended delays in tax filings, 
waiving of penalties, tax reductions conditional on keeping employment at a certain level, customs 
duties relief on supplies, increased expenditure in health, and oth er income support measures. 
According to the IMF, the authorities tapped into its Rapid Credit Facility in 2020, to deal with the 
effects of the COVID -19 pandemic, using up to 89.4% of the country quota of borrowing under 
emergency programmes.4 
Box 1.1 Key (fiscal) policy responses  to the COVID -19 pandemic  
Policy responses (fiscal)  Financial assistance (debt relief)  
• Extension of the deadline for filing of personal and corporate 
income tax returns;  
• Extension of three months for payment of corporate income 
tax; 
• Waiving penalties for businesses that enter into payment 
plans within six months of the new payment deadline;  
• Reduction in the corporate income tax rate (from 25% to 
17%) to companies that comm it to continue to employ at 
least 80% of their staffing as of 1  January  2020, for a period 
of 12 months;  
• Reduction to zero percent in the import duty and VAT 
charged on disinfectants, cleaning supplies, protective gear, 
and face masks;  IMF Rapid Credit Facility USD  14 million 
(SDR 10.28  million) (28  April 2020) to 
cover its balance of payment needs 
streaming from the outbreak of the 
COVID -19 pandemic (89.4% of quota). 
Support for essential health -related 
expenditures and income support.  
 
4 IMF, Policy Response to COVID -19. Viewed at: https://www.imf.org/en/Topics/imf -and-covid19/Policy -
Responses -to-COVID -19#E . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 115 - 
 
  • Increased budgetary funding to the Ministries of Health and 
Agriculture;  
• Cash grants to approximately 2,500 individual crop farmers, 
based on the size of the farmer's holding;  
• Implementation of multiple infrastructure projects;  
• Pay to small contractors and merchants with amou nts owed 
by the Government of XCD  100,000 and less; and  
• Income support for heads of families and single persons who 
are currently unemployed, extended through June  2021.  
Source:  IMF, Policy Response to COVID -19. Viewed at: https://www.imf.org/en/Topics/imf -and-
covid19/Policy -Responses -to-COVID -19#E . 
1.11.   Over the review period, Dominica had a cumulated capital expenditure of USD  722 million, 
which represents 130% of Dominica's GDP in 2021. Dominica also received cumulated grants for 
nearly USD  200 million during the same period; grants were particularly high in 2017 and 2020 with  
the aim of countering the negative impacts of Hurricane Maria and the COVID -19 pandemic. Taking 
into consideration grants and capital expenditure, the primary and overall balances often showed a 
deficit.  
1.12.   Financing needs were covered using different source s. While reimbursements to commercial 
banks were done until 2016, these domestic agents became again a large source of funding in 
2018-21. Financing through external donors also increased in last two years. Up to 2019, arrears 
remained largely unchanged, b ut they have increased since then. In 2019, there was an increase of 
USD 20.2 million in domestic arrears; in 2021, they increased by USD  8.8 million. According to the 
IMF, public debt has peaked at an estimated rate of 106% of GDP in 2020, well above prev ious 
regional target set at 60%.5 Under the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2021, authorities expect to support 
the reduction of public debt and to achieve the regional debt target.  
1.13.   Regarding its financial sector, Dominica has some long -standing vulnerabilities  such as high 
non-performing loans and capital adequacy gaps. According to the IMF, risks to financial stability 
remain prominent in the non -banking sector, particularly in large, undercapitalized credit unions.6 
1.1.3   Balance of payments, monetary and exchange  rate policy  
1.14.   As a member of the ECCU, Dominica's monetary policy is managed by the Eastern Caribbean 
Central Bank (ECCB). The ECCB keeps the EC dollar pegged to the US dollar  at a rate of XCD  2.70 
per USD. Changes in the real effective exchange rate for th e regional currency are largely related to 
changes in the value of the USD  vis-à-vis other major currencies.  
1.15.   During the review period, inflation rates fluctuated between -0.9% and 1.5%, which points 
out sustained price stability. At the end of 2021, the in flation rate peaked at 3.8%, reflecting the 
higher world energy and food prices in international markets.  
1.16.   Dominica's external current account significantly deteriorated during the review period. 
Until 2017, the annual deficit was limited to less than USD  50 million. However, the decline of the 
services surplus after the passage of Hurricane Maria deteriorated this position for the second half 
of review period. The annual deficit widened to USD  242 million in 2018 (Table  1.3) and, although 
it narrowed to USD  180 million in 2021, the deficit was equivalent to 30% of GDP (or higher) in the 
last four years. The increase in public investment also contributed to this result. The rationalization 
of government expenditure and the recovery of tourism exports are expe cted to gradually reduce 
the current account deficit.  
 
5 IMF (2022), "IMF Exec utive Board Concludes 2021 Article IV Consultation with Dominica ", 
14 February, Press Release No.  22/35. Viewed at: https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2022/02/14/pr2235 -
imf-executive -board -concludes -2021-article -iv-consultation -with-dominica . 
6 IMF (2022), "IMF Executive Board Concludes 2021 Article IV Consultation with Dominica ", 
14 February, Press Release No.  22/35. Viewed at: https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2022/02/14/pr2235 -
imf-execu tive-board -concludes -2021-article -iv-consultation -with-dominica . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 116 - 
 
  Table  1.3 Balance of payments, 2014 -21 
(USD million)   
2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019a 2020a 2021b 
1. Current account  -28.2 -25.2 -44.2 -46.2 -242.2  -210.1  -147.5  -178.8  
1.A Goods and services  -58.3 -58.3 -59.8 -102.4  -263.6  -203.4  -183.9  -196.8  
1.A.a Goods  -164.1  -160.5  -162.6  -161.3  -272.9  -259.8  -172.2  -184.7  
Exports  38.5 34.9 25.4 13.0 11.6 21.2 15.5 18.5 
Imports  202.6  195.4  188.0  174.3  284.5  280.9  187.6  203.2  
1.A.b Services  105.8  102.2  102.8  58.9 9.3 56.4 -11.7 -12.1 
Exports  241.6  233.3  244.2  204.5  145.0  190.0  79.3 86.4 
Imports  135.8  131.1  141.4  145.7  135.7  133.6  91.1 98.6 
1.B Primary income  -16.6 -18.9 -21.1 1.8 0.8 -9.5 6.9 1.6 
1.B.1 Compensation of 
employees  -10.4 -7.9 -6.6 -8.4 2.1 2.9 2.3 2.5 
1.B.2 Investment income  -6.2 -10.9 -14.5 10.3 -1.3 -12.4 4.6 -0.9 
1.B.2.1 Direct investment  -6.2 -9.8 -12.9 10.0 -0.6 -14.2 4.0 -1.7 
1.B.2.2 Portfolio investment  4.2 3.6 1.6 4.9 1.2 1.7 1.5 1.8 
1.B.2.3 Other investment  -4.1 -4.7 -3.2 -4.6 -1.9 0.1 -0.9 -1.0 
1.B.3 Other primary income  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
1.C Secondary income  46.8 52.0 36.7 54.3 20.6 2.7 29.5 16.4 
1.C.1 General government  12.5 16.5 10.3 27.5 2.2 -4.0 -3.3 -3.5 
1.C.2 Financial corporations, 
nonfinancial corporations, 
households, and NPISHs  34.9 35.8 26.7 27.1 18.7 6.9 32.9 20.1 
1.C.3 Adjustment for change 
in pension entitlements  -0.6 -0.3 -0.3 -0.3 -0.3 -0.2 -0.1 -0.1 
2. Capital account  40.0 55.2 147.0  366.4  147.2  59.3 102.0  109.7  
2.2 Capital transfers  40.0 55.2 147.0  366.4  147.2  59.3 102.0  109.7  
2.2.1 General government  39.3 55.0 146.8  135.9  129.4  53.3 101.7  109.4  
2.2.2 Financial corporations, 
nonfinancial corporations, 
households, and NPISHs  0.7 0.2 0.2 230.5  17.8 6.0 0.3 0.3 
Net lending (+) / net borrowing 
(-) (balance from current and 
capital account)  11.8 30.0 102.8  320.1  -95.0 -150.8  -45.5 -69.1 
3. Financial account  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Net lending (+) / net borrowing 
(-) (balance from financial 
account)  14.1 27.7 98.1 291.7  -128.2  -227.8  -22.1 -87.7 
3.1 Direct investment  -14.1 -18.7 -41.4 -23.7 -78.2 -63.0 -22.4 -44.0 
3.2 Portfolio investment  27.6 -29.5 -12.7 5.8 2.1 5.7 2.4 2.9 
3.3 Financial derivatives (other 
than reserves) and employee 
stock options  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
3.4 Other investment  -13.9 49.7 56.4 319.4  -31.2 -134.3  -12.8 -61.5 
3.4.2 Currency and deposits  -0.4 50.9 20.6 111.5  82.8 -83.7 34.0 -13.3 
3.4.3 Loans  -16.4 -5.7 38.4 25.9 7.8 3.7 -49.4 -41.0 
3.4.4 Insurance, pension, 
and standardized guarantee 
schemes  0.2 4.3 1.0 178.6  -123.7  -53.7 -0.6 -0.1 
3.4.5 Trade credit and 
advances  0.1 -0.8 0.3 -0.5 -0.4 -0.2 -0.1 -0.1 
3.4.6 Other accounts 
receivable/payable  2.6 0.9 -4.0 3.9 2.3 -0.4 3.3 8.5 
3.4.7 Special drawing rights 
(Net incurrence of liabilities)  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 15.4 
3.5 Reserve assets  14.5 26.2 95.7 -9.7 -20.9 -36.2 10.6 14.8 
3.5.2 Special drawing rights  -0.1 0.7 0.2 0.3 0.8 -1.6 -0.3 15.2 
3.5.3 Reserve position in the 
IMF 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
3.5.4 Other reserve assets  14.6 25.5 95.5 -10.0 -21.7 -34.6 10.9 -0.4 
Net errors and omissions  2.3 -2.4 -4.7 -28.4 -33.2 -76.9 23.4 -18.7 WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 117 - 
 
   
2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019a 2020a 2021b 
Memorandum:          
Current account as a share of 
GDP (%)  -5.4 -4.7 -7.7 -8.9 -43.7 -34.4 -29.3 -32.8 
a Preliminary data.  
b Estimates.  
Source:  Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).  
1.2  Trends and patterns in merchandise and services trade  
1.17.   Dominica carried a negative trade balance during the review period and this deficit has more 
than doubled between 2014 and 2021. Until 2016, the deficit amounted to about USD  100 million, 
it rapidly increased to a pproximately USD  300 million in 2018 and 2019, and it stabilized around 
USD 200 million in last two years. This performance is closely related to the different shocks affecting 
Dominica's economy during the review period. The need for reconstruction after the passage of 
Hurricane Maria in 2017 implied a surge in imports of goods that increased by more than 50% on a 
year-to-year basis. Merchandise imports only reverted to their previous level in 2020 when the rise 
of the COVID -19 pandemic implied a contracti on of almost 50% of trade in services. As a 
consequence of these major shifts, the share of merchandise in Dominica's overall trade passed from 
39% in 2014 -17 to 55% in 2018 -21. 
1.18.   Regarding merchandise trade, imports are the main determinant flow as they con cern more 
than 90% of the value of exchanged goods. Besides 2017 and 2018, imports remained relatively 
stable during the review period and, on average, they were valued at USD  220 million (Table  A1.1). 
Their structure also remained largely unchanged. Accou nting for nearly 20% of imports, mineral 
fuels are the main imported SITC product category, followed closely by machinery and transport 
equipment, manufactured goods, and food and live animals. During the review period, manufactured 
goods and chemical prod ucts increased their import shares by 4.0% and by 3.7%, respectively, 
while the import shares of food and live animals, machinery and transport equipment, and 
miscellaneous manufacturing decreased by 2.5%, 1.9%, and 1.9%, respectively (Chart  1.1). 
1.19.   Merchand ise exports decreased from USD  34 million in 2014 to USD  17 million in 2021. 
Excluding re -exports for these totals depicts a more worrying pattern for Dominica's domestic 
exports as the decrease in overall merchandise exports is mostly related to a decreas e in domestic 
exports (Table  A1.1). This underperformance is mainly due to the cessation of activities by Dominica 
Coconut Products (DCP) Colgate Palmolive, a soap producer, in 2015. With an export value of 
USD 8.5 million in 2021, food and live animals ac count for almost half of Dominica's exports. This is 
a significant recovery for the sector after recording a low of USD  3.6 million in 2018.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 118 - 
 
  Chart 1.1 Merchandise trade by main SITC section, 2014 and 2021  
 
Source: WTO Secretariat calculations, based on ECCB statistics.  
1.20.   Dominica's trade in services was in surplus from 2014 to 2019, before turning into a deficit 
(Table  1.4). The surplus was above USD  100 million in 2014 -16, which contributed to the overall 
trade  surplus. The surplus in services trade started to decline in 2017 after the passage of Hurricane 
Maria, when exports of services slowed substantially, reflecting a temporary contraction of travel 
exports. Dominica's exports of travel services, which is th e main services sector on the export side, 
were recovering from the natural disaster when the COVID -19 pandemic hit the sector 
internationally. As a mirror effect to exports of travel services, the services trade balance showed a 
deficit in last two years.  Exports of other business sectors showed a very positive development; their 
Chart 1.1
Merchandise trade by main SITC sections, 2014 and 2021
2014 2021
Exports
Total: USD 34 million
Imports
Total: USD 240 million Total: USD 231 million
Source:   WTO Secretariat calculations, based on ECCB statistics.Total: USD 17 millionBeverages & 
tobacco
4.4%
Chemical 
products
6.6%Machinery & 
transport equipment
3.5%
Mineral fuels
19.9%Misc. manuf.
13.0%
Machinery & 
transport 
equipment
21.4%Other
2.5%
Chemical 
products
10.3%Misc. manuf.
11.1%
Machinery & 
transport 
equipment
19.5%Other
1.5%
Mineral fuels
19.7%Machinery & 
transport 
equipment
8.2%
Chemical products
5.5%
Chemical 
products
42.2%Manufactured 
goods
1.1%Misc. 
manuf.
3.1
Manufactured 
goods
17.3%Food & live 
animals
27.4%
Manufactured goods
0.6%
Food & live 
animals
49.6%
Beverages & 
tobacco
7.8%Misc. manuf.
14.1%
Food & live 
animals
19.7%Food & live 
animals
17.2%
Beverages & 
tobacco
3.6%Beverages & 
tobacco
3.4%
Manufactured 
goods
13.3%Crude 
materials 
(except fuels)
13.5%Crude 
materials 
(except fuels)
18.9%WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 119 - 
 
  export value has almost increased sixfold during the review period, totalling USD  47.3 million 
in 2021.  
Table  1.4 Trade in services, 2014 -21 
(USD million)   
2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019a 2020a 2021b 
Services trade balance  105.8  102.2  102.8  58.9 9.3 56.4 -11.7 -12.1 
Exports of services  241.6  233.3  244.2  204.5  145.0  190.0  79.3 86.4 
Maintenance and repair services , 
n.i.e. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Transportation  1.0 0.7 0.8 0.8 1.5 1.7 0.8 0.8 
Travel  215.7  201.8  197.5  160.9  88.4 135.3  30.0 19.0 
Construction services  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Insurance services  2.9 2.6 3.5 3.0 3.4 3.4 4.5 4.5 
Auxiliary insurance services  2.8 2.6 3.2 2.6 3.0 3.4 4.5 4.5 
Financial services  1.4 1.1 0.5 1.6 2.3 1.0 0.5 0.5 
Charges for use of intellectual 
property  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Telecommunications, computer 
and information services 
(Combined)  11.3 11.4 11.9 11.7 11.4 11.5 10.9 11.1 
Other business services  8.4 14.7 28.0 24.6 34.9 35.4 29.8 47.3 
Personal, cultural, and 
recreational services  0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 
Government services, n.i.e.  0.0 0.0 1.1 1.0 2.0 0.6 2.0 2.2 
Imports of services  135.8  131.1  141.4  145.7  135.7  133.6  91.1 98.6 
Maintenance and repair services , 
n.i.e. 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Transportation  35.6 34.1 31.4 28.7 39.3 42.9 23.8 24.9 
Sea transport  24.2 23.6 22.6 21.4 32.4 34.3 21.7 23.5 
Passenger  1.2 1.3 1.2 1.6 2.1 2.4 0.4 0.4 
Freight  23.0 22.2 21.4 19.8 30.2 31.9 21.3 23.1 
Air transport  11.4 10.4 8.8 7.3 6.9 8.6 2.1 1.3 
Passenger  11.3 10.4 8.7 7.2 6.9 8.6 2.1 1.3 
Travel  26.2 22.2 23.4 19.5 20.4 20.2 6.2 6.7 
Construction services  2.1 2.3 1.6 4.2 5.6 4.6 3.7 4.4 
Construction in the compiling 
economy  2.1 2.3 1.6 4.2 5.6 4.6 3.7 4.4 
Insurance services  11.7 11.5 9.1 15.0 15.6 17.5 15.1 15.7 
Direct insurance  10.3 10.3 7.6 13.5 13.5 15.6 13.8 14.3 
Financial services  5.1 5.1 4.4 4.4 4.9 4.3 4.3 4.6 
Charges for use of intellectual 
property  0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.1 
Telecommunications, computer 
and information services 
(Combined)  5.3 5.5 6.2 6.1 4.3 4.0 3.7 4.0 
Other business services  48.5 49.6 62.7 65.8 43.9 38.2 32.6 36.5 
Personal, cultural, and 
recreational services  0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Government services, n.i.e.  0.6 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 
a Preliminary data.  
b Estimates.  
Source:  Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).  
1.21.   Services imports remained almost unaffected by the consequences of natural disasters on the 
island until 2019 and reached a peak in 2017 of USD  145.7  million. In 2020, imports of services 
shrank by almost a th ird in 2020 compared to 2019 after the emergence of the COVID -19 pandemic. 
Imports of services decreased to USD  98.6 million in 2021. Other business, transportation7, 
 
7 Sea transportation is essentially used for freight, while air transportation for passengers.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 120 - 
 
  insurance, and travel services are the main importing sectors. Out of them, travel servi ces and 
transportation are those behind a decrease of USD  30 million in services' imports observed in 2021.  
1.22.   At the time of the preparation of this Review, there were no data available regarding the 
investment flows to and from Dominica.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 121 - 
 
  2  TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES  
2.1  General framework  
2.1.  The Commonwealth of Dominica (Dominica) became an independent nation 
on 3 November  1978. Established by Chapter III of the Constitution of Dominica, the House of 
Assembly (the House) is a unicameral parliament and constitutes the legislative branch in Dominica. 
Currently, it has 32 members comprising 1 elected repres entative from each of the 21 constituencies 
and 9  Senators (5 appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, and 4 on the advice of the leader 
of the opposition). Additionally, the Attorney General as an ex officio  member and the Speaker8 of 
the House are  also members of the House. The most recent legislative elections in Dominica took 
place on 6  December  2019, 8 of the 21 elected members of the House are women, and the term of 
office is 5 years for all members.  
2.2.  The Prime Minister and its Cabinet of Minist ers exercise the executive authority in Dominica. 
An elected member of the House who seems to benefit from the support of the majority of the House 
members is appointed as Prime Minister by the President. The Prime Minister determines the scope 
of minister ial responsibilities and Ministers of the Cabinet are appointed by the President on the 
advice of the Prime Minister from either elected or appointed members of the House.9 The 
Prime  Minister and Cabinet have exclusive authority for signing and concluding  treaties and 
international agreements. The incumbent Prime Minister took the oath on 8  August  2004.  
2.3.  Whenever required, the Prime Minister and the parliamentary leader of the opposition appoint 
the President. In case a consensus is not reached, members of the House elect the President by 
simple majority of a secret ballot. The presidential term is five years and can be renewed once. The 
current President took office in October  2013.  
2.4.  Dominica's legal system is based on English common law and the administrati on of justice is 
vested in an independent judicial branch. The courts of first instance are the Magistrate's courts, 
which deal with minor civil and criminal cases, and the second instance is the Court of Summary 
Jurisdiction. The High Court handles cases related to constitutional matters and administrative law 
cases. Appeals are handled, in the first instance, by the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal and 
following an amendment to the Constitution10, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has acted as the 
final court of appeal for Dominica since 27  February  2015. By adopting this change, Dominica 
became the fourth Caribbean country adopting the CCJ as the final appellate court for municipal 
appeals. Besides these duties, the CCJ also has an exclusive jurisdict ion in interpreting provisions of 
the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.  
2.5.  Regarding domestic legislation, the Constitution is the supreme law in Dominica and all other 
laws must conform to it, or are void to the extent of any inconsistencies. International agre ements 
must be incorporated into domestic law to be invoked before domestic courts; otherwise, they have 
no direct effect, except if the relevant legislation expressly states it. Only lawmakers, namely 
members of the House and appointed Ministers, have the  right to introduce bills to the House, which 
are reviewed in several steps: presented and published in a first reading, debated in a second 
reading, examined and amended by a committee, presented by the Speaker of the House, and 
accepted or rejected in a third reading. As stated in Section  49 of the Constitution, bills become law 
only after receiving the assent of the President and after publication in the official Government 
Gazette . This procedure applies to all laws.11 Statutory Rules and Orders (SROs) are issued by 
Ministers and relevant agencies, affirmed by the House, and gazetted.  
 
8 The Speaker of the House might be elected among the electe d and appointed members of the House, 
in which case, the House only has 31 members.  
9 No more than three Senators can be appointed as Ministers.  
10 The Constitution of Dominica (Amendment) Act 2014, Act No.  4 of 2014, and the Constitution of 
Dominica (Amend ment) (Commencement) Order 2015, SRO No.  4 of 2015.  
11 Laws in Dominica are named Acts.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 122 - 
 
  2.2  Trade policy formulation and objectives  
2.2.1   Main trade laws  
2.6.  Since its previous Review, Dominica has changed or amended some legislation affecting its 
trade policy environment, notably promoting the adoption of renewable energy, modernizing the 
banking sector, and making changes to the investment regime. The main laws related to customs, 
intellectual property rights, government procurement, and other trade -related aspects are lis ted in 
Table  2.1. 
Table  2.1 Major trade -related laws and regulations, 2022  
Description  Legislation  
Foreign trade  Customs Act 2010, Act No.  20 of 2010  
Customs Import and Export Tariffs Ordinance, Cap. 265  
Caribbean Free Trade Association Act, Chapter 80:01  
Order of the Caribbean Community Act 1992, Act No.  17 of 
1992 
Dominica Export and Import Agency Act, Chapter 82:01  
Tariff and Wharfage Dues Act, Chapter 69:05  
Customs Environmental Charge Imposition Order , SRO No.  45 
of 1995  
Supply Control (Restricted Imports and Exports) Act 2003, 
Act No. 14 of 2003  
Quality control  Standards Act 1999, Act No.  4 of 1999  
Standards Regulation 2020, SRO No. 7 of 2020  
National Metrology Act 2009,  Act No.  5 of 2009  
National Metrology Act 2009, SRO No. 27 of 2016  
Fresh Produce Export Quality Control Act 2009, Act No.  2 of 
2009 
Fresh Produce Export Quality Control Regulations, SRO No. 30 
of 2012  
Plant Protection and Quarantine Act, Chapter 58:40  
Fruit Trade Regulation Act, Chapter 82:03  
Pesticides Control Act, Chapter 40:10  
Investment/business environment  Fiscal Incentives Act, Chapter 84:51  
Hotels Aid Act, Chapter 85:04  
Invest Dominica Authority Act 2007, Act No.  9 of 2007  
Supplies Control Act, Chapter 20:01  
Excise Tax Act 2005, Act No.  3 of 2005  
Value Added  Tax Act 2005, Act No.  7 of 2005  
Income Tax Act, Chapter 67:01  
Mines and Minerals Act 1996, Act No.  5 of 1996  
Aliens Landholding Regulation Act 1995, Act No.  17 of 1995  
Aid to Development Enterprises Act, Chapter 84:52  
Government procurement  Finance and Audit Act, Chapter 63:01  
Procurement and Contract Administration Act 2012, Act No. 11 
of 2012  
Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Regulations, 
SRO No.  14 of 2022  
Intellectual property rights  Copyright Act 2003, Act No.  5 of 2003  
Marks, Collective Marks and Trade Names Act 1999, Act No.  12 
of 1999  
Trade Unions Act, Chapter 89:03  
Patents Act 1999, Act No.  8 of 1999  
Protection of New Plant Varieties Act 1999, Act No.  14 of 1999  
Protection of Layout -Designs (Topographies) of Integrated 
Circuits 1999, Act No.  11 of 1999  
Protection of Geographical Indications Act 1999, Ac t No. 13 of 
1999 
Industrial Designs Act 1998, Act No.  2 of 1998  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 123 - 
 
  Description  Legislation  
Services  Electricity Supply Act 2006, Act No.  10 of 2006  
Eastern Caribbean Central Banking Act, Chapter 74:01  
Banking Act 2015, Act No.  4 of 2015  
Banking (Licences) Regulations 2019, SRO No.  21 of 2019  
Credit Reporting Act, 2020  
Insurance Act 2012, Act No.  4 of 2012  
Financial Intelligence Unit Act 2011, Act No.  7 of 2011  
Exempt Insurance Act 1997, Act. No.  14 of 1997  
Financial Services Unit Act 2008, Act No.  18 of 2008  
Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (Common 
Reporting Standard) Act, Act No.  6 of 2019  
Co-operatives Societies Act 2011, Act No.  2 of 2011  
Telecommunications Act 2000, Act No.  8 of 2000  
Dominica Air and Sea Ports Authority Act 2006, Act No.  8 of 
2006 
International Maritime Act 2000, Act No.  9 of 2000 Discover 
Dominica Authority Act 2007, Act No.  8 of 2007  
Civil Aviation Act 2005, Act No.  21 of 2005  
Note:  Laws and regulations listed above might have been amended after the initial enactment and those 
amendments are not listed here.  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
2.3  Trade policy objectives  
2.7.  Following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika and Hurricane Maria, Dominica adopted a 
National Resilience Development Strategy (NRDS) in 2018. The NRDS outlines the national roadmap 
to achieve higher resiliency by 2030 by considering the unique challenges faced by Dominica12 and 
aims at making Dominica the first climate -resilient country in the world. In this sense, the 
Government promotes climate -resilie nt economic growth, aims to create a vibrant business climate, 
and encourages foreign investment while strengthening its fiscal and macroeconomic stability.  
2.8.  Within this general framework, recently Dominica adopted a new National Trade Policy (NTP)13 
for the period 2022 -35, which deploys the vision, mission, goals, and objectives related to trade for 
the country. Dominica aims at exporting competitively to global markets through the establishment 
of a market -driven, development -led, and sustainable tr ade sector. Trade is considered as a catalyst 
for socio -economic development by expanding economic growth, increasing employment and job 
creation, reducing poverty, and improving living standards. To achieve these results, Dominica seeks 
to improve its tra de balance by enhancing competitiveness, broadening product diversification and 
geographical orientation of exports, increasing the utilization of existing trade agreements, 
contributing to the evolution of regional and multilateral trade governance, and p roviding the 
business environment of its domestic market (competition, consumer satisfaction, and ease of doing 
business).  
2.9.  Dominica recognizes that trade agreements at the regional and multilateral levels are important 
tools of trade policy to achieve deve lopment goals through increased market access and 
development cooperation. In that sense, Dominica considers the implementation of the 
WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) as a priority and sees the modernization of its trade 
policy and regulatory fra mework in all domains. The establishment of an effective competition 
framework at the regional level is acknowledged as a concrete possibility to enhance the domestic 
trading environment. The country is committed to open trade particularly in the areas of clean energy 
and energy -efficient technologies, and it endeavours to collaborate with OECS and 
Caribbean  Community (CARICOM) partners in this regard.  
2.10.   Through cooperation with other OECS -WTO Members, Dominica seeks to overcome 
constraints in financial and h uman resources for its participation to trade policy formulation and 
implementation at the multilateral level. Dominica ratified the TFA and accepted the 2005 protocol 
amending the WTO's Agreement on Trade -Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (T RIPS) 
during the review period. The country continues its efforts to deepen trade integration at the regional 
 
12 The country also prepared a Dominica Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan (CRRP) 2020 -2030, 
which serves as an accompanying document to the NRDS.  
13 The development of the NTP benefited from the participation of the private sector, which is also part 
of the National Trade Facilitation Committee.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 124 - 
 
  level, with other OECS and CARICOM countries. The recently adopted NTP highlights that Dominica 
aims at demonstrating predictability through compl iance to its binding commitments and 
transparency through the notifications under the various agreements.  
2.11.   The Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Business and Export 
Development is in charge of trade policy in coordination with other  Ministries and agencies relevant 
for specific trade -related topics and issues (Table  2.2). The Customs and Excise Division of the 
Ministry of Finance and Investment is responsible for tariff issues and the Ministry of Planning, 
Economic Development, Clima te Resilience, Sustainable Development, and Renewable Energy plays 
an important role in the NRDS 2030.  
Table  2.2 Ministries and agencies dealing with trade  
Government ministry/agency  Area of responsibility  
Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Entrepreneurship, 
Innovation, Business and Export Development  All trade issues, WTO coordination, OECS, CARICOM 
affairs, and price controls  
Ministry of Finance and Investment  Regulation of the financial sector, fiscal policy and 
incentives, debt management, trade facilitation, tariffs and 
other customs duties, import controls, and customs 
valuation  
Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, 
Climate Resilience, Sustainable Development and 
Renewable Energy  Economic planning and monitoring, policy formulation and 
implementation for the telecommunications sector  
Ministry of Tourism, International Transport and 
Maritime Initiatives  Policy formulation and implementation for tourism and 
transport services  
Custo ms and Excise Division  Trade facilitation, and implementation of border taxes and 
measures  
Bureau of Standards  Promotion, development and adoption of standards  
Ministry of Health, Wellness, and New Health 
Investment  Food safety issues  
Ministry of Blue and Green Economy, Agriculture and 
National Food Security  Agricultural policy formulation and implementation and 
research; implementation of the SPS  Agreement  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
2.4  Trade agreements and arrangements  
2.4.1   WTO  
2.12.   Dominica is a founding Member of the WTO. The country applies MFN treatment to all its 
trading partners. On trade in services, Dominica undertook commitments on tourism, recreational, 
telecommunications, and financial services (Section  4.4). 
2.13.   In 2016, Dominica ratified the TFA and communicated the definitive dates for the 
implementation of all its commitments, spanning until 2022. Dominica has requested assistance and 
support for capacity -building for nine measures.  
2.14.   During the period under revi ew, Dominica made notifications to the WTO, covering, inter alia, 
the regional trade agreement between CARIFORUM and the United  Kingdom, its commitments under 
the TFA, some technical regulations, and its fiscal incentives programme. There was no notificati on 
in other areas, such as agriculture, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.  
2.15.   Dominica was not involved as a complainant or a defendant in any case before the Dispute 
Settlement Body during the review period.  
2.4.2   Regional and preferential agreements  
2.16.   Dominic a is a founding member of CARICOM and the OECS (Common Report). Within the 
OECS, member States cooperate on trade policy formulation and negotiations, and other areas, such 
as agriculture, telecommunications, competition policy, international relations, an d resilience to 
natural disasters. Dominica ratified the revised Treaty of Basseterre establishing the OECS Economic 
Union in 2010, and the free circulation of people within the seven OECS Protocol Member States is 
now possible. Functional cooperation in s everal domains is seen as a major success within WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 125 - 
 
  CARICOM14, nonetheless initiatives for deeper integration such as the CARICOM Single Market and 
Economy (CSME) have not yet been fully deployed. Moreover, Dominica is able to rationalize its 
human and techni cal resources, to benefit from greater political influence in a number of fora, and 
to ensure a consistent participation in a range of international negotiations through its participation 
in these regional trade arrangements.  
2.17.   Jointly with other CARICOM mem bers and the Dominican  Republic, Dominica enjoys 
preferential access to the EU market under the CARIFORUM -EC Economic Partnership Agreement 
(EPA) signed in 2008 (Common Report). Dominica ratified the EPA in November  2009 and the 
agreement has been provisio nally implemented since December  2008. Slightly more than half of 
Dominica's tariff lines have a phase -out period ending in 2018, although Dominica reports some 
delays in the implementation of its commitments for 2013 and 2018.15 By 2033, 12.5% of tariff l ines 
are expected to remain subject to a tariff duty. Dominica took commitments in 10 services sectors, 
which implies an extension of sector coverage with respect to its General Agreement on Trade and 
Services (GATS) commitments.16 
2.18.   The United  Kingdom–CARIF ORUM States agreement was signed on 22  March  2019 and 
notified to the WTO on 31  December  2020. Covering goods and services, the agreement entered 
into force on 1  January  2021 in Dominica, although not in all signatory countries (Common Report). 
The provisi ons of the agreement and the negotiated schedule closely follow commitments of the 
already existing EU -CARIFORUM States agreement. In 2019, main products exported by Dominica 
under this agreement are dasheen, essential oils, scraps of copper, and medical a ppliances 
amounting to USD  1.5 million.  
2.19.   Canada provides duty -free access to Dominica's exports through CARIBCAN, mainly for 
processed foods and fresh vegetables, and the waiver to this preferential treatment applied by 
Canada has been extended until 31  December  2023.17 Dominica's exports to Canada amount to 
nearly USD  250,000 and 82% of these exports are not subject to custom duties.18 Some of 
Dominica's exports also benefit from preferences granted under the Caribbean Basin Initiative; 
however, the utiliza tion of this preferential framework seems marginal, and exports accounted for 
less than USD  30,000 in 2019.19 
2.20.   Products from Dominica are eligible for the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) schemes 
of Armenia, Australia, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz  Republic, New  Zealand, Norway, the 
Russian  Federation, Switzerland, and the United  States. The GSP schemes of Armenia, Kazakhstan, 
the Kyrgyz  Republic, and the  Russian  Federation were initiated on 10  October  2016.20 The range of 
eligible products varies acc ording to each country's scheme. Dominica is no longer eligible for GSP 
schemes offered by Canada and the European  Union.  
2.5  Investment regime  
2.21.   Foreign investment policy is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance and Investment 
and the Invest Domin ica Authority (IDA). The Government aims at attracting foreign investors by 
offering various incentive schemes. During the review period, changes to the Dominica's investment 
regime mainly consisted of an update to the programme granting citizenship to for eign investors 
and the alignment of incentives' schemes to WTO commitments. The Government welcomes 
investment in any sector of the economy, and the IDA acts as one -stop shop for all investors. IDA's 
National Investment Promotion Strategy 2021 identifies f our targeted sectors for promotion: 
 
14 CARICOM Today (2021), "CARICOM's Integration Journey: Not All Gloom and Doom", 4  July. 
Viewed  at: https://today.caricom.org/2021/07/04/caricoms -integration -journey -not-all-gloom -and-doom/ . 
15 European Commission (2021)  Ex-post Evaluation of th e EPA between the EU and its Member States 
and the CARIFORUM Member States , Final Report, Executive Summary.  
16 A partial implementation of services commitments was also reported in the ex post evaluation 
published by the European Commission in 2021.  
17 WTO document WT/L/958, 30  July 2015.  
18 WTO document WT/L/1112, 13  July 2021.  
19 WTO document WT/L/1096, 21  September  2020.  
20 The Russian  Federation updated its GSP scheme in 2016; its previous scheme ran between 
1 January  2010 and 10  October  2016. WTO, Preferen tial Trade Arrangements . Viewed at: 
http://ptadb.wto.org/Country.aspx?code=212 .  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 126 - 
 
  tourism; organic agriculture, aquaculture, and sustainable fishing; knowledge services; and 
renewable energy.21 
2.22.   Besides the restriction on land acquisition for individuals and companies not from an OECS 
country, foreign investments in Dominica are not subject to any other restriction. The Aliens 
Landholding Regulation Act 199522 requires foreign investors and companies to obtain a landholding 
licence for residential purposes (of one acre or more)23 or commercial purposes (three acres and 
more). For all land acquisitions including those not subject to a licence, aliens must pay a fee 
equivalent to 10% of the market value of the land to the Government. However, recent amendments 
to the Aliens Landholding Regulation Act repla ced the 10% fee by a fixed fee of XCD  6,000 to be 
paid for land purchases below three acres related to approved real estate development projects. 
Foreign investors are subject to bona fide checks and verification by the IDA of the validity of their 
project  funding.  
2.23.   No limitation or cap on foreign participation applies and foreign investors are allowed to 
repatriate dividends to the extent of the foreign participation in the company, although some sectors 
request to establish prudential reserves. A 25% tax r ate on profits applies; however, exemptions 
and tax holidays up to 20 years might be granted under the Fiscal Incentives Act, and the Income 
Tax Act for development of all accommodation.  
2.24.   The Fiscal Incentives Act, Chapter 84:51, and the Hotels Aid Act, Cha pter 85:04, provide the 
regulatory framework for investment incentives. In January  2019, the Fiscal Incentives Act was 
amended24 to remove any element of export subsidy and to ensure that this regulation is in line with 
commitments in the SCM  Agreement. Th ere is currently no beneficiary to the Fiscal Incentives Act 
after the cessation of activities of the single beneficiary, Colgate Palmolive, in August  2015. A tax 
holiday of up to 15 years might be granted under this Act. Qualifying companies for incentive s are 
those operating in sectors listed in Section  2 of the Act, e.g.  manufacturing, industry, retail services, 
real estate activities, call centres, medical services, and tourism.  
2.25.   As regards the Income Tax Act, Chapter 67:01, the tax holiday might last for up to 20 years 
for approved hotel and resort developments. Moreover, the Income Tax Act, Chapter 67:01, provides 
for exemptions from the payment of withholding taxes for projects while the Value Added Tax Act 
2005 provides for activities and servi ces exempt from VAT.  
2.26.   Following the passage of Hurricane Maria, the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme 
has gained importance as a source of government revenue (38.3% in 2020 instead of 16.6% in 
2013) after a peak at 45.3% between 2016 -18. The Program me, which provides foreign investors 
with the possibility to acquire citizenship through a donation to the Government or the acquisition 
of real estate in CBI -approved projects, was revamped in 2014.25 Currently, applicants obtaining the 
citizenship through a donation to the Government will disburse at least USD  100,000 and the specific 
amount of donation varies according to the number of dependent adults and children included in the 
application. As for  applicants purchasing real estate in the CBI -approved projects26, they must 
purchase a property of a minimum value of USD  200,000 and are subject to approval fees on their 
applications, which start at USD  25,000 and vary according to the family configurat ion.27 The 
 
21 There are no established criteria or methodology for the identification of targeted sectors.  
22 During the review period, the Aliens Landholding Regulation Act 1995, Act No.  17 of 1995, was 
amended by the Aliens Landholding Regulation (Amendment) Act 2015,  Act No.  17 of 2015 and the Aliens 
Landholding Regulation (Amendment) Act 2018, Act No.  7 of 2018. Note that land registration is considered as 
the less performing area by the World Bank's Doing Business Indicators 2020, which ranks Dominica in 179th 
position among 190 economies. Viewed at: 
https://www.doingbusiness.org/content/dam/doingBusiness/country/d/dominica/DMA.pdf . 
23 Since 2015, Dominica applies an annual residential levy tax of XCD  2,000 on villas constructed within 
an approved villa development project following the Residential Levy Act 2015, Act No.  15 of 2015.  
24 Fiscal Incentives (Amendment) Act 2019, Act No.  3 of 2 019. 
25 Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2014, SRO No.  37 of 2014 as 
amended by Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment (Amendment) Regulations 2016, SRO 
No. 38 of 2016, Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Invest ment Regulations 2017, SRO No.  23 of 2017, 
Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2018, SRO No.  42 of 2018, and 
Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by Investment Regulations 2020, SRO No.  33 of 2020.  
26 Properties under the CBI prog ramme must be kept for at least three years and cannot be used for 
another CBI application in the next five years.  
27 Other related fees under both schemes include an application fee and a review fee.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 127 - 
 
  authorities indicate that government revenues under this programme during the review period 
totalled XCD  2,009.0  million (USD  744.1  million).  
2.27.   The bilateral investment treaties with Germany and the United  Kingdom remain in force. The 
United  Kingd om-CARIFORUM agreement and the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement 
between the United  States and CARICOM, signed in May  2013, also contain investment provisions 
relevant for investors from signatory countries.28 To avoid double taxation of income earn ed in 
Dominica, a tax treaty with CARICOM countries is in place. Dominica has signed agreements on 
tax-related exchange of information with Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Faroe Islands, 
Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlan d, Norway, New  Zealand, Poland, 
Portugal, Sweden, South  Africa, the United  Kingdom, and the United  States.29 In 2018, Dominica 
started implementing an agreement with the United  States on Foreign Account Tax Compliance.30 
On 25  April 2019, the Government si gned the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in 
Tax Matters whose text was incorporated in Dominica's legislation.31 
 
28 UNCTAD Investment Policy Hub. Viewed at: https://investmentpolicy.unctad.org/international -
investment -agreements/countries/59/dominica . 
29 The recent amendments to the Tax Information Exchange Act (Chap. 67:02) of 1988 include the Tax 
Information Exchange (Amendment) Order 2015, SRO of 2015; the Tax Information Exchange (Amendment) 
Act 2915, Act No.  6 of 2015; and t he Tax Information Exchange (Amendment) Act 2018, Act No.  17 of 2018. 
The 2015 Act included extended the application of the Act to electronic records, and prescribes the production 
of information, notifications, enforcement, and protection of persons discl osing confidential information.  
30 Foreign Account Tax Compliance (United  States of America) Act 2018, Act No.  14 of 2018.  
31 Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (Common Reporting Standard) Act 2019, Act 
No. 6 of 2019 as amended by Automatic  Exchange of Financial Account Information (Common Reporting 
Standard) (Amendment) Act 2021, Act No.  5 of 2021.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 128 - 
 
  3  TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE  
3.1  Measures directly affecting imports  
3.1.1   Customs procedures, valuation, and requirements  
3.1.  Import procedures continue to be regulated by the Customs Act 2010.32 Twelve years after the 
issuance of the Customs Act, the implementing regulations have not yet been enacted and, 
therefore, the authorities indicate that they plan to impleme nt the Customs Act 2010 using 
implementing regulations approved for the previous regime. Besides the requirement to obtain a 
VAT identification number, no other registration requirements apply to importers of commercial 
goods.  
3.2.  The declaration and clearance  of commercial imports must be handled by an external customs 
broker or by an employee licensed and registered as a tariff cleck by Comptroller of Customs. The 
list of licensed brokers is published annually in the Gazette .33 
3.3.  Together with other relevant do cuments (bill of lading and supporting invoice – not necessarily 
the original one), the authorized agent submits the customs declaration using the Single 
Administrative Document (SAD), which is completed electronically through the ASYCUDA World 
system. Dep ending on the nature of the imported good and in some specific situations, other 
required documents might include a certificate of origin; an FT1 101 form to obtain duty -free 
exemptions; an FT1 104 form to obtain duty -free exemptions for the vehicles of re turning residents; 
an import licence or permit; a health permit; a delivery note; a packing list; an insurance certificate; 
a contract of sale; proof of payment; proof of exportation of goods reimported; and proof of warranty 
and exportation (for goods und er warranty that are imported). Supporting documents must be 
scanned and uploaded as part of the declaration.  
3.4.  The Customs and Excise Division of the Ministry of Finance is responsible for the control and 
the management of the customs clearance of goods. Af ter the submission of the customs declaration, 
products qualifying for fiscal incentives are reviewed and approved by the Fiscal Incentive Unit. Once 
the declaration is entered into ASYCUDA by the broker34, the importer is notified of fees to be paid; 
these fees can be paid either online or at any authorized Customs office. Importers with a 
pre-payment account by Customs have their imported goods immediately moved to the next stage 
of the customs clearance procedure following an automatic payment. ASYCUDA a utomatically 
assigns the goods to one of the selectivity lanes. Goods assigned to the Blue/Green Lane can be 
released without further check. Green may subject post -entry verification (post -audit) while Blue 
will be checked as a post -clearance. Goods in the  Yellow Lane are subject only to a documentary 
examination. In the Red Lane, a physical examination is executed in addition to the documentary 
check. When required, the inspection by the Ministry of Agriculture intervenes at this stage. The 
importer is not ified via email when goods are ready for release, or if any further documents are 
required. The customs clearance procedures take, on average, 15 minutes for goods assigned to the 
Blue and Green Lanes.  
3.5.  When concerns about the declared value of an imported product arise, goods are detained until 
the matter is solved; however, in some circumstances (depending on the type of goods, importer's 
profile, etc.) the goods may be released pending completion of the investigation. The authorities 
indicate that the val uation methods contained in the WTO  Customs Valuation Agreement (CVA)  are 
used by customs officers in Dominica.35 Schedule  II of the Customs Act 2010 forbids the use of 
minimum prices for valuation purposes. However, reference prices based on international  lists, 
 
32 The Customs Act 2010 was amended twice during the review period. The amendment enacted by the 
Customs (Amendment) Act 2014, Act No.  9 of 2014,  facilitates the release of information to the Internal 
Revenue Division. The amendment introduced by the Customs (Amendment) Act 2018, Act No.  11 of 2018, 
implements the Advance Cargo Information System as defined by Schedule 6 of the 2006 CARICOM Agreeme nt 
establishing the CARICOM Implementing Agency for Crime and Security.  
33 Customs, Customs Brokers Contact List. Viewed at: 
http://www.customs.gov.dm/images/documents/brokers.pdf . 
34 Note that the Valuation Unit within the Customs and Excise Division may request further 
documentation to corroborate submitted values, such as purchase orders, sale contracts, freight invoices, 
royalty agreements, and price l ists. 
35 Note that Dominica has not responded to the WTO checklist of issues on customs valuation and that 
the country did not invoke any special and differential treatment as contained in Article  20 of the CVA.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 129 - 
 
  catalogues, or previous import values can be used. Importers have the right to request a review of 
valuation procedures and any difference in their favour is refunded by Customs.  
3.6.  Appeals may be brought to the Customs Appeal Commission  by serving a notice of appeal 
within 30 days of the notification of a decision by the Comptroller of Customs. The Commission can 
request witnesses to attend hearings and to provide evidence, take evidence on oath, and receive 
other evidence assisting to effectively dea l with the matter at stake. At appeal, the commissioners 
may increase, decrease, or confirm the amount of duty due. If unsatisfied by the decision of the 
commissioners, the importer may appeal to the High Court or the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal. 
The authorities indicate that the percentage of people appealing is minimal and those who were 
infringing the Customs Act tend to opt for an administrative settlement.  
3.7.  Dominica does not apply any regulation on pre -shipment inspection.36 
3.8.  The Agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) was ratified on 28  November  2016 by Dominica. 
The initial notification for Category  A commitments was submitted in 201537 while final commitments 
for all categories were notified in February  2019.38 The authorities indicate that through the 
implementation of the Importers' Enhanced Facilitation Program on 1  January  2019 Dominica 
fulfilled its only commitment in Category  B. The Enhanced Facilitation Program aims at expediting 
the release of bona fide consignments through customs controls and is expected to evolve into an 
Authorized Economic Operator Program. Definitive dates for the implementation of Category  C 
commitments were notified in August  201939 and, except for test procedures and the single wi ndow, 
all commitments were expected to be implemented by 1  June 2021.40 There is no legislation on 
procedures on disposal of rejected goods, but Customs indicated that procedures are guided by the 
provisions in the TFA. A procedure via email on advance rul ings has been established by Customs; 
it takes 30 days to obtain a response, which legally binding for a year. The authorities note that the 
enactment of the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) Act 201841 and the amendment 
to the Customs Act imple menting the Advance Cargo Information System (ACIS)42 are regional 
efforts for enhanced information sharing and customs cooperation. In 2020, Dominica notified 
information related to the publication and availability of information, formalities related to t he use 
of customs brokers, and contact point for exchange of information and customs cooperation.43 
3.9.  Dominica is not a member of the World Customs Organization (WCO), nor of the recently 
established Caribbean Customs Organization.44 It is a member of the Ca ribbean Customs Law 
Enforcement Council (CCLEC), from which it receives technical assistance. The Small Island 
Economies initiative of the WCO also provided technical assistance to the country.  
3.1.2   Rules of origin  
3.10.   Dominica does not have any non -preferential ru les of origin. Preferential rules of origin are 
applied in line with Schedule I of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas Establishing the Caribbean 
Community (CARICOM), including the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.45 Duty-free treatment 
is granted only if t he goods satisfy the origin criteria, and are shipped from another member State 
(Common Report, Section  3.1.2). A general review of the CET and the rules of origin is currently 
being undertaken by the CARICOM Secretariat.  
3.11.   Dominica also applies the rules of  origin included in the CARIFORUM -EC EPA and those in the 
recently signed United  Kingdom -CARIFORUM States Agreement (Common  Report).  
 
36 WTO document G/PSI/N/1/Add.10, 19  July 2004. 
37 WTO document WT/PCTF/N/DMA/1, 29  April 2015.  
38 WTO document G/TFA/N/DMA/1, 26  February  2019.  
39 WTO document G/TFA/N/DMA/1/Add.1, 23  August  2019.  
40 The definitive date for the implementation of the two remaining commitments is 31  December  2022. 
The authorities indicate that an exploratory consultation and assessment for the establishment of a single 
window was conducted through the Climate Reform Fac ility. 
41 Advance Passenger Information Systems Act 2018, Act 10 of 2018.  
42 Customs (Amendment) Act 2018, Act 11 of 2018.  
43 WTO document G/TFA/N/DMA/2, 16  November  2020.  
44 The Treaty for the Caribbean Customs Organization was signed by 14 Caribbean countrie s on 
22 May 2019 at Havana, Cuba.  
45 This agreement was signed by Dominica on 16  August  2002 and ratified on 8  November  2005.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 130 - 
 
  3.1.3   Tariffs  
3.12.   Dominica grants at least MFN treatment to all of its trading partners. The CARICOM's Common 
External Tariff (Common  Report), with exceptions included in Lists of Exceptions A and C of the CET, 
has been applied since February  1991 and it is levied on the basis of the cost, insurance, and freight 
(CIF) value. Goods in List A may be imported at rates below the CET, and go ods in List C, at rates 
higher than the CET. Goods in List D concerns trade flows with Belize as well as trade in medicaments 
with other OECS members.46 The Government still retains authority to change tariffs within the limits 
of the CET upon approval of a request to the COTED.  
3.13.   During the review period, Dominica introduced several tariff changes by the means of 
Statutory Rules and Orders (SROs).47 Until 2018, all changes applied consisted of reductions of tariff 
rates to specific products such as aerated b everages, LED lamps, baby wipes, adult napkin liners, 
potato seeds, footwear, and security accessories. Changes introduced in 2019 implied a rise in tariff 
rates for 30 products imported from third countries and from More Developed Countries within the 
region. Tariff rates for the latter group have phasing -out periods ranging between 5 and 10 years.  
3.14.   Dominica's 2021 tariff is based on the 2017 Harmonized System. All tariff rates are 
ad valorem . The 2021 tariff comprised 6,779 tariff lines at the eight -digit level (Table  3.1).48 The 
simple average tariff rate increased from 12.3% in 2013 to 12.8% in 2021 and non -agricultural 
products are those mainly concerned by tariff increases (+0.5%). Applied tariffs on agricultural 
products reduced by 0.2  percentage point s during the same time.  
Table  3.1 Structure of the tariff schedule in Dominica, 2013 and 2021  
Description  2013  2021  
Total number of tariff lines  6,359  6,779  
Non-ad valorem  tariffs (% of all tariff lines)  0.0 0.0 
Non-ad valorem  with no AVEs (% of all tariff lines)  0.0 0.0 
Lines subject to tariff quotas (% of all tariff lines)  0.0 0.0 
Duty-free tariff lines (% of all tariff lines)  22.4 22.6 
Dutiable lines tariff average rate (%)  15.9 16.6 
Simple average tariff (%)  12.3 12.8 
 WTO agriculture  26.9 26.7 
 WTO non -agriculture (including petroleum)  9.5 10.0 
Domestic tariff "peaks" (% of all tariff lines)a 8.3 10.2 
International tariff "peaks" (% of all tariff lines)b 27.8 29.4 
Overall standard deviation  19.8 12.2 
Bound tariff lines (% of all tariff lines)  92.7 91.2 
a Domestic tariff peaks are defined as those exceeding three times the overall average applied rate.  
b International tariff peaks are defined as those exceeding 15%.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities.  
3.15.   Tariff rates applied by Dominica range from 0 to 165% (Table  3.2). The highest rate applied 
on agricultural products are still 150% and applies  to three products (frozen and not frozen orange 
juice, and potatoes). While tariff reductions were observed for beverages, spirits, and tobacco 
(-2.5%) and for oil seeds, fats, and oils ( -1.5%), other categories such as sugars and confectionery 
(+6.4%) wi tnessed the most significant increase. For industrial products, the duty reductions in 
chemicals and photographic supplies ( -1.1%) balance out the duty increases on fish and fishery 
products (+2.4%).  
 
46 The authorities indicate that a review of these lists was ongoing at the time of the preparation of this 
Report.  
47 The relevant r egulations include SRO No.  39 of 2014, SRO No.  5 of 2014, SRO No.  30 of 2014, 
SRO No. 8 of 2016, SRO No.  6 of 2017, SRO No.  25 of 2018, and SRO No.  6 of 2019.  
48 Five tariff lines with no specified rate are excluded from the average calculations.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 131 - 
 
  Table  3.2 Summary analysis of the MFN tariff, 2021  
Description  No. of 
lines  Average  
(%) Range  
(%) Coefficient 
of variation  
(CV) Bound rate 
rangea 
(%) 
Total  6,779  12.8 0-165 1.5 50-150 
HS 01 -24 1,388  28.8 0-150 1.1 100-150 
HS 25 -97 5,391  8.7 0-165 1.4 50-150 
By WTO category       
WTO Agriculture  1,133  26.7 0-150 1.2 50-150 
 - Animals and products thereof  180 21.0 0-40 0.7 100-150 
 - Dairy products  25 6.0 0-20 1.1 100 
 - Fruit, vegetables and plants  333 29.3 0-150 1.0 100-150 
 - Coffee and tea  29 30.2 0-135 1.3 100-150 
 - Cereals and preparations  138 18.3 0-135 1.1 100-150 
 - Oil seeds, fats and oils and their products  109 15.6 0-40 1.2 100-150 
 - Sugars and confectionery  24 28.3 5-135 0.9 100-150 
 - Beverages, spirits and tobacco  125 75.4 0-150 0.7 100-150 
 - Cotton  6 0.0 0 n.a. 100 
 - Other agricultural products n.e.s.  164 8.7 0-40 1.5 50-150 
WTO Non -agriculture (including petroleum)  5,646  10.0 0-165 1.4 50-100 
 - WTO Non -agriculture (excluding petroleum)  5,613  10.1 0-165 1.4 50-100 
 - - Fish and fishery products  333 29.8 0-40 0.5 100 
 - - Minerals and metals  1,110  7.4 0-35 1.0 50 
 - - Chemicals and photographic supplies  1,109  9.0 0-165 2.4 50-100 
 - - Wood, pulp, paper and furniture  367 9.6 0-40 0.8 50 
 - - Textiles  642 6.3 0-30 1.0 50 
 - - Clothing  285 19.3 0-20 0.2 50 
 - - Leather, rubber, footwear and travel 
 goods  177 9.0 0-25 0.9 50 
 - - Non-electric machinery  604 3.8 0-60 1.9 50 
 - - Electric machinery  274 9.4 0-30 0.8 50 
 - - Transport equipment  234 11.0 0-40 1.1 50 
 - - Non-agriculture articles n.e.s.  478 13.3 0-50 0.8 50 
 - Petroleum  33 6.5 0-25 1.3 50 
By ISIC sectorb      
Agriculture and fisheries  557 25.1 0-150 0.9 50-150 
Mining  106 6.2 0-35 1.2 50 
Manufacturing  6,115  11.8 0-165 1.6 50-150 
By HS section       
 01 Live animals & products  510 26.8 0-90 0.7 100-150 
 02 Vegetable products  439 23.2 0-150 1.1 100-150 
 03 Fats & oils  54 27.7 0-40 0.7 100-150 
 04 Prepared food , etc. 385 37.9 0-150 1.2 100-150 
 05 Minerals  192 5.9 0-25 0.9 50 
 06 Chemical & products  1,023  9.1 0-165 2.5 50-150 
 07 Plastics & rubber  260 7.3 0-25 1.0 50 
 08 Hides & skins  84 7.9 0-20 1.1 50-100 
 09 Wood & articles  156 10.8 0-20 0.6 50 
 10 Pulp, paper , etc. 174 6.6 0-20 1.1 50 
 11 Textile & articles  911 9.8 0-20 0.8 50-100 
 12 Footwear, headgear  59 15.9 0-20 0.4 50 
 13 Articles of stone  181 9.8 0-25 0.7 50 
 14 Precious stones, etc.  62 20.2 0-35 0.8 50 
 15 Base metals & products  713 6.5 0-20 0.9 50 
 16 Machinery  893 5.7 0-60 1.4 50 
 17 Transport equipment  245 10.8 0-40 1.1 50 
 18 Precision equipment  226 10.6 0-30 0.9 50 
 19 Arms and ammunition  23 30.2 0-50 0.6 50 
 20 Miscellaneous manufactures  181 15.2 0-40 0.5 50 
 21 Works of art, etc.  8 20.0 20-20 0.0 50 
By stage of processing       
First stage of processing  972 19.0 0-50 1.0 50-150 
Semi-processed products  1,972  5.4 0-40 1.1 50-150 
Fully-processed products  3,752  12.1 0-165 0.9 50-150 
n.a. Not applicable.  
a Bound rates are provided in HS12 classification and applied rates in HS17; therefore, there may be a 
difference between the number of lines included in the calculation.  
b ISIC (Rev.2) classification, excluding electricity (1 line).  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities.  
3.16.   Duty-free treatment applies to 22.6% of tariff lines (Chart  3.1). Some 38.7% of tar iff lines 
are subject to low tariff duties (below 5%) while much higher duties (above 25%) are applied to 
11.7% of tariff lines. Duties on the remaining 27.0% of tariff lines range between 5% and 20%. 
Domestic peaks are observed in 10.2% of tariff lines, w hile 29.4% of tariff lines are subject to WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 132 - 
 
  international peaks. The incidence on international and domestic peaks increased during the review 
period.  
3.17.   The share of unbound tariff lines increased during the review period (+1.5%) and 
currently  596 tariff lines  remain unbound. The increase in unbound lines is due to nomenclature 
changes and to further disaggregation of some tariff lines. Imported goods are subject to (non -CET) 
rates between 0% and 165%, although the highest rate only applies to nine tariff lines  in HS Heading 
32 (enamels and other vanishes based on polyesters, acrylic or vinyl polymers, and other paints). 
Rates on all other unbounded products are capped at 65%.  
3.18.   Within the comparable tariff lines (about 94% of all tariff lines), the applied MFN duty (135%) 
is greater than the bound duty (100%) for one tariff line (Guava cheese, HS 17049010).  
3.19.   Dominica does not use tariff quotas. Seasonal tariffs are only used for white potatoes.  
Chart  3.1 Frequency di stribution of MFN tariff rates, 2021  
 
a The total number of lines is 6,779. This number includes five tariff lines with no rate, excluded from 
the average calculations.  
Source:  WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities.  
3.1.4   Other  charges affecting imports  
3.20.   In addition to customs duties, the Government levies a customs service charge (CSC), a VAT, 
an excise tax, and an environmental surcharge.  
3.21.   Since 2016, the CSC is applied at a rate of 4% (instead of 3% previously) on the c.i.f. va lue 
of all imports.49 Goods imported by the Government (including those temporarily imported into the 
State under international conventions); by passengers as personal baggage; by charitable 
institutions as unconditional gifts; by the Country Assistance Pr ogramme of the CARICOM 
Development Fund; via courier up to a value of XCD  150; belonging to tariff heading HS  8471; 
diplomatic missions, international organizations, and their personnel; and petroleum products are 
exempted from the CSC. The CSC was tempora rily relieved to allow the imports of aid, relief, and 
 
49 Customs Service Charge Imposition (Amendment) Order 2016, SRO No.  7 of 2016.  
(22.6%)(38.7%)
(4.1%)(5.1%)(17.1%)
(0.6%)(11.7%)
0102030405060708090100
05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,000
Duty free >0-5 >5-10 >10-15 >15-20 >20-25 >25Number of lines (% of total)
Cumulative %Chart 3.1
Frequency distribution of MFN tariff rates, 2020
(Number of tariff linesa) (%)
a   The total number of lines is 6,779. This number includes 5 tariff lines with no rate, excluded from the averages calculat ions.
Source: WTO Secretariat calculations, based on data provided by the authorities.WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 133 - 
 
  rehabilitation goods after natural disasters hit the island in 2015 and 2017; these exonerations only 
applied for small amounts of non -commercial imports for each household.50 
3.22.   The VAT applies to most i tems at the rate of 15%. The tax base comprises the c.i.f. value of 
goods and all other duties and charges. Basic food products (rice, flour, sugar, milk, and infant 
formula); fuel; and electric buses, cars, and motorbikes under tariff subheadings 8702.40,  8703.80, 
and 8711.6051 are zero -rated. New enterprises benefiting from incentives under the Fiscal Incentives 
Act and the Hotels Aid Act may obtain a VAT exemption on initial capital goods. There is not an 
approved list of the capital goods eligible for e xemption, and they are specific to each approved 
project. Since 2015, capital goods imported for extensions to existing resorts, and relief or 
rehabilitation imports within six months of the occurrence of a natural disaster are eligible for a VAT 
exemption .52 Other exemptions include some approved goods imported by churches; vehicles 
purchased by diplomats; bona  fide unsolicited goods not exceeding XCD  75 in value; goods imported 
by Dominicans returning home for permanent residence; and goods imported by diplo matic missions 
and international organizations.53 In response to the COVID -19 pandemic, the interest due on tax 
and penalties for periods before 2019 was waived in case of full payment of due taxes until 
31 January  2021.54 Between May and November  2020, a VAT exemption on personal protective 
material was also applied.55 In 2021, fertilized eggs for incubation, and machinery and equipment 
for the construction of the new airport and to be used in geothermal development projects were also 
granted a VAT exempti on.56 
3.23.   The excise tax is levied on some sugar confectionery, chocolate and other food preparations 
containing cocoa, waters (including mineral and aerated waters), alcoholic beverages and tobacco, 
fuels, and motor vehicles (Table  3.3).57 Depending on the pr oduct, the tax is either ad valorem  or 
specific and applies to imported and locally manufactured goods. Its base comprises the c.i.f. value 
of goods and any other payable duty (excluding the VAT). In November  2015, additional products 
were listed as subjec t to the excise tax and the rates charged on alcoholic beverages were 
increased.58 Motor vehicles imported for the use in tourism taxi operations and tour services with 
capacity between 21 and 29  passengers were temporarily exonerated between 1  October  2019 and 
20 September  2020.59 Later, the exoneration was made permanent. Registered and licensed taxi 
and tour operators are allowed to import two units every five years and used motor vehicles no older 
than five years can be imported through this scheme.60 In response to the COVID -19 pandemic, the 
 
50 Customs Service Charge Imposition (Amendment) (No.  2) Order 2016; Customs Service Charge 
Imposition (Amendment) (No.  3) Order 2016, SRO No.  15 of 2016; SRO No.  50 of 2016; and Customs S ervice 
Charge Imposition (Amendment) Order 2017, SRO No.  33 of 2017.  
51 Value Added Tax (Schedules) (Amendment) Order 2020, SRO No.  5 of 2020.  
52 Value Added Tax (Amendment) Act 2015, Act No.  12 of 2015. Note that imports via courier of a c.i.f. 
value up to XCD 150 are also exempt of VAT (Value Added Tax (Amendment) Act 2014, Act No.  8 of 2014).  
53 Goods exempted from the VAT include gifts of goods to an approved charitable organization, other 
than for purposes of re -sale; unconditional gifts of goods (other t han for re -sale) consigned to the State; goods 
referred to in paragraph X in the List of Conditional Duty Exemptions specified in the Second Schedule of the 
Customs Import and Export Tariffs (Amendment) Order 2001 (SRO No. 18 of 2001); imported goods or go ods 
produced or manufactured in Dominica, that were exported and thereafter reimported, without having been 
subjected to any process of manufacture or adaptation and without a permanent change of ownership; 
unsolicited gifts that do not exceed XCD  150, exc luding goods contained in passengers' baggage, wine, spirits, 
and manufactured tobacco; goods shipped or conveyed to Dominica for transhipment or conveyance to any 
other country; goods imported by Dominicans returning home for permanent residence, or upon return from 
studies abroad; goods imported by diplomatic missions and international organizations (inclusive of vehicles); 
building materials and equipment for social housing projects and some education institutions; diapers and 
hygienic material for babie s and adults; pleasure crafts and excursion boats (and their engines) certified by the 
Maritime Administrator; and packaging and labelling material used by manufacturers.  
54 Value Added Tax (Amendment) Act 2020, Act No.  18 of 2020.  
55 Value Added Tax (Amend ment) Order 2020, SRO No.  43 of 2020.  
56 Value Added Tax (Schedule) (Amendment) Order 2021, SRO No.  47 of 2021.  
57 The application of the excise tax is regulated by the First Schedule of Excise Tax Act, Act No.  8 of 
2005; the Excise Tax (Amendment) Order 2008, SRO No.  36 of 2008; and the Excise Tax (Amendment) Order 
2015, SRO No.  28 of 2015.  
58 The authorities indicate that the increase in excise tax for these products was  due to health -related 
concerns following a report by the Pan -American Health Organization. Additional revenues will fund national 
health campaigns.  
59 Excise Tax (Second Schedule) (Amendment) Order 2020, SRO No.  4 of 2020.  
60 Excise Tax (Amendment) (No.  2) Order 2020, SRO No.  42 of 2020.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 134 - 
 
  interest due on tax and penalties for periods before 2019 was waived in case of full payment of due 
taxes by 31  January  2021.61 
3.24.   The environmental surcharge, enacted in 2002, remains in force and applies to most imported 
goods at a specific or an ad valorem  rate, depending on the item (Table  3.3).62 Raw materials and 
packaging materials are exempted if imported for one of the following purposes: manu facture of 
goods by locally registered manufacturers; manufacture of goods for export; and goods for use in 
the agriculture sector. Other exempted products include milk, sugar, flour, rice, and 
pharmaceuticals. The surcharge does not apply to domestically produced goods. In 2017, equipment 
imported for use in Multipurpose Pack Houses purchased by the Country Assistance Programme of 
the CARICOM Development Fund was released of the obligation to pay the environmental 
surcharge.63 
Table  3.3 Rates of the excise tax and the environmental surcharge  
Charge and item  Rates  
Excise tax  
 Sugar confectionery 
not containing cocoa, 
and chocolate  10% on HS 1704.10.00 (chewing gum), on HS 1704.90.00 (sugar confectionery not 
containing cocoa), on HS 1806.30.00, HS 1806.31.00, HS 1806.32.00, and 
HS 1806.90.00 (chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa).  
 Aerated beverages  10% on HS 2202.10.00 (waters, including mineral and aerated for direct cons umption as 
a beverage) and on HS 2202.90 (beverages containing cocoa and other beverages);  
XCD 0.20 per litre on HS 2202.10.00.12 (soft drinks, sodas);  
XCD 0.63 per litre on HS 2202.90.10 (malt beverages).  
 Alcoholic beverages  XCD 1.38 per litre on HS 220 3.00.10 -2203.00.90 (beer, stout, other);  
XCD 1.32 per litre on HS 2204 and 2205 (wine and vermouth);  
XCD 0.31 per litre on HS 2206.00.10, 2206.00.90 (shandy, other);  
XCD 9.35 per litre on HS 2208.20.00, 2208.50.00, 2208.60.00 (brandy, gin & Geneva, 
vodka);  
XCD 13.75 per litre on HS 2208.30.00 (whiskey);  
XCD 2.86 per litre on HS 2208.40.00, 2208.70.00, 2208.90.90 (rum & taffia, liqueurs & 
cordials, other).  
 Tobacco products  XCD 22 per kg.  
 Fuels XCD 0.45 per kg on petroleum gases (LPG) and other gaseous hydrocarbons.  
 Motor vehicles  15% on HS 8702 (motor vehicles for the transport of 10 or more persons including the 
driver);  
15% on HS 8711 (motorcycles);  
28% on HS 8703 and 8704 (motor cars and motor vehicles for transport of goods).  
Environmenta l surcharge  
 Motor vehicles  Less than 5 years old: 1% of the c.i.f. value + duties and charges.  
Over 5 years old: XCD  3,000.00 per unit.  
 Other goods  XCD 10 per unit on used tyres;  
XCD 20 per unit on used refrigerators;  
XCD 20 per unit on used freezers;  
XCD 10 per unit on electric accumulators (batteries);  
1.5% on goods in containers made of plastic, glass, metal, paperboard or wood; 1% on 
all other goods.  
Source:  Dominica Customs and Excise Division (undated), Excise Tax Rates by Customs Tarif f Heading 
Effective 1st  September  2015. Viewed at: http://customs.gov.dm/images/documents/excise -tax-
new-rates.pdf ; and information provided by  the authorities.  
3.1.5   Import prohibitions, restrictions, and licensing  
3.25.   Goods subject to import prohibition or restriction are listed in Schedule  3 of the Customs 
Act 2010 (Table  3.4). These prohibitions or restrictions are generally for health and safety reasons, 
to safeguard the Dominican public, or to curb the illegal use and import of certain products. Goods 
originating from Iraq are prohibited.  
 
61 Excise Tax (Amendment) Act 2020, Act No.  19 of 2020.  
62 Solid Waste Management Act 2002, Act No.  1 of 2002, as amended by Solid Waste Management 
(Amendment) Act 2008, Act No.  3 of 2008; and Solid Waste Management (Amendment ) Act 2021, Act No.  3 
of 2021.  
63 Solid Waste Management (Schedule 7) (Amendment) Order 2017, SRO No.  12 of 2017.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 135 - 
 
  3.26.   The Supplies Control (Restricted Imports and Exports) Order 2003 regulates the regime for 
import licensing in  Dominica. The Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, 
Business and Export Development administers this regime. Dominica's regime was notified to the 
WTO in 200164; however, the authorities indicate that slight amendments were introduced  in 2017. 
The country responded to the WTO questionnaire on import licensing procedures in 2006.65 Licences 
are requested upon import and generally they expire after customs clearance. Regular importers, 
domestic or foreign, may obtain an extended licence.  
3.27.   In general, licences are automatic (on cement, white potatoes, tobacco paper); white flour is 
subject to a non -automatic licence. The authorities indicate that licences for footwear and candles 
of paraffin wax are not currently implemented, nor is the lic ence for spirits and wine, although this 
latter product group is subject to the tariffication under List C of the CET. Licences for petroleum 
products require a verification of capabilities. Table  3.4 provides a complete list of products subject 
to licensi ng requirements. In 2019, imports of cement (other hydraulic) became subject to import 
licences or permits before being released from customs for sale.  
Table  3.4 Goods subject to prohibitions, licensing, or other restrictions or import 
requirements, 2021  
Category  Products  Legal authority  
Prohibited goods  All gold and silver articles of foreign manufacture bearing 
imitations of British assay marks, or bearing British assay 
marks not complying with the standard indicated by the 
mark 
Substandard coins of legal tender in Dominica  
Food declared by the authorities as unfit for human 
consumption  
Indecent or obscene articles  
Infected animals, or their carcasse s, hides, and skins  
Pistols in the form of stylographic pens or pencils  
Any goods bearing the coat of arms of Dominica  
Fictitious stamps  
Any other goods prohibited by law  Customs Act 2010, 
Schedule  3, Part I  
Restricted imports  Arms and ammunition (writte n permission of the 
Commissioner of Police is required)  
Cannabis (sativa or indica), indica, choras, ganja (and any 
preparation or mixture of)  
Gunpowder, blasting powder, detonators and high 
explosives: except for the use of the Government  
Imitation banknotes  
Kerosene and petroleum products (with a flash point 
below 73°F)  
Spirits and wines (unless packed in containers of one 
gallon or more)  
Tobacco, cigars, cigarillos or cigarettes (unless imported 
by parcel post, in packages of no less than  20 lbs of 
tobacco)  
Cigarette -making appliances  
All other goods the importation of which is restricted by 
any other enactment  Customs Act 2010, 
Schedule  3, Part II  
Goods that may be 
imported only under 
licence from the 
Ministry in charge of 
trade  Liquefi ed petroleum gas (butane and propane) except for 
domestic use  
Diesel, petroleum spirits, kerosene, aviation fuel, 
acetylene  
Oxygen  
Carbon dioxide  
Sulphuric acid  
Kerosene oil and other petroleum products with a flash 
point below 73 degrees F   Noxious and Dangerous 
Substances Control Act 
Chap. 40:09  
 
Import licence 
required  Potatoes, fresh or chilled  
Footwear with upper straps of thongs assembled to the 
sole by means of plugs of rubber or plastic  
Spirits and wine  
Tobacco, cigarette, cigarillos or cigars  
Candles of paraffin wax  
Cement (Portland, other hydraulic)  Supplies Control (Restricted 
Imports and Exports) Order 
2003 
 
64 WTO documents G/LIC/N/1/DMA/1 and G/LIC/N/3/DMA/1, 23  February  2001.  
65 WTO document G/LIC/N/3/DMA/2, 6  December  2006.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 136 - 
 
  Category  Products  Legal authority  
Import licence if 
imported from any 
country other than a 
CARICOM LDC (OECS 
and Belize)  Wheat flour   Supplies Control (Restricted 
Imports and Exports) Order 
2003 
Licence from the 
Commissioner of 
Police  Arms and ammunition  
Gunpowder, blasting powder, detonators, high explosives 
of any description  
Fireworks  Firearms Act 1973  
Imported by the 
Government of 
Dominica only  Tear gas  Customs Control and 
Management Act  
Chap. 69:01  
Permission of the 
Minister of Finance  Cigarette -making appliance, whether machine or paper  Customs Control and 
Management Act  
Chap. 69:01  
Health certificate and 
a sanitary certificate  Live animals  
Meat of animals, poultry or bird carcasses and parts 
thereof  Animals Diseases Act  
Chap. 61:02  
Import permit and a 
phytosanitary 
certificate  Plants, vegetables, fruit and plant products  Plant Pr otection and 
Quarantine Act Chap. 58:40  
Import permit and a 
registration with 
Pesticide Control 
Board  Pesticides  Plant Protection and 
Quarantine Act Chap. 58:40  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
3.1.6   Anti-dumping, countervailing, and safeguard measures  
3.28.   The Customs Duties (Dumping and Subsidies) Act 1959 remains the main legislation on the 
use of anti -dumping and countervailing measures, and it was notified to the WTO in 1999.66 In 
addition to custom duties, the imposition of additional  duties on goods imported and considered 
dumped or subsidized is authorized whenever it is in the interest of Dominica to impose such duties. 
In accordance with the Act, the application of these duties must be consistent with the GATT 1947.  
3.29.   Currently, ther e is no authority competent to initiate and conduct investigations, and this 
situation has remained unchanged since 2010.67 
3.30.   Dominica did not avail itself of the special safeguard provisions of the WTO  Agreement on 
Agriculture. Dominica has notified the WTO  that it does not have any legislation with respect to 
safeguards.68 However, the authorities note that, at the multilateral level, Dominica follows 
WTO safeguard rules.  
3.31.   The rules governing the use of safeguards are set at CARICOM level. As a less develope d 
CARICOM country, Dominica may invoke the special provisions in Chapter 7 of the Revised Treaty 
of Chaguaramas, in particular Article  150, when necessary, to impose safeguard measures. 
According to these provisions, a disadvantaged country is entitled to limit imports of goods from 
other member States for up to three years, and to take such other measures as COTED may 
authorize.  
3.32.   Dominica did not make use of any safeguard measures during the period covered by this 
Review.  
3.1.7   Other measures affecting imports  
3.33.   Dominica does not apply any regulation related to local content requirements.  
 
66 WTO documents G/ADP/N /1/DMA/1 and G/SCM/N/1/DMA/1, 8 June 1999.  
67 WTO document G/ADP/N/193/DMA,  30 June 2010.  
68 WTO document G/SG/N/1/DMA/1, 1 2 November  1998 . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 137 - 
 
  3.2  Measures directly affecting exports  
3.2.1   Customs procedures and requirements  
3.34.   No registration is required for exporters; however, exporters wishing to be subject to a zero 
VAT rate for their exports or to request a drawback of duty must be registered. Similarly, as for 
imports, the export declaration must be completed through the AS YCUDA World platform 
(Section  3.1.1). The relevant supporting documentation (commercial invoice,  certificate of origin, 
health certificate or permit, and a bill of lading or airway bill) must be uploaded electronically. At 
the port of exit, customs officia ls examine the shipment documents to prevent smuggling and ensure 
that restricted goods are accompanied by the appropriate certificate.  
3.2.2   Taxes, charges, and levies  
3.35.   Export fees are applied on sand (XCD  0.50 export royalty per tonne), stone (XCD  0.45 export 
royalty per tonne), and re -exports (XCD  1.50 stamp duty). Goods re -exported from a government 
warehouse, private warehouse, and other premises under fiscal control as well as goods re -exported 
from transit are subject to a 4% CSC.  
3.2.3   Export prohibitions, restr ictions, and licensing  
3.36.   Dominica does not require an export licence for any product. The exportation of goods in 
Schedule 3 of the Customs Act 2010 is also restricted or prohibited. In accordance with the Forestry 
and Wildlife Act, the export of any wildlif e or its parts is restricted.69 Dominica has been a party to 
the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 
1995, and restricts the export of related products.  
3.37.   The Fresh Produce Export Quality Control Act 2009 and related regulations70 stipulate the 
conditions for the exportation of dasheen, tania, sweet peppers, pineapples, mangoes, cabbage, 
oranges, plantain, sweet potatoes, hot peppers, pumpkin, tomatoes, bananas, and grapefruits. Only 
licensed exporters are allowed to export these pr oducts. Products must be packed in a certified 
packing house71, and labelled properly. Exporters and produce must conform to standards 
established by the Dominica Bureau of Standards (DBOS). Exporters must notify at least one day in 
advance their intention  to export indicating the destination for the inspection to be organized by the 
DBOS and the Quarantine Division of the Ministry of Agriculture.  
3.38.   Licences for exporters and certificates of registration for packing houses are valid up to 
12 months. Lists of licences and certificates issued, suspended, or revoked are published annually 
in the Official Gazette . The licences for exporters carry application and licence fees of XCD  25 each, 
while application and registration fees for packing houses are, respective ly, XCD  50 and XCD  100. 
There is an XCD  50 inspection fee.  
3.2.4   Export support and promotion  
3.39.   The Dominica Export and Import Agency (DEXIA) provides financial and technical assistance 
for export development by farmers, ago -processors, cultural industries, and pr ofessional business 
sectors. Areas for technical assistance include market research and market entry requirements; 
product identification and development; quality assurance; participation in trade fairs, exhibitions, 
and promotions; organization of trade m issions; organizational development; financial risk 
development; and training.  
3.40.   Since 2016, DEXIA operates two multi -purpose packing houses and it aims at having both 
houses internationally certified, which implies certifying the whole production chain up t o farmers.  
 
69 Section  32 of the Act Chapter 60:02 of 1976, as amended.  
70 Act No.  2 of 2009, and the Fresh Produce Export Quality Control Regulations 2012, SRO No.  30 
of 2012.  
71 There are four packing houses in Dominica, all in the process of obtaining an international 
certification. Two of the houses are owned and run by the D ominica Export and Import Agency while the two 
others are privately owned.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 138 - 
 
  3.41.   There are no export processing zones or legislation allowing for their establishment  in 
Dominica.  
3.2.5   Export finance, insurance, and guarantees  
3.42.   Dominica's exporters can benefit from the pre -shipment export credit guarantees to 
commercial banks in re spect to advances made to exporters through the ECCB's Export Credit 
Guarantee Fund.  
3.3  Measures affecting production and trade  
3.43.   Investors wishing to establish a business in Dominica can choose between various business 
structures: sole proprietorships; partner ships; corporations; joint ventures; and international 
business companies. Since the previous Review, the regulatory framework72 providing for the 
establishment of a business has remained unchanged.  
3.44.   The steps required to establish a business in Dominica ma y include application for the work 
permit; incorporation of the business; registration with the Inland Revenue Division (IRD), and 
application for a VAT registration number if annual gross sales exceed XCD  250,000; and registration 
with the Dominica Social  Security (DSS) if the hiring of employees is foreseen. Permission may be 
required from specific government agencies depending on the activity or sector, such as a licence 
from the Fisheries Division.  
3.45.   In Dominica, the establishment of a business does not n ecessarily imply its incorporation, and 
the Companies Act 1994 provides for the mandatory company incorporation of private or public 
limited liability companies and non -profit companies. An Online Business Registry managed by the 
Companies and Intellectual  Property Office (CIPO) allows companies to fill their registration online.73 
CIPO automatically shares the information with the IRD for the registration as taxpayer74 and with 
the DSS for companies in case the company intends to employ workers.75 Despite the electronic 
submissions on the platform, companies are still requested to physically send completed forms and 
signed articles of incorporation to CIPO and pay the one -off registration fees of XCD  750. An annual 
fee for the registration renewal that vari es according to the share capital also applies.  
3.46.   Foreign companies intended to carry on business in Dominica are required to register as 
external companies. These companies can also submit their application through an online platform; 
their submissions cons ist of additional documents such a memorandum, a power of attorney, and a 
statutory declaration, and require the involvement of an attorney. The registration fees are 
XCD 3,000.  
3.47.   Until 202176, companies seeking to incorporate in Dominica without carrying on business in 
the country were subject to the International Business Company (IBC) Act 1996 and their 
incorporation required additional documents than the procedure for local companies. This framework 
was repealed starting on 1  January  2022 and t he authorities indicate that there was no longer any 
IBCs operating in Dominica.  
3.48.   Other related legislation includes the Registration of Business Names Act (Chapter 78:46). 
Companies seeking to own real estate in Dominica and to conduct construction works m ust obtain 
an Alien Land Holding Licence77 and a permission for construction of building from the Physical 
Planning Division.  
 
72 The Companies Act 1994 (Act No.  21 of 1995 as amended), the International Business Companies Act 
1996 (Act No.  10 of 1996 as amended), and the Registration of Business Names Act ( Chapter 78:46 of 1958 as 
amended).  
73 Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Online Business Registry . Viewed at: 
https://efiling.cipo.gov.dm/#/ . 
74 As of September  2016, only businesses generating annual gross sales higher than XCD  250,000 
qualify for registration with the IRD.  Inland Revenue Division, Starting a Business . Viewed at: 
https://ird.gov.dm/starting -a-business. 
75 There are no registration fees at IRD and DSS.  
76 International Business Companies (IBC)(Repeal) Act 2021, Act No.  6 of 2021.  
77 Aliens Landholding Act 1995, Act No.  17 of 1995, as amended.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 139 - 
 
  3.49.   Since 1  January  2016, taxes on corporate gains and profits significantly have fallen from 30% 
to 25% following the Income Tax (Ame ndment) Act 201478 (Table  3.5). The income tax rate for 
individuals, incorporated body of persons, or trustees has remained unchanged since 2010 at 15% 
on the first XCD  20,000 of taxable income, 25% on the next XCD  30,000, and 35% for every dollar 
above XC D 50,000.79 
3.50.   Some businesses, in particular professional services, require an annual trade or professional 
licence issued by the Comptroller of Inland Revenue to operate. The licence fees for professional 
services are XCD  1,000.80 
Table  3.5 Main taxes in Dominica, 2022  
Tax Payee/tax base  Tax rate (%)  
Personal income tax  Income of individual (employment or 
businesses); incremental rates for different 
thresholds of income  0, 15, 25, and 35  
Corporate tax  Non-individual persons or enterprises  25 of gains or profit  
Land transfer tax and other fees  Buyer and seller, based on the value of the 
land 6.5 for buyer  
2.5 (stamp duty for seller)  
Customs duties  C.i.f. value of imports, and some exports  0-165 
Customs service charge  C.i.f. value of imports, or exports  4 
Travel tax  Operators of international passenger 
transportation services (air and sea)  7.5 of the travel ticket  
Excise Tax Act  Locally manufactured or imported items 
(alcohol, cigarettes, vehicles, and petrol)  0-28 
VAT Value of goods and services  0 (exemptions), 10 (hotel 
accommodation) or 15 (all 
other goods and services)  
Withholding tax  Payment to non -residents (dividends, 
interest, income from properties, royalties, 
management charges, annuities and other 
periodic payment)  15 
Aliens landholding licence fee  Licensee based on property value  10 
Environmental levy  Imports based on their c.i.f. value, or specific 
levy XCD 3,000 per unit for motor 
vehicles of five or more years  
1 on c.i.f. value for motor 
vehicles of less than five 
years  
XCD 10 per unit on used tyres  
XCD 20 per unit on used 
refrigerators  
XCD 20 per unit on used 
freezers  
XCD 10 per unit on electric 
accumulators (batteries)  
1.5 on goo ds in containers 
made of plastic, glass, metal, 
paperboard or wood.  
1 on all other goods  
Social security contributions  Employer and employee  7-7.25 (employer)  
6 (employee)  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
3.3.1   Incentives  
3.51.   Since its establishment in 2007, the Invest Dominica Authority (IDA) has been in charge of 
the administration of incentives schemes granted to investors by Dominica .81 The intent of granting 
fiscal incentives is to contribute to national development, and improve the  quality of life for the 
Dominica's citizenry. Incentives currently available are mainly related to the Fiscal Incentives 
 
78 Act No.  7 of 2014.  
79 Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2010, Act No.  9 of 2010. Note that personal allowance to individuals 
and the deduction allowable for mortgage interest on owner -occupied propert y increased to XCD  30,000 
in 2014.  
80 Trade and Professional Licence (Schedule) (Amendment) Order 1996, SRO No.  66 of 1996.  
81 Invest Dominica Authority Act 2007, Act No.  9 of 2007.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 140 - 
 
  Act 1973 (as amended)82, the Hotels Aid Act 1958 (as amended)83, and the Income Tax Act 1982 
(as amended).84 Other pieces of legislati on provide some tax reliefs to investors, such as the 
reduction of stamp duties for land acquisition.  
3.52.   Regarding the Fiscal Incentives Act 1973 and its subsequent amendments, investors are 
requested to submit applications for incentive benefits to IDA.85 Within 10 working days (conditional 
on complete applications), IDA reviews the application and presents a draft Cabinet Paper and 
recommendations on the level and types of concessions to be granted, which are submitted to 
different instances for review and a pproval. These instances are the Fiscal Incentives Review 
Committee86, the Minister in charge of Trade, and the Approval Committee of the Cabinet. Following 
a Cabinet Decision in 200887, the Cabinet makes the ultimate decision for investments exceeding 
XCD 2 million while a Sub -Committee of Cabinet88 acts as Approval Committee for smaller 
investments. During the review period, 145 companies were granted concessions by IDA; more than 
half of beneficiaries were services providers (restaurants, commerce, and h ealth and body care 
services), while the remaining 60 beneficiaries were balanced between manufacturing and guest 
accommodation services.  
3.53.   The Fiscal Incentives Act was amended in 201989 and incentives currently available for 
investors under this Act are (i)  tax holidays up to 15 years; and (ii)  waivers of import duties on 
plant, machinery, equipment, spare parts, building material, raw and packaging, and others as 
appropriate for approve d enterprises in the manufacture, assembling, agro -processing, and services 
sectors. This amendment brings Dominica's regulation into accordance with WTO  rules by removing 
any export subsidy component from this legislation and by unlinking waivers on impor t duties from 
local content or value -added. In 2012, the sole beneficiary of the export subsidy component, 
Dominica Coconut Products (DCP) Colgate Palmolive, was granted a 40% tax relief on total profits 
for five years between 2012 and 2017.90 The authorit ies indicate that currently no company benefited 
from previous tax relief on export profits. Subsidies granted until 2014 to the sole beneficiary under 
the Act in recent years, as notified to the WTO, are presented in Table  3.6. 
Table  3.6 Subsidies granted under the Fiscal Incentives Act, 2012 -14 
Year Tax credits 
on exports 
(XCD  '000)  Production 
(XCD  '000)  Export of 
subsidized 
products 
(XCD  '000)  Imports of 
subsidized 
products 
(XCD  '000)  Total exports 
(XCD  '000)  Total imports 
(XCD  '000)  
2012 1,789  36,515  37,205  1,228  78,707  525,982  
2013 1,141  35,224  30,063  2,265  81,183  618,287  
2014 n.a. 33,503  33,860  2,510  77,305  645,499  
Note:  No explanation available for n.a.  
Source:  WTO documents G/SCM /N/299/DMA, G/SCM/N/315/DMA, 24  April 2018.  
3.54.   The Hotels Aid Act 1958 allows for a tax holiday on generated profits up to 20 years for 
approved hotel and resort developments, and a waiver of import duties on hotel furniture, fixtures, 
and building materials.  An application form for fiscal incentives under this Act is available online.   
 
82 Fiscal Incentives Act Chapter 84:51 of 1973 and subsequent amendments.  
83 Hotels Aid Act Chapter 85:04 of 1958 as amended by Hotels Aid (Amendment) Act 1991, Act No.  21 
of 1991.  
84 Income Tax Act Chapter 67:01 of 1982 and subsequent amendments.  
85 All forms and procedures are available on IDA's website. Invest Dominica, Forms & App lications . 
Viewed at: https://www.investdominica.com/doing -business/forms -and-applications . 
86 The Fiscal Incentives Review Committee comprises three members from IDA, one representative of 
Ministries in charge of Trade and Finance, and a representative from the VAT Unit.  
87 Cabinet Decision No.  1003, 15  October  2008.  
88 In this case, the Approval Co mmittee consists of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Trade, the 
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, and the Chairperson and the Executive Director of the IDA.  
89 Fiscal Incentives (Amendment) Act 2019, Act No.  3 of 2019.  
90 WTO documents G/SCM/N /299/DMA, G/SCM/N/315/DMA, 24  April 2018. Furthermore, the company 
stopped its operations in November  2015 after being affected by the passage of Hurricane Erika. Dominica 
News Online (2015), "UPDATE: DCP Shuts Down Operations; 94 Jobs Lost", 19  November. Viewed at: 
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/business/update -dcp-shuts -down -operations -94-jobs-
lost/. WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 141 - 
 
  3.55.   Foreign investors are allowed to repatriate 100% of their profits. Section  109 of the Income 
Tax Act 1982 allows the Cabinet to remit wholly or partially any tax payable, inclu ding those on 
dividends, interest payments, and other relevant external payments. Similarly, the Customs Control 
and Management Act grants the Cabinet the power to confer a customs duty relief (complete or 
partial) on goods and classes or descriptions of g oods, and may be made subject to certain 
conditions, including post -import conditions.  
3.56.   Until recent amendments to the International Business Companies (IBC) Act 199691, IBCs 
could benefit from an exemption from the payment of taxes, duties, and similar cha rges for a period 
of 20 years; however, these benefits ceased on 30  June 2021. More recently, the framework for 
IBCs was repealed92 and ceased to exist on 1  January  2022.  
3.57.   At the time of the preparation of this report, there was no information on the benefi ciaries, 
nor the incentives granted during the review period under the Hotels Aid Act, the IBC Act, and other 
tax relief schemes.  
3.3.2   Standards and other technical requirements  
3.58.   The Standards Act 1999 establishes the DBOS as the National Standards Body. Its 
responsibilities include the development, the application, and the monitoring of (voluntary) 
standards and technical regulations93 and it is the national enquiry point for the TBT  Agreement.94 
The Bureau is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Trade, C ommerce, Entrepreneurship, 
Innovation, Business and Export Development and its general administration is guided by a 
14-member National Standards Council (NSC) appointed by the Minister. The DBOS promotes the 
general adoption and implementation of technica l regulations and (voluntary) standards, establishes 
or designates testing facilities or laboratories, and provides for the examination and testing of goods. 
The authorities indicate that a new DBOS website was to be launched by end -October  2022.  
3.59.   Standards  are prepared under the guidelines of Articles 2 and 4 of the TBT  Agreement, and 
the Code of Good Practice for the Preparation, Adoption, and Application of Standards in Annex  3 of 
the TBT  Agreement is also implemented.95 Recently, Dominica enacted the Sta ndards 
Regulation  202096, which prescribes the publication in three consecutive issues of the Gazette  and 
at least two notices in national newspapers of specifications proposed to become a national standard. 
A (final) date for the submission of comments mu st be included in these publications. The technical 
committees97 in charge of the development of a (voluntary) standard address comments received, 
including recommendations for modifications and amendments.  
3.60.   In principle, (voluntary) standards should be rev iewed every five years and revised or 
withdrawn where necessary. There is a physical repository of national standards that can be 
consulted by foreign partners at the cost of a fee based on number of pages. The forthcoming website 
of the DBOS is expected t o include an online catalogue of standards. Every revocation or change of 
a standard must be published in the Gazette . No standard was withdrawn during the review period 
and around 10 standards related to phytosanitary measures are currently under developm ent. 
3.61.   Following recommendations of the DBOS, the Minister in charge may enact an Order to declare 
a standard as compulsory. Only standards aimed at (i)  protecting the consumer or user against 
danger to health or safety; (ii)  preventing fraud or deception ar ising from misleading advertising or 
labelling; (iii)  ensuring quality of goods produced for exports; (iv)  requiring adequate information to 
be given to the consumer or user; (v)  ensuring the quality when the source of supply is restricted; 
and (vi)  genera lly ensuring the quality of goods and services can be declared as compulsory. As for 
voluntary standards, technical committees within DBOS are in charge of the adoption or adaptation 
of technical regulations; however, the responsibility for declaring the c ompulsory standards lies with 
 
91 International Business Companies (Amendment) Act 2019, Act No.  2 of 2019, as amended by 
International Business Companies (Amendment) (No.  2) Act 2019, Act No.  5 of 2019.  
92 International Business Companies (IBC) (Repeal) Act 2021, Act No.  6 of 2021.  
93 Technical regulation and compulsory standard are used interchangeably.  
94 WTO document G/TBT/2/Add.62, 28  February  2001.  
95 WTO document G/TBT/CS/N/130, 16  February  2021.  
96 The first version of the Standards Regulation 2020, SRO No.  7 of 2020, was issued 21 years later 
after the issuance of the relevant Act. The lack of implementing regulations was a bottleneck for the 
development of standards in Dominica.  
97 There are close to 10 technical committees.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 142 - 
 
  the Minister issuing the Order. The Ministry must announce its intention to declare a compulsory 
standard and provide a comment period of at least of 30  days.98 Public notices for comments shall 
indicate the date from which a proposed standard will have become effective. Consultations on 
technical regulations are also done through the WTO notification process. The authorities indicate 
that no compulsory standard (technical regulation) was declared during the review period and t hat 
less than 20 compulsory standards exist in Dominica, mainly related to labelling requirements.99 
3.62.   Since the last Review, Dominica has made 17 notifications regarding technical regulations to 
the TBT Committee covering several aspects such as specificati ons on import and export 
requirements, sampling methodologies, phytosanitary procedures, and pest risk management and 
assessment, and specifications for a variety of products including tyres, biodegradable products, 
concrete derivatives, seeds, fruit, and vegetables (Table  A2.1). Recent notifications include a 60 -day 
period for comments and indicate tentative dates for adoption and a delay of six months for the 
entry into force of technical regulations.100 Dominica was not involved in any Specific Trade Conc ern 
raised during the review period.101 
3.63.   The DBOS is also in charge of conformity assessment for goods, services, processes, and 
practices with national, regional, or international technical regulations and standards. The DBOS' 
Monitoring System is the main instrument for conformity assessment at the port of entry and the 
authorities indicate that they also implement market surveillance.  
3.64.   For goods subject to a technical regulation, the DBOS may request their testing for 
conformity.102 Imports that do not compl y with technical regulations are not admitted. A testing 
facility was established in 2018 and it is available for importers and local producers. Dominica 
recognizes laboratories and testing facilities abroad if they are recognized in their own jurisdiction s. 
3.65.   The Standards Regulation 2020 prescribes requirements for the use of the Dominica Standard 
Mark on goods subject to compliance with technical regulations and makes DBOS responsible for 
approving advertisements, labelling, and packaging of such goods. Fi nally, the Bureau also provides 
advice and technical training to manufacturers on quality control.  
3.66.   The National Metrology Act 2009 prescribes the use of the International System of Units as 
the legal units of measurement in any contract, bargain or sale, and packaging, including operations 
of international trade. The authorities indicate that this Act is not yet fully implemented.  
3.3.3   Sanitary and phytosanitary measures  
3.67.   The import of plants and planting material remains regulated by the Plant Protection and 
Quarantine Act, Chapter 58:40, and its related regulations103, and the regulatory framework has not 
changed since last Review. Three additional documents are required for imports of goods subject to 
sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures: an import licence for pesticides, a permit for plant and 
animal products, and a phytosanitary certificate. The import permit is issued by the Plant Protection 
and Quarantine Unit (PPQU) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MoAF) and importers must 
request it at least a week prior to the arrival of goods.104 Importers do not need to be present at 
PPQU to request this permit and the procedure can be done via electronic means; however, the 
permit must be collected in person . Applications for permits go through a risk -based assessment 
process that requires the submission of an invoice and other relevant information (origin, quantity) 
for the consignment. Permits are subject to a fee of XCD  10 and are valid for one consignment. A 
permit for a longer durati on is not considered as useful given the variability (size and origin) of 
consignments.  
 
98 Consultations among interested parties are  also encouraged in the process of adoption/adaptation of 
technical regulations.  
99 No technical regulations were amended or revoked during the review period.  
100 Ten notifications were submitted in June  2020.  
101 TBT Information Management System. Viewed at: http://tbtims.wto.org/ . 
102 Upon application by the Minister in charge of trade, a High Court may order the producer to cease 
the productio n of a good failing to comply with a technical regulation.  
103 Plant Protection (Importation) Regulations, and Plant Protection (Import Prohibition) Regulations.  
104 The application for the import permit can be found at the following weblink: 
https://agriculture.gov.dm/images/documents/forms/application_for_import_permit.pdf . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 143 - 
 
  3.68.   All imported plants, plant parts, and fresh produce must be free from pests and diseases, free 
from soil, and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate  from the respec tive government agency 
in the exporting country.105 To ensure compliance with WTO requirements, the authorities indicate 
to use International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) for SPS matters and thus ensure  
that equivalence is observed this way.  Based on risk assessment, agricultural goods may be subject 
to examination by the PPQU staff; this requirement is indicated in the import permit, and, for 
instance, it concerns all live plants and seeds that are to be tested and certified. Goods must be 
imported  through a designated port of entry106 and this requirement is also indicated on the import 
permit. Only visual examinations are conducted in Dominica, but they may lead to additional 
requirements such quarantine and testing.  
3.69.   Canned or frozen product s are exempted from phytosanitary inspections. Other goods 
exempted from inspection include dry hulled rice; nuts; dried, candied, canned, or other processed 
fruit and vegetables; roasted coffee; commercial yeast; and cooked plant products.  
3.70.   Phytosanitary c ertificates for exported goods are issued by Quarantine Officers at export ports 
after examination and they cost XCD  5. They are generally granted after a visual inspection unless 
the importing country requires additional procedures. They are valid for fiv e days from the date of 
issue.  
3.71.   The Animals Diseases Act Chapter 61:02 regulates the importation of live animals, meat, milk, 
and related products. All imports require an import permit and a health certificate. The import permit 
must be requested prior to i mportation by the Livestock Development and Veterinary Unit at MoAF 
and its granting depends on the commodity, quantity of product, country of origin, and history of 
product; the import permit costs XCD  10. A risk assessment is conducted by the Division of  
Agriculture, which includes enquires to the importers themselves, the World Organisation for Animal 
Health website, and the CARICOM Secretariat, among others, regarding origin, animal type, and 
presence of diseases in source countries. In general, the ass essment takes two to three days, has 
no cost, and is carried out using an automatized tool. Any imported live animal, with the exception 
of dogs and pets, is subject to quarantine requirements, which carry a cost for the importer. Health 
certificates of an imals and animal products must be endorsed by the national authorities to be 
recognized in Dominica.  
3.72.   The Pesticide Control Act 1974, as amended107, prescribes the conditions for manufacture, 
import, sale, storage, distribution, and use of pesticides. A lice nce from the Pesticide Control Board 
within the Division of Agriculture of the MoAF is required for all these activities108; the import permit 
for pesticides is granted for one consignment only and remains valid for three months. Before import, 
pesticides m ust be registered for use and a repository of registered pesticides by product name, 
manufacturer, and classification is available on the website of the Division of Agriculture of the 
MoAF.109 The Pesticides Control (Prohibition) Regulations 2020110 prohibit s the import of pesticides 
with glyphosate as an active ingredient.  
3.73.   There is no legislation regarding GMOs; however, the authorities note that the different 
technologies used in GMOs are considered when running the risk assessment on imports.  
3.74.   Dominica has not submitted any notification on adopted SPS measures to the WTO.111 
Dominica was not involved in any Specific Trade Concern raised at the SPS Committee during the 
review period.  
3.75.   Some RTAs entered into by Dominica contain SPS provisions, for example, the C aribbean 
Community and Common Market (CARICOM), the EU -CARIFORUM EPA, and the UK -CARIFORUM 
Agreement. Dominica is a contracting party to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), 
 
105 All government agencies that are contracting partie s to the International Plant Protection Convention 
(IPPC) are recognized.  
106 Besides the two airports, Dominica has five maritime ports that are ports of entry.  
107 Act No.  15 of 1974, amended by Act No.  4 of 1987.  
108 Relevant forms can be found on the website  of the MoAF's Division of Agriculture. Viewed at: 
http://divisionofagriculture.gov.dm/forms . 
109 Division of Agriculture, Registered Pesticides . Viewed at: 
http://divisionofagriculture.gov.dm/registered -pesticides . 
110 Pesticides Control (Prohibition) Regulations 2020, SRO No.  1 of 2020.  
111 SPS Information Managemen t System. Viewed at: http://spsims.wto.org/ . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 144 - 
 
  and a member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The country is  not a member of the World 
Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), although some of its bilateral commitments, e.g.  the 
EU-CARIFORUM EPA, include obligations adopted within this body.  
3.3.4   Competition policy and price controls  
3.76.   Dominica does not yet have antitrus t legislation in place, and there is no national authority 
for competition policy. The CARICOM Competition Commission112 is the regional entity in charge of 
competition issues and enforcement in the CSME; its jurisdiction applies to business transactions of  
a cross -border nature. Additionally, the OECS countries agreed to establish a supra -national 
competition agency to handle competition matters within its single market (Common Report).  
3.77.   Some utilities (Dominica Electricity Services Limited (DOMLEC)113 and Dominica Water and 
Sewerage Company Limited (DOWASCO)114) operate as monopolies in the country.  
3.78.   The Supplies Control Act 1979115 allows the Minister in charge of trade to fix maximum prices 
for any goods, at the wholesale and retail levels. The number of products subject to price control 
has remained stable since the last Review, and five products are concerned by this measure: 
gasoline, diesel, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and cement. Prices of petroleum products 
are adjusted regularly – between 8 to 14 times per year – on the basis of international prices.116 
Maximum retail prices for LPG also vary by geographical locat ion. 
3.3.5   State trading  and state -owned enterprises  
3.79.   The DEXIA, a state -owned enterprise established in 1986, remains the sole importer of bulk 
rice and sugar in Dominica.117 It has the exclusive right to import sugar (brown and white sugar, 
except EEC No.  1 used  by bottlers, and icing sugar), and bulk rice (white and parboiled). Rice in 
packages of 10  kg or less are allowed to be imported by other operators.  
3.80.   DEXIA purchases the commodities under competitive tender; long -term contracts are 
generally negotiated. Pr oviders on an approved supplier lists will be contacted for tenders and 
requested to provide specific information. Suppliers are qualified based on experience, price, 
reliability indicators, and product specifications. The quantities imported are based on the previous 
year's consumption and/or estimated demand. A mark -up on import prices is applied to cover 
administrative and operating cost of DEXIA's operations. The last tender took place in 2021.  
3.81.   There was no privatization activity during the review perio d. 
3.3.6   Government procurement  
3.82.   Dominica is not a party nor an observer to the WTO plurilateral Agreement on Government 
Procurement.  
3.83.   During the period under review, Dominica's government procurement legislation was 
modified. The Public Procurement and Disposal o f Public Property Act No.  14 of 2021 came into effect 
on 1 April 2022.118 The Act was passed by the House of Assembly on 1  December  2021. The Act, 
drafted with assistance from the World Bank, modernizes public procurement in accordance with the 
principles o f good governance and establishes a Public Procurement Board and the Procurement 
 
112 Established under Article  171 of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, inaugurated in January  2008, 
and headquartered in Paramaribo, Suriname.  
113 According to DOMLEC, its customer base covers about 98% of the island's pop ulation.  
114 DOWASCO provides water to over 95% of Dominica.  
115 Act No.  21 of 1979.  
116 Adjusted prices are communicated by means of SROs amending the Supplies Control Petroleum 
Products (Prices) Order 1980, SRO No.  16 of 1980.  
117 DEXIA indicated that sale prices for sugar and prices have not been adapted since 2011. Other 
responsibilities of  DEXIA include the export promotion of agricultural produce, the delivery of capacity -building 
activities, the management of the Roseau Market, and the oversight of two multi -purpose pack houses.  
118 The text of the Act may be viewed at: 
http://dominica.gov.dm/images/documents/bills_for_review/JANUARY_5_2021_PUBLIC_PROCUREMENT_AND_
DISPOSAL_OF_PROPERTY_BILL_2021.pdf . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 145 - 
 
  Review Council. The Act also aims to maximize economy, efficiency, and value for money in public 
procurement; promote competition in public procurement; encourage broad partic ipation of 
suppliers, contractors, and consultants in public procurement proceedings; provide for the fair and 
equitable treatment of all bidders participating in public procurement procedures; promote 
economically, environmentally, and socially sustainabl e public procurement; ensure transparency in 
the procedures relating to public procurement; promote integrity and fairness in public procurement 
and thus increase public confidence in public procurement; ensure accountability in the conduct of 
public procu rement proceedings; and promote the long -term industrial development of Dominica. 
To give effect to the provisions of the Act, Cabinet approved the Public Procurement and Disposal of 
Public Property Regulations 2022.  
3.84.   Until 2022, the Procurement and Contrac t Administration Act 2012 governed procurement in 
Dominica.119 The Act integrated standard international procurement practices and provided a margin 
of preference of up to 20% for domestic suppliers or for products locally produced while participating 
in tenders. It applied to different levels of the Government, including local authorities, and statutory 
bodies. Procurement involving national defence or security, under a cooperative agreement, or 
funded by a donor was not covered by this Act. Some services, generally regulated by another Act, 
were also excluded from the scope of the 2012 Act.120 
3.85.   Under the 2012 Act, a Central Procurement Board approved and reviewed procurement 
operations above a certain threshold. For procurement not exceeding the threshold and  for 
procurement negotiated and directly contracted by some entities, departmental boards were also 
established to manage these procurement processes. A Central Procurement Unit within the Ministry 
of Finance and Investment, which included representatives from different ministries as well as from 
the private sector, monitored the operation of the public procurement process and compliance with 
the legislation by appointing the technical committee in charge of evaluating bids.  
3.86.   Under the 2012 law, open competi tive bidding procedures are the main method of 
procurement in Dominica. Restricted bidding procedures could be used if there is a limited number 
of suppliers, and if an open competitive bidding was unlikely to be efficient or practical. In that case, 
at least five suppliers had to be solicited by the procuring entity. Subject to the Minister's approval, 
the procurement could be limited to domestic bidders if specified in the invitation to bid, or published 
in advance. The domestic or local preference margin  to be granted must be mentioned in the bidding 
documents. Some of these features have been retained in a modified way in the new Act.  
3.87.   The Minister of Finance is responsible for formulating policy relating to public procurement, 
as well as for formulating and making regulations, directives, procedures, and guidance for the 
implementation of the Act. The Minister may also approve the award of a procurement contract 
without a standstill period on the basis of urgent public interest considerations.  
3.88.   Under the P ublic Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act No.  14 of 2021, 
procurement is decentralized, but every procuring entity shall ensure that its procurement activities 
and decisions comply with the Act and Regulations. The new Act establishes that ther e shall be a 
Chief Procurement Compliance Officer with responsibilities in respect of procurement proceedings 
for contracts with an estimated cost, which falls within Thresholds B of the Act. Procurement up to 
XCD 4,999.99 (Threshold A) may be approved by the Head of the Procuring Entity, without approval 
from the Chief Officer, but procurement between XCD  5,000.00 and XCD  999,999.99 (Threshold B) 
requires Confirmation of Compliance of Recommendation for Award of Contract with Act and 
Regulations from the P rocurement Compliance Officer.  
3.89.   The Act also established a Public Procurement Board, consisting of (i)  a Chairperson, who 
shall be a person competent and knowledgeable in public procurement whether from within or 
outside of the public service; (ii)  a legal officer from the Ministry responsible for legal affairs 
nominated by the Attorney General; (iii)  a public officer from the Ministry of Finance; (iv)  a public 
officer from the Ministry responsible for public works, nominated by the Permanent Secretary of th e 
Ministry; and (v)  no more than two public officers from other Ministries that undertake significant 
 
119 Act No.  11 of 2013.  
120 For example, casual hospitality and catering services, supply of electricity, telecommunications, and 
water.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 146 - 
 
  procurement activity. The Board must review for compliance with the Act also procurement of 
XCD 1 million and above.  
3.90.   A procuring entity may neither packag e nor divide its procurement requirements nor use a 
particular valuation method to limit competition among bidders. A procuring entity must, in 
estimating the value of procurement, include the estimated maximum total value of the procurement 
contract, or o f all procurement contracts envisaged under a framework agreement over its entire 
duration, taking into account all forms of remuneration.  
3.91.   National treatment is generally granted. A procuring entity may not deny the participation of 
a bidder in the procure ment proceedings on the basis of their nationality, except where the procuring 
entity decides to limit participation to domestic bidders within a certain threshold.  
3.92.   Procurement contracts are awarded considering the following: (i)  where price is the only 
evaluation criterion applied in the evaluation of bids and the bid offers the lowest bid price and is 
materially responsive to all the terms, conditions, specifications, and requirements of the bidding 
documents; (ii)  where price and other non -price evaluati on criteria are applied in the evaluation of 
bids and the bid is the most advantageous bid ascertained on the basis of the criteria and procedure 
for bid evaluation as specified in the bidding documents; or (iii)  where no price criteria are applied 
in the evaluation of bids the bid is the most advantageous bid ascertained on the basis of the 
non-price criteria and the procedure for bid evaluation as specified in the bidding documents.  
3.93.   The new Act contains a section on electronic government procurement. It s tated that all public 
procurement may be undertaken using electronic means by use of an electronic government 
procurement system. A procuring entity may use electronic government procurement to conduct all 
stages of the procurement proceedings, including p ublication of invitations to participate in public 
procurement; distributing the prequalification or bidding documents to bidders by free -of-charge 
download; inviting bidders to submit their applications to prequalify, expressions of interest, bids, 
quotat ions or proposals electronically; opening of bids and proposals, evaluation of bids, quotations, 
and proposals; and awarding procurement contracts.  
3.94.   Under the new law, a procuring entity may conduct public procurement by one of the following 
procurement met hods: (i)  open competitive bidding; (ii)  limited competitive bidding; (iii)  request 
for quotations; (iv)  request for proposals (only for consulting services); (v)  electronic reverse 
auction; and (vi)  single source procurement. When a procuring entity uses a procurement method 
other than open competitive bidding to conduct public procurement of goods, works, or services, the 
procuring entity shall (i)  ensure that one or more of the conditions for use of the procurement 
method are met; and (ii)  record the cho ice of the procurement method in writing in the annual 
procurement plan and in the record of procurement proceedings.  
3.95.   Open competitive bidding for the public procurement of goods, works, or services must be 
used, except in special cases. When a procuring e ntity uses open competitive bidding, the procuring 
entity invites bids by advertising and invitation for bids. When the estimated cost of procurement 
exceeds a prescribed threshold a procuring entity must advertise it internationally. A procuring entity 
may carry out open competitive bidding in one or two stages. A procuring entity may conduct open 
competitive bidding with or without prequalification of bidders.  
3.96.   A procuring entity may use the limited competitive bidding procurement method when (i)  the 
goods , works, and services to be procured are, by reason of their highly complex or specialized 
nature, available from only a limited number of suppliers; or (ii)  the time and cost involved in 
considering a large number of bids would be disproportionate to the estimated value of the 
procurement. A procuring entity may use the request for quotations procurement method for the 
public procurement of goods, works or services when (i)  procuring readily available goods, works, 
or services that are not specially produc ed or provided to the particular description of the procuring 
entity and for which there is an established market; or (ii)  the estimated value of the procurement 
contract is less than the prescribed threshold in the Regulations.  
3.97.   The request for proposals procurement method may be used only for the procurement of 
consulting services from consulting firms or individual consultants on the basis of (i)  quality alone; 
(ii) quality and cost; (iii)  quality within a fixed budget; or (iv)  least cost with an accepta nce level of WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 147 - 
 
  quality. A shortlist of no fewer than three and no more than eight fully qualified consulting firms 
from among those firms that expressed interest must be prepared.  
3.98.   Upon establishment of an appropriate electronic platform for the conduct of reverse auctions, 
a procuring entity may, in the procurement of goods, works, or services, conduct reverse auctions 
electronically in the prescribed manner if (i)  it is feasible for the procuring entity to formulate a 
detailed description of the  subject matter of the procurement; (ii)  there is a competitive market of 
bidders anticipated to be qualified to participate in the electronic reverse auction, so that effective 
competition is ensured; and (iii)  the criteria to be used by the procuring ent ity in determining the 
successful bid are quantifiable and can be expressed in monetary terms. A procuring entity may use 
the single source procurement method if (i)  the goods, works, and services to be procured are 
available from a particular supplier onl y, or a particular supplier holds exclusive rights in respect of 
such goods, services, and works, such that no reasonable alternative or substitute exists and, as a 
result, the use of any other procurement method would not be possible; (ii)  the procuring e ntity, 
having procured products from a supplier, determines that additional products must be procured 
from that supplier for reasons of standardization or a need for compatibility with previously procured 
products; (iii)  the procuring entity determines tha t the use of any other method of procurement is 
not appropriate for the protection of the national security and defence interests of the State and its 
citizens; or (iv)  a catastrophic event has occurred and the circumstance of the procurement is one 
of ext reme urgency that has not been caused by the action or omission of the procuring entity, and 
engaging in any other method of procurement may be detrimental to the procuring entity or other 
beneficiaries of the procurement.  
3.99.   In general, a procuring entity mu st use single -stage bidding when the procurement 
requirements and technical specifications can be defined in sufficient detail to enable bidders to 
submit complete bids. However, a procuring entity may use two -stage bidding by means of the open 
competitive  bidding procurement method or limited competitive bidding when it is not feasible for 
the procuring entity to formulate a detailed description of the subject matter of the procurement of 
(i) large complex facilities for which a turnkey procurement contrac t will be awarded for the design 
and build of a plant; (ii)  works of a complex and specialized nature; or (iii)  complex information and 
communication technology that is subject to rapid technological advances. A procuring entity may 
enter into a framework agreement where the procuring entity determines that (i)  the need for the 
subject matter of the procurement is expected to arise on an indefinite or repeated basis during a 
given period of time; or (ii)  by virtue of the nature of the subject matter of the procurement, the 
need for that subject matter may arise on an urgent basis during a given period of time.  
3.100.   A procuring entity may, in the procurement of goods, works, or services, prior to the 
invitation to bid, conduct prequalification of bidders to identi fy qualified bidders in the case of 
(i) large or complex procurement contracts; (ii)  custom -designed equipment or plant; 
(iii) specialized services; (iv)  complex information technology systems; (v)  procurement under 
turnkey design and build procurement contracts; or (vi)  management contracting. Section  28 
applies to the prequalification of bidders. When the procuring entity undertakes prequalification of 
bidders, it shall cause an invitation to prequalify to be published. The Financial Secret ary may 
establish and maintain a register of qualified bidders that qualify for different categories of 
procurement that may commonly be required by multiple procuring entities. A procuring entity must 
publish an invitation to prequalify or to bid under op en competitive bidding, request for proposals, 
or electronic reverse auction on the public procurement website, in the Gazette, and in a national 
newspaper of wide circulation in Dominica, and in any other publications prescribed in the 
Regulations.  
3.101.   The Ac t mandates that procuring entities set a minimum time period for submission of bids, 
proposals, or quotations in order to allow sufficient time for bidders to prepare and submits their 
bids, proposals, or quotations so as to promote competition in public p rocurement. The minimum 
periods are (i)  for applications to prequalify in advance of open competitive bidding: 21  days; (ii)  for 
open competitive bidding and request for proposals limited to domestic bidders: 21  days; (iii)  for 
open competitive bidding and  request for proposals advertised internationally: 30  days; (iv)  for 
limited competitive bidding: 21  days; and (v)  for request for quotations: 14  days.  
3.102.   Where the procurement of goods, works, services, or consulting services is funded in whole 
or in part by  a donor on the condition or on the understanding that Dominica uses or causes to be 
used the procurement procedures of the donor or the procurement procedures approved or agreed 
to by the donor, the procurement shall be conducted in accordance with the pr ocurement procedures WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 148 - 
 
  of the donor or, as the case may be, the procurement procedures approved or agreed to by the 
donor.  
3.103.   The 2022 Regulations outline procurement criteria including the requirement to publish 
open, competitive procurement opportunities, con tent required in the bidding documents, and the 
required bid security. The Regulations include measures to promote the domestic industry and social 
and economic development through procurement by micro, small, and medium -sized enterprises; 
enterprises led by women, youth, the elderly, and persons with disability; and other groups identified 
by the Minister.  
3.3.7   Intellectual property rights  
3.104.   The regulatory framework for intellectual property rights (IPRs) has remained unchanged 
since last Review. Dominica's legis lation with respect to geographical indications, protection of 
layout -designs (topographies) of integrated circuits, protection of new plant varieties, and marks, 
collective marks, and trade names was notified in 2001, but only came into force in 2008.  
3.105.   Dominica is a member of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and a 
signatory to a number of international agreements on IPRs.121 Intellectual property issues are 
currently reviewed by the CIPO in the Ministry of National Security and Home Affair s. CIPO is the 
national enquiry point with respect to international cooperation for the protection of IPRs. Dominica 
deposited its instrument of acceptance for the 2005 protocol amending the WTO's Agreement on 
Trade -Related Aspects of Intellectual Property  Rights (TRIPS) on 28  November  2016.122 
3.106.   There were 33 patent applications during 2013 -19; all were filled by local agents. During the 
same time, there were no utility model applications or registrations, and two industrial design 
applications were granted. According to WIPO statistics123, more than 450 trademarks were 
registered in Dominica, mainly by non -residents during the same period. After a surge in 2013, 
registration of trademarks abroad has significantly reduced.  
3.3.7.1   Copyright  
3.107.   The Copyright Act 2003124 provides for the protection of literary and artistic works and for 
related matters. Works are protected by copyright provided that they are original, and they have 
been written down, recorded, or otherwise expressed in some material form. For literary, dramat ic, 
musical, or artistic works, the term of protection is the author's life plus 70  years, while sound 
recordings and films are protected for 50  years from the end of the first year they are made available 
to the public (Table  3.7). 
Table  3.7 Intellectual property rights legislation and terms of protection , 2022  
Legislation/rights protected  Duration of protection  
Copyright Act 2003   
- literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works  Life of the author plus 70 years  
 - sound recording and films  50 years from the end of the first year it is made 
available to the public  
 - broadcasts and cable programme  70 years from the end of the year of first broadcast  
 - typographical arrangements of published editions  25 years from first publication  
Marks , Collective Marks and Trade Names Act 1999  10 years, renewable for 10 years  
Patents Act 1999  20 years, renewable  
Industrial Designs Act 1998, as amended  5 years, renewable twice for 5 years each  
 
121 Dominica is a member of the Berne Convention (1999); the Nice Agreement (2000); the Pa ris 
Convention (1999); the Patent Cooperation Treaty (1999); the Rome Convention (1999); and the WIPO 
Convention (1998).  
122 WTO document WT/LET/1219, 1  December  2016.  
123 WIPO (2021), Statistical Country Profiles: Dominica . Viewed at: 
https://www.wipo.int/ips tats/en/statistics/country_profile/profile.jsp?code=DM . 
124 Act No.  5 of 2003.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 149 - 
 
  Legislation/rights protected  Duration of protection  
Protection of Layout -Designs (Topographies) of 
Integrated Circuits 1999  10 years  
Protection of New Plant Varieties Act 1999  20 years (25 years for vines, forest, ornamental, and 
fruit trees)  
Source:  Government of Dominica, Laws. Viewed at: http://dominica.gov.dm/laws -of-dominica ; and CIPO, 
International Property . Viewed at: https://cipo.gov.dm/legislation/international -property . 
3.3.7.2   Trademarks  
3.108.   The Marks , Collective Marks and Trade Names Act, Chapter  78:53 , and the related 
regulations125 specify the exclusive rights a nd protection of trademarks available in Dominica. 
Registration is handled by the Registrar of Marks in the CIPO.  
3.109.   Applicants outside Dominica must be represented by a legal practitioner residing and 
practicing in Dominica and application must be submitted using the form in Schedule II and in line 
with specifications in Schedule III of the Marks, Collective Marks and Trade Names Regulations 
2009.126 Fees for registration are XCD  450 for goods or services in a single class, and XCD  100 per 
class for a word mar k. Additional class and figurative elements imply higher fees. Opposition to 
registration can be presented within two months of publication of trademarks. Trademarks are 
protected for 10  years from the filling date of the application for registration; rene wals for 
consecutive similar periods can be requested 6 months before expiration. Regulations provide for a 
right of priority of an earlier national or regional application filed by the applicant in any state party 
to the Paris Convention or Member of the WTO. Currently, there is not a public or online registry of 
trademarks or trademark holders.  
3.110.   After registration, the owner of a registered mark may transfer or assign its rights and grant 
licences with respect to the registered mark. The owner of the regis tered mark must file a copy of 
each licence contract concerning the registered mark with the Registrar. The non -use of a trademark 
for three years may entail the loss of the right to the exclusive use of the trademark.127 The Act 
specifies that the provisio ns of any international treaty in respect of marks and protection against 
unfair competition apply in Dominica and, in case of conflict with domestic legislation, prevail over 
it. 
3.3.7.3   Patents and industrial designs  
3.111.   The Patents Act 1999 and related regulations128 apply internationally accepted criteria for 
registration of universal novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability, along with a full search 
and examination procedure for patent registration. Patents are protected for 20 years from the filing 
date of the application and fees for the application and grant of a patent amount to XCD  500 and 
XCD 375, respectively.129 Annual maintenance fees also apply, and a patent shall lapse if the annual 
fee is not paid.  
3.112.   Under particular circumstances (public inter est, national security, nutrition, health, or the 
development of a vital sector of the economy), the authorities may allow a government agency or a 
third person to exploit an invention through a compulsory licence. Such a licence may also be issued 
if the Government determines that the manner of exploitation of the patent is anti -competitive, and 
that authorizing another operator may remedy it. The exploitation through the compulsory licence 
must be limited to the purpose for which it was permitted, predomi nantly for the supply of the 
domestic market, and subject to the payment of "adequate remuneration" to the owner by taking 
into account the economic value of each situation. Such authorization must not prevent the owner 
 
125 Act No.  12 of 1999, and the Marks, Collective Marks and Trade Names Regulations 2009, SRO No.  3 
of 2009.  
126 This form is available on CIPO's website. Viewed at: 
http://www.cipo.gov.dm/images/forms/form1tm_application_for -registration_of_mark.pdf . 
127 No trademarks were revoked during the review period . 
128 Act No.  8 of 1999 entered into force on 25  August  2008 following the Patent (Commencement) 
Order  2008, SRO No.  27 of 2008, and Patents Regulations 2008, SRO No.  43 of 2008.  
129 Application forms are available on CIPO's website: http://www.cipo.gov.dm/intellectual -
property/patents .  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 150 - 
 
  from concluding a licence contract, continuing the exercise of his or her rights, or granting a 
non-voluntary licence. No such licence was issued during the review period.  
3.113.   The protection of industrial designs is regulated by the Industrial Designs Act 1998, as 
amended, and related regulation s.130 Industrial designs may be registered if they are new prior to 
the date of filing, or the priority date of the application for registration. Protection is for five years 
from the filing date, renewable for two consecutive periods of five years.131 Note that Dominica is 
not part of the 1999 Hague Agreement on Industrial Design.  
3.3.7.4   Geographical indications  
3.114.   The Protection of Geographical Indications Act 1999, as amended, stipulates the conditions 
for the protection of geographical indications.132 Protection of a geographical indication is available 
regardless of registration. However, registration of a geographical indication raises a presumption 
that such indication is a geographical indication within the meaning of the Act. There have been no 
applications for geographical indications presented in Dominica.  
3.3.7.5   Protection of layout -designs of integrated circuits  
3.115.   The Protection of Layout -Designs (Topographies) of Integrated Circuits Act 1999 and related 
regulations have remained unchanged since the last Review.133 Only original layout -designs can be 
protected and the right to registration belongs by law to the creator, and is transferable. The term 
of protection is 10 years from the date of the first commercial exploitation, anywhere in the world, 
or from the filing da te of the application for registration.  
3.3.7.6   Protection of new plant varieties  
3.116.   Breeder's rights in respect of plant varieties that are new, distinct, homogeneous, stable, 
and given an acceptable variety denomination are protected by the Protection of New Plant Varieties 
Act 1999 and related regulations.134 Citizens of Dominica, of a contracting party to the International 
Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, or of any other State that grants reciprocal 
treatment to Dominica are entitled to fil e an application as breeders. Protection is for 25 years with 
respect to vines, forest, ornamental, and fruit trees, and 20 years for all other species. Varieties 
offered for sale or marketed in Dominica for more than a year before the filing date will hav e the 
duration of their protection reduced accordingly.  
3.3.7.7   Enforcement  
3.117.   All of the above IP regulations include enforcement and in case of dispute, the High Court 
has jurisdiction relating to the application of IPRs. Appeals to decisions of the Registrar of Companies 
and Intellectual Property are also treated in front of the H igh Court.  
3.118.   The seizure of infringing goods by customs authorities while entering the country is only 
possible in the case of copyright infringement following the request of the right s holder (Copyright 
Act 2003, Part 1X, Section  99). 
 
130 Act No.  2 of 1998, as amended by the Industrial Designs (Amendment) Act 2008, Act No.  15 of 
2008, entered into force on 25  August  2008 following the Industrial Designs (Commencement) Order 2008, 
SRO No.  29 of 2008. Detailed regulations are provided by the  Industrial Designs Regulations 2008, SRO No.  44 
of 2008.  
131 Relevant forms for industrial designs' protection are available on CIPO's website: 
http://www.cipo.gov.dm/forms/industrial -designs . 
132 Act No.  13 of 2  December  1999 was amended by the Geographical Indications (Amendment) Act 
2008, Act No.  13 of 2008, and entered into force on 25  August  2008 following the Geographical Indications 
(Commencement) Order 2008 , SRO No.  28 of 2008.  
133 Act No.  11 of 1999 entered into force on 25  August  2008 following the Protection of Layout -Designs 
(Topographies) of Integrated Circuits (Commencement) Order 2008, SRO No.  28 of 2008, and the Protection of 
Layout -Designs (Topographi es) of Integrated Circuits Regulations 2008, SRO No.  45 of 2008.  
134 Act No.  14 of 1999 entered into force on 25  August  2008 following the Protection of New Plant 
Varieties (Commencement) Order 2008, SRO No.  28 of 2008.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 151 - 
 
  4  TRADE  POLICIES BY SECTOR  
4.1  Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries  
4.1.  The agriculture, livestock, and forestry sector remains an important contributor to Dominica's 
GDP and, although the sector was severely hit by Hurricane Maria in 2017, it sustained an average 
contri bution of 13.3% over the review period. The sector has slowly recovered since 2017 and its 
contribution was estimated at close to 15% in 2020. Main crops in Dominica include bananas, 
plantains, tree crops, root crops, and a wide range of vegetables, herbs,  and spices. Dominica's 
vulnerability to weather -related hazards is well documented; however, the damage caused by 
Hurricane Maria in September  2017 was almost unprecedented and one third of these losses were 
associated with the agriculture subsector.135 The majority of the agriculture base including bananas, 
tree crops, coconuts, vegetables, livestock and fishing facilities, and related infrastructure was 
damaged. Since then, efforts focused on supporting and reconstructing the farming community with 
a mark ed objective of increasing their climate resilience.  
4.2.  The main entity in charge of the sector is the Division of Agriculture (DoA) within the Ministry 
of Blue and Green Economy, Agriculture and National Food Security. The Division provides technical 
assista nce, and regulatory and support services, and is responsible for establishing a conducive 
policy framework for development of the sector. It consists of several specialized units that work in 
close collaboration with agricultural and international agencies  to provide technical, regulatory, and 
support services.136 
4.3.  Some projects implemented by the DoA in recent years include the EU -funded Banana 
Accompanying Measures, which sought to improve productivity and exports of bananas; the fifth 
and sixth phases of t he Agricultural Technical Cooperation Project supported by China, which 
introduced new crop varieties, distributed high -quality seedlings, and established a demonstration 
centre; the Cocoa and Coffee project, which aimed at extending cultivated surfaces an d constructing 
processing facilities; the Horticulture project, which promoted crop diversification for improved food 
security; and the Black Sigatoka project, which was designed to reduce the spread and impact of 
this disease among banana producers. A cof fee processing plant was completed in 2014 and a 
multi-purpose National Abattoir became operational in 2015. In September  2018, a testing facility 
named the Chemistry Laboratory, was inaugurated, and currently performs analysis under specific 
regulatory an d quality guidelines on food safety.  
4.4.  Following Hurricane Maria, Dominica launched the Emergency Agriculture Livelihoods and 
Climate Resilience Project with the support of the World Bank in 2018. The project has a total cost 
of USD  29.5 million and is to be  implemented over five years.137 In line with the National Resilience 
Development Strategy (NRDS) 2030, the project aims at restoring the productive capacity of the 
agriculture sector including fisheries, building climate resilience and agri -business capabi lities, 
restoring key infrastructure, and strengthening institutional capacity. In June  2020, the project was 
granted an additional funding of USD  3.6 million. As regards NRDS 2030, the diversification of 
production ensuring higher levels of self -sufficien cy and food security and the development of 
products with high value and export potential, such as organic produce, are key objectives for the 
sector. The Government considers that the sector can be a vector for achieving inclusive growth in 
the medium and  long terms . 
4.5.  Input support to farmers, valued at XCD  3 million in FY2018/19, distributes fertilizer, tension 
wire for horticulture, fungicides and insecticides, greenhouse plastics, irrigation lines, and fencing 
wire for livestock production. Valued at XCD  584,893 in the same year, the support in terms of seeds 
and planting materials mainly focuses on cocoa, vegetables, citrus, and Irish potato.  
 
135 Global Facility for Disaster Reducti on and Recovery (GFDRR) and World Bank (2018), Post-Disaster 
Needs Assessment Dominica: Hurricane Maria 2017 . Viewed at: https://www.gfdrr.org/en/publication/post -
disaster -needs -assessment -dominica . 
136 Division of Agriculture, Units. Viewed at: http://divisionofagriculture.gov.dm/units . 
137 World  Bank, Project Map . Viewed at: https://projects.worldbank.org/en/projects -operations/project -
detail/P166328 . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 152 - 
 
  4.6.  The Agricultural and Industrial Development Bank provides special loans to farmers, which 
in 2019 amounted to USD  4.9 million.138 The repayment period of these loans goes up to 12  years, 
an initial grace period of 24 months on the capital (not the interest) may be requested, and the 
applied interest rate is lower than market rates for other loans.139 
4.7.  Since last Review,  Dominica's average tariff on agricultural goods (WTO definition) has 
remained stable during the review period (26.9% in 2013, 26.7% in 2020). The highest applied rate 
remains at 150% (Table  3.2). In fact, the final bound average tariff rate for the sector  is 112.3%, 
which points out a large gap between applied and bound tariff rates. No import duties are applied 
to 21.5% of the agriculture products (WTO definition). Besides sanitary and phytosanitary 
requirements, no other import requirement, such as licen sing, applies on imports of agricultural 
products. The only exceptions are white potatoes and wheat flour.  
4.8.  To promote investment in agriculture, the Government grants import -duty concessions on 
some agricultural equipment and inputs, such as seeds; agricul tural tools; machinery and 
equipment; planting materials; fertilizers and agricultural chemicals (pesticides, herbicides, and 
other treatments approved for agricultural use); farm vehicles; meat -processing equipment; and 
animal health supplies and animal f eeds.  
4.9.  Locally produced agricultural products are exempted from the VAT, and some imported inputs 
(seeds, fertilizer, and animal feeds) are zero -rated.  
4.10.   The fishing subsector is relatively small, largely informal, and mainly oriented to 
self-sufficiency. Dur ing the review period, its contribution to GDP remained below 0.5%. Most fishing 
activities take place on the east coast of the island despite a larger number of ports on the west 
coast. The Division of Fisheries within the Ministry in charge of Agricultur e aimed at increasing the 
competitiveness and exports of the sector, notably through the improvement of facilities and 
technical assistance on packaging. In 2016, the catch was estimated at 1,143 tonnes, and 
approximatively 100,000 pounds with a value of X CD 800,000 of fish were exported within the 
region.140 Hurricane Maria had a sizeable impact on fisheries: up to 370  vessels were reported as 
damaged and key infrastructure also needed restoration.141 A fish depot is under construction at 
Fond Cole and sever al fish landing sites were renovated with the support of international partners. 
Recently, the introduction of fish aggregating devices and new fishing techniques and the 
modernization of vessels were key to the recovery of fish production to pre -hurricane  levels. In 
2019, the catch was estimated at nearly 900 tonnes.142 
4.2  Electricity  
4.11.   The Independent Regulatory Commission (IRC), established by the Electricity Supply 
Act 2006143 and under the Ministry of Public Works and the Digital Economy, remains in charge of 
regulating all aspects of the electricity sector. Under the current regulatory framework, electricity 
generation (other than for domestic use), transmission, distribution , and supply are subject to 
licensing by the IRC. Section  45 of the 2006 Act applies an exemption from all duties and taxes on 
importation (including the VAT) on plant materials, equipment, and machinery imported by a 
licensee. Tariffs are subject to the a pproval of the Commission.  
 
138 In 2019, farm devel opment accounted for 54% of granted loans, while poultry farms and fisheries 
represented 19% and 18%, respectively. More than 270 farmers benefited from these funds in 2019. Dominica 
Agricultural Industrial and Development (AID) Bank (Bank), Annual Report 2019. Viewed at: 
http://www.aidbank.com/sites/default/files/aidb_2019_annual_report.pdf . 
139 AID Bank, Agriculture Loan . Viewed at: http://www.aidbank.com/?q=loans/agriculture . 
140 Government of Dominica, Economic and Social Review 2016 -2017. 
141 Ministry of Blue and Green Economy, Agriculture and National Food Security,  Dominica Emergency 
Agriculture Li velihoods and Climate Resilience Project (DEALCRP) . Viewed at: 
http://agriculture.gov.dm/projects/36 -present -projects/57 -dominica -emergency -agriculture -livelihoods -and-
climate -resilience -project -dealcrp . 
142 Ministry of Planning and Economic Development,  Economic and Social Review 2018 -2019. Viewed at: 
http://planning.gov.dm/jdownloads/Economic%20&%20Social%20Reviews/Economic%20and%20Social%20Re
view%202018 -2019.pdf . 
143 Part III of the Electricity Supply Act 2006, No.  10 of 2006 as amended by the Law revision 
(Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2020, Act No.  8 of 2020, describes powers, duties, and functions of the IRC, 
which started operations in June  2007. IRC, Who We A re. Viewed at: https://www.ircdominica.org/about -us/. WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 153 - 
 
  4.12.   In 2021, the sources for electricity generation in Dominica are imported fossil fuels (80.2%) 
and hydro (19.7%). The Government aims for greater penetration of renewable energy and 
increased energy efficiency. In this regard, the  Government stated an objective of 100% renewable 
energy by 2030, and the IRC launched a review of the regulatory framework to ensure its 
effectiveness towards these policy objectives. The Geothermal Resources Development Act 2016144 
provides for the regula tory framework for the development of geothermal electricity generation and 
notably defines conditions for reconnaissance, exploration, use, and export. In this regard, the 
Government launched the development of a geothermal electricity plant through the D ominica 
Geothermal Development Company Limited, a government -owned company, with the assistance of 
several development partners. Following a public tender for its construction in 2019, the plant is 
expected to become operational by 2024; however, its const ruction has not yet started.  
4.13.   Dominica Electricity Services Limited (DOMLEC)145 remains the main electricity generator. 
In 2014, the company was granted a non -exclusive generation and supply licence for 25 years. After 
Hurricane Maria, the generation of sola r energy, mainly for self -consumption, has been on the rise.146 
The numerous private producers of stand -by solar generation are paid based on a net billing 
mechanism which takes into account fuel costs and savings for solar generation.147 Regarding 
transmiss ion and distribution, DOMLEC's exclusive licence was renewed for the same period. The 
transmission and distribution network of DOMLEC extends over almost 1,200 kilometres.148 Since 
Hurricane Maria hit Dominica in 2017, the recovery of essential infrastructu re (e.g.,  electricity and 
water) has remained an important challenge for the authorities.149 Although DOMLEC's customer 
base consisted of 34,557  clients in December  2020, the number of customers was still slightly lower 
than that of customers served at the end of 2016.  
4.14.   Because DOMLEC is the sole supplier of electricity, its electricity rates are subject to approval 
by the IRC. Currently, the IRC is conducting a review of tariffs with DOMLEC. Electricity rates vary 
by customer groups: d omestic rates apply to all electricity supplied to premises used exclusively for 
private residential purposes; commercial rates apply to all electricity supplied to any premises not 
being used exclusively for private residential purposes and not being premises to which industria l or 
hotel rates are applicable; hotel rates apply to all electricity supplied to premises used as hotels and 
guest houses with a minimum number of 10 rooms; industrial rates apply to all electricity supplied 
to industrial premises having an aggregate maxi mum power rating of not less than 5  kVA; and rates 
for lighting and street lighting.150 In addition to electricity rates, a fuel surcharge is applied to each 
unit consumed at a rate calculated and published monthly.151 In 2020, fuel surcharges represented 
26.5% of operating revenues of DOMLEC. The launch of geothermal generation is expected to reduce 
the overall generation cost and, consequently, to reflect in rates charged to end users in Dominica.152 
 
144 Geothermal Resources Development Act 2016, Act No.  12 of 2016.  
145 The main shareholders of DOMLEC are the Canadian -based Emera Incorporated (52% of the share 
capital) and the Dominica Social Security (21%). The company is listed on the Eastern Caribbean St ock 
Exchange.  
146 Equipment for solar energy generation are exempted of customs duties.  
147 There is limited private participation in electricity generation in Dominica.  
148 The distribution system consists of high voltage (HV) overhead 11kV lines and 400/230 VA C 
three -phase low voltage. The frequency of the supply is 50  Hz. Currently, an assessment to upgrade the 
system to 66/33 kV is ongoing.  
149 It was reported that 75% of the distribution network and some generation units were affected by 
Hurricane Maria.  
150 Domestic rates include a charge of XCD  0.58 per kilowatt -hour (KWh) for up to 50 KWh in any month 
and XCD  0.67 per KWh for each KWh in excess of 50 KWh in any month subject to a minimum monthly charge 
of XCD  2.50. In the case of commercial rates, a servic e charge of XCD  4.32 per month per kVA of installed 
capacity plus XCD  0.71 per KWh is applied. In the case of industrial rates, a service charge of XCD  4.32 per 
month per kVA of installed capacity is levied with an additional charge for electricity supplie d between 
6:00 a.m. and 10:00  p.m. A charge of XCD  0.63 per unit is applied, while for electricity supplied between 
10:00 p.m. and 6:00  a.m. it is levied at XCD  0.58 per unit. For hotels, the service charge is of XCD  4.32 per 
month per kVA of installed cap acity plus XCD  0.63 per unit. Lighting rates are XCD  0.71 per unit subject to a 
minimum monthly charge of XCD  20, while the rate of electricity for street lighting is XCD  0.71 per unit.  
151 The fuel surcharge for the current month is calculated on the 97.5%  of the fuel expenditure of the 
previous month and the electricity sold in the previous month. DOMLEC absorbs 2.5% of the cost of fuel.  
152 Dominica's electricity costs are about twice the regional average, and two  thirds of firms have 
identified electricity  costs as a major constraint for business. IMF (2016), Dominica: Staff Report for the 
Article  IV Consultation , IMF Country Report No.  16/244.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 154 - 
 
  4.15.   The IRC also acts as a resolution instance for complaints to electricity -related services, and it 
reported 16 complaints in 2021, and 7 in the first 9 months of 2022. Complaints mainly concern 
technical issues such as pole relocation and billing issues.  
4.16.   The authorities indicate that the DBOS has adopted standards  on energy -efficient 
technologies.  
4.3  Manufacturing  
4.17.   Severely impacted by the natural disasters that hit Dominica, the manufacturing sector has 
steadily recovered from an output low in 2017 (1.9% of GDP)153 and contributed 2.5% of GDP in 
2021, according to prel iminary data (Table  1.1). Its current contribution to aggregate production is 
only 0.6  percentage points lower than in 2014.  
4.18.   Given substantial damages in their production facilities in 2015 and 2017, some major 
manufacturing activities temporarily ceased t heir operations and the related exports. Additional 
investment was also necessary for restarting some of these industries. For instance, a restructuration 
of ownership with local participation took place for the relaunch of former activities by the Dominic a 
Coconut Products (DCP) Colgate Palmolive, a subsidiary of Procter and Gamble in Dominica. By 
end-2019, most major manufacturers had reinitiated their exports.  
4.19.   Following a request by Dominica seeking to ensure the regional competitiveness of its 
domestic production, the COTED decided to reinstate a CET of 40% on soaps in 2018. The 
Government continues to support manufacturing through financial support managed by the Dominica 
Agricultural, Industrial and Development (AID) Bank and technical assistance provi ded by the 
Dominica Export Import Agency (DEXIA). Producers of agro -processed goods, soaps, beverage and 
water bottling, and rum distillery, inter alia, can obtain a loan up to 70% of total project cost payable 
in 12 years with an optional deferment of payment on principal of 24 months at preferential rates 
from AID Bank.154 Technical assistance mainly consists of market research and the development of 
business plans.  
4.20.   On average, the tariff levied on manufactured goods is 10.0% in 2020, up fr om 9.5% in 2013 
(Table  3.2), the maximum tariff applied on a manufactured product is 165%, and 22.6% of 
manufactured products (including petroleum products) are imported duty -free. The private sector 
considers benefiting from low protection and that their preferential margins in regional markets is 
eroding or simply not implemented.  
4.4  Services  
4.21.   Until 2016, Dominica consistently ran a services trade surplus of more than USD  100 million, 
mainly explained by a sustained export performance of travel services, whic h accounted for close to 
USD 200 million in every year. Dominica's imports mainly consisted of other business services, 
including technical trade -related activities, and transport services, which amounted to 
USD 53.6 million and USD  33.7 million on average , respectively. Tropical Storm Erika in 2015 and 
Hurricane Maria in 2017 severely disrupted the trends observed in services trade until then. The 
trade surplus in 2016 (USD  58.9 million) shrank by more than 40% in comparison to the previous 
years, and prac tically disappeared in 2017 (USD  9.7 million). This performance closely mirrored the 
performance of travel services. At the same time, imports of services in subsectors such as 
construction, insurance, and transport services were on the rise to satisfy rec onstruction needs. 
Preliminary data show that a recovery of Dominica's performance in trade in services was under way 
with an estimated trade surplus of USD  31.9 million; however, the emergence of the COVID -19 
pandemic brought travel services to a full sto p again.  
4.22.   Under the General Agreement on Trade in Services, Dominica scheduled horizontal market 
access limitations on commercial presence and movement of natural persons.155 Regarding 
commercial presence, foreign service providers are required to locally in corporate their business and 
are subject to specific taxes, such a withholding tax on foreign and non -resident investors. Some 
 
153 After Hurricane Maria, the manufacturing sector recorded the sharpest contraction ( -30% of output) 
on a year -to-year basis across all the economy.  
154 AID Bank, Industry Loan . Viewed at: http://www.aidbank.com/?q=loans/industry . 
155 WTO document GATS/SC/27, 15  April 1994.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 155 - 
 
  restrictions on land acquisition also apply. Moreover, a number of small business opportunities are 
reserved for nationals, and f oreign suppliers are only permitted on the basis of an economic needs 
test in this regard. The employment of foreign natural persons is normally limited to people with 
managerial and technical skills in short supply or not available in Dominica. Additional ly, a 
registration requirement with professional or governmental bodies may apply to some professionals. 
Dominica has not listed any Article  II (MFN) exemptions.  
4.23.   Dominica undertook specific commitments covering 4 of the 12 main service areas: financial 
services (reinsurance); tourism and travel related (hotel development); recreational, cultural, and 
sporting services (entertainment and sporting services); and communications (courier and 
telecommunications services). Telecommunications has seve ral limitations on market access, mainly 
related to exclusive rights granted to operators in cross -border supply and commercial presence of 
services.156 For all other service areas, no market access or national treatment limitations were 
scheduled on cross -border supply and consumption abroad, except for hotel development and 
sporting services where the cross -border supply of the service was considered technically unfeasible. 
Regarding commercial presence, limitations were scheduled in committed services; ho wever, most 
of these limitations refer to horizontal limitations mentioned before. For hotel development, market 
access is limited to the development of hotels with a capacity in excess of 50 rooms while hotels 
with smaller capacity are subject to an econo mic needs test.  
4.4.1   Banking, finance, and insurance  
4.4.1.1   Regulation  
4.24.   The Financial Services Unit (FSU), a department established in 2008 within the Ministry of 
Finance and Investment, remains the regulating authority for all financial activities (onshore and 
offshor e), except for domestic commercial banks and securities.157 
4.4.1.2   Onshore financial services  
4.4.1.2.1   Banking  
4.25.   Domestic commercial banks are under the supervision of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. 
The regulatory framework was updated during the review period and the B anking Act 2015, as 
amended158, prescribes the current regulations for commercial banking services in eight ECCU 
members (Common Report). The regulatory update, inter alia, implied the rise of minimum capital 
requirements for commercial banks and other fina ncial institutions, an enhanced bank resolution 
framework, and a stronger protection for small depositors.159 Financial institutions are subject to a 
licence requirement and the payment of a non -refundable fee of XCD  20,000 is part of the application 
proces s. Annual licence fees vary between XCD  40,000 for a local financial holding company, and 
XCD 80,000 for a local licensed financial institution or bank. Annual fees for institutions and 
companies incorporated in a country outside the Eastern Caribbean Curr ency Union are 50% higher 
than for local ones. In 2019, Dominica issued detailed instructions for applicants seeking to obtain 
 
156 Regardi ng commercial presence, voice telephony (both fixed and mobile), packet -switched data 
transmission, circuit -switched data transmission, telex, telegraph, private -leased circuit, and facsimile services 
are reserved for the exclusive operator. The supply of electronic mail, voice mail, online information and 
database retrieval, electronic data interchange, Internet and Internet access services (except voice), enhanced 
value -added facsimile services, and some other services is open to other suppliers, provided  they use the 
network of the exclusive operator to supply these services. Note that almost no limitation on national 
treatment was scheduled for telecommunication services.  
157 The FSU has a supervisory role in respect to the Building Societies Act, Chapter 31:60; the 
Co-operative Societies Act 1996; the Dominica Agriculture Industrial and Development Bank, Chapter 74:03; 
the Exempt Insurance Act 1997; the International Exempt Trust Act 1997; the Insurance Act 2012; the Money 
Laundering (Prevention) Act 2011;  the Money Services Business Act 2010; and the Offshore Banking Act 1996.  
158 Banking Act 2015, Act No.  4 of 2015, as amended by the Banking (Amendment) Act 2020, Act No.  5 
of 2020, and the Law revision (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2020, Act No.  8 of 2020.  This amendment 
streamlines procedures prescribed by the 2015 Act.  
159 Minimum capital requirements are XCD  20 million instead of XCD  5 million previously for commercial 
banks, and XCD  5 million instead of XCD  1 million for other financial institutions. In c ase of voluntary 
liquidation, depositors must be returned their assets within three days according to the updated regulations.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 156 - 
 
  a licence for financial institutions.160 There has been no new entrant that completed the licensing 
procedures under the Act since  2015.  
4.26.   Currently, there are only three commercial banks in Dominica: two are branches of 
foreign -owned commercial banks, the Republic Bank (EC) Ltd161 and CIBC First Caribbean 
International Bank (Barbados) Ltd. The latter has announced its cessation of acti vities in Dominica 
for 31  January  2022. The locally owned National Bank of Dominica Ltd (NBD)162 is the dominant 
actor in the market. In April  2021, NBD acquired Dominican banking assets of another foreign -owned 
bank, i.e.  the RBC Royal Bank of Canada, whic h operated in the region until then. Despite this 
consolidation of commercial banks, the high penetration of some large credit unions raises less 
concern regarding competition, according to the authorities.163 The average spread reduced from 
6% to close to 4% during the review period; both deposit and lending interest rates declined by 1.2 
and 3.1  percentage points, respectively, during the same time.  
4.27.   In addition to commercial banks, the AID Bank acts at the national development bank and 
agency of Dominica.164 Its main funding sources are loans from the Caribbean Development Bank 
and resources from the Citizen By Investment programme. It provides credit at lower interest rates 
(at least 1%) than those applied by the commercial activities to productive activiti es and its overall 
credit lines amount to 0.3% of GDP in 2018. Agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, services, 
transportation, housing/mortgage, and education are the sectors benefiting from this attractive 
funding.  
4.28.   Moreover, Dominica has six registered cre dit unions165 and some consolidation of credit unions 
was also observed during the review period. Their registration, supervision, and operation are 
regulated by the FSU under the Co -operative Societies Act 2011. The authority can perform on -site 
inspection s and advise the credit unions on future actions; however, it does not issue financial 
penalties in case of non -compliance of this Act. The National Co -operative Credit Union Ltd (NCCU), 
which accounts for 71% of all credit unions' assets, is the dominant actor in this segment. The rapid 
growth of credit unions166 and their important participation in terms of deposits by commercial banks 
(close to one third in 2018) mean that both segments are becoming more intertwined.167 
Undercapitalization of some credit u nions whose capital adequacy ratio is below the minimum 
remains a concern for the whole system.  
4.29.   The global tightening of the requirements for correspondent banking relationships (CBRs) and 
the risk associated with a limited ability to make international pa yments and transfers have shaped 
some recent policy changes in Dominica, in particular on anti -money laundering (AML) regulations. 
Amendments to the Money Laundering (Prevention) Act 2011 enacted in 2016 and 2020, as well as 
the Anti -Money Laundering and S uppression of Terrorist Financing Code of Practice168 issued in 2014, 
aimed to strengthen Dominica's AML regulations by bringing them closer to international standards. 
Despite strict regulations on users of the banking sector, Dominica, like other countrie s in the region, 
is not able to keep the CBRs, which perceived little reward for serving the region.  
 
160 Banking (Licences) Regulations, SRO No.  21 of 2019.  
161 In 2019, banking activities of the Bank of Nova Scotia in seven Caribbea n countries were sold to a 
holding based in Trinidad  and Tobago following the approval of the ECCB. Its activities in Antigua were sold to 
another domestic bank. The Republic Bank is the result of this acquisition, which did not impact the domestic 
competi tion of Dominica's banking market.  
162 The Government is the single largest shareholder in NBD (48.93% of hare capital). Considering other 
entities controlled by the State, the Government reaches up to 55.09% of the share capital. NBD, Annual 
Report 2019 . Viewed at: https://online.nbdominica.com/download/2019 -annual -
report/?wpdmdl=2733&refresh=60e1aa4a64e381625401930 . 
163 However, the private sector reports less flexibility and competition in financial services.  
164 Established in 1982 by the Dominica Agricultura l, Industrial and Development Bank Act, 
Chapter  74:03.  
165 FSU, Registered Entities: Credit Unions . Viewed at: https://fsu.gov.dm/registered -entities/credit -
unions .  
166 According to the NCCU's Annual Report 2019, its membership grew by 25% between 2013 and 2019 
while total assets under its control increased to XCD  640 million by end -2019 (+30% since 2013). Viewed at: 
http://www.nccudominica.com/About -Us/Reports -Publications.html . 
167 Credit unions also propose some insurance products and mobile wallet products; the former were 
developed in collaboration with Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica.  
168 Anti-Money Laundering and Suppression of Terrorist Financing Code of Practic e 2014, SRO No.  10 
of 2014.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 157 - 
 
  4.30.   The resolution of non -performing loans (NPLs) remains an outstanding issue in Dominica. For 
instance, the NPL ratio for banks peaked at 17% after Hurricane Maria in 2017. NPLs by credit unions 
and other financial institutions, such as the AID  Bank, remain at even higher levels. The 
establishment of the Eastern Caribbean Asset Management Corporation (ECAMC) in 2015169 is a 
regional attempt to address the high incidence of NPLs; however, no purchase of bad debts has yet 
taken place (Common  Report). The purchases of loans are still waiting for funding and sovereign 
guarantees to effectively start these purchases. The Credit Reporting Act170, which establi shed a 
Credit Bureau, is also a regional effort to secure transactions and improve access to credit 
(Common  Report).  
4.31.   The regulatory framework for money services businesses has remained unchanged since the 
last Review; they are under the supervision of the FSU and subject to licensing requirements, 
including an application fee of XCD  2,500 and other relevant documentation.171 An annual licence 
fee of XCD  5,000 applies and a statutory deposit of XCD  50,000 is required. Businesses must 
maintain a minimum capita l requirement of XCD  50,000 or 10% of the value of the assets, whichever 
is higher.172 As at June  2021, seven businesses are licensed to operate in payday advances only, 
while three businesses were granted money transmission licences.173 
4.4.1.2.2   Insurance  
4.32.   The Insura nce Act 2012 remains the main legislation governing insurance businesses and no 
changes into the regulatory framework have been introduced since the last Review.174 Insurance 
businesses regulated by the 2012 Act include local insurance companies; branches o f foreign 
insurance companies; associations of underwriters; intermediaries; privately administered pension 
fund plans; and reinsurance companies. All insurance businesses are subject to registration and are 
under the supervision of FSU, which acts as Regi strar of Insurance.  
4.33.   Prior to registration in Dominica, foreign insurance companies must have been in business for 
at least five years and must be incorporated in their country of origin. A principal office in Dominica 
and the appointment of a resident as a  representative are also required. Foreign companies must 
have a minimum share capital of XCD  5 million, instead of XCD  2 million for local ones.175 Other 
requirements include deposit requirements, which vary according to each class of insurance business 
and premium collected during the year; the establishment of separate accounts with sufficient assets 
to cover each class of business separately; and the impossibility to repatriate profits of 
foreign -owned companies as long as the value of assets in insurance funds does not cover at least 
110% of policyholders' liabilities (less the deposit). In special circumstances when insurance 
protection is not av ailable by registered companies, FSU may authorize a person to conclude an 
insurance contract with a company not registered in Dominica; reinsurance contracts are not subject 
to this approval.  
4.34.   A consequence of Hurricane Maria on the domestic insurance mark et has been the increase 
of premiums following a risk -based readjustment by reinsurers.  
4.35.   The resolution of the insolvency of two insurance companies with regional coverage (Colonial 
Life Insurance Company (CLICO), based in Barbados, and British American Ins urance Company 
(BAICO) based in the Bahamas) declared in 2009 required the establishment of a regional framework 
for the arrangement between the two companies and their creditors in all Eastern Caribbean 
 
169 Eastern Caribbean Asset Management Corporation Act 2015, Act No.  11 of 2015 implementing the 
regional agreement for the creation of the ECAMC signed at Basseterre on 24  February  2015.  
170 Credit Reporting Act 2020, Act No.  13 of 2020.  
171 The Money Services Business Act 2010, Act No.  8 of 2010, regulates activities related to money 
transmission; issuance, sale, and redemption of payment instruments; cheque cashing; currency exchange; 
and payday advances only. Licences are granted t o different combinations of those activities.  
172 Money Services Business (Capital Adequacy) Order, SRO No.  32 of 2011.  
173 JN Money Transfer, Money Grant, and Western Union are the businesses licensed for money 
transmission. FSU, Money Services Businesses . Viewed at: https://fsu.gov.dm/registered -entities/money -
services -businesses . 
174 Insurance Act 2012, Act No.  4 of 2012.  
175 Mutual companies are required to have uncommitted reserves of at least XCD  5 million.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 158 - 
 
  countries. In Dominica, this was reflected by the en actment of the Plan of Arrangement (BAICO and 
CLICO) Act 2016.176 
4.36.   As at June  2021, Dominica had 16 registered insurance companies and one underwriter177; 
none is locally owned. Three of these companies provide long -term insurance (life, retirement), 
10 provide general insurance (health, property, accident, motor, marine, aviation, and transit), and 
3 companies are active in the two segments. No reinsurance company is registered by the FSU.  
4.4.1.3   Offshore financial services  
4.37.   Offshore banking is regulated by the Offsh ore Banking Act 1996, as amended, and related 
regulations.178 Licensees by the FSU are only allowed to conduct banking business in foreign 
currencies (other than the XCD) and must have a physical presence in Dominica as well as locally 
residing authorized a gent and alternate agent. Among other conditions, an initial paid -up capital of 
least USD  1 million in cash;  a minimum permanent capital of USD  1 million or 5% of deposit 
liabilities, whichever is greater; and liquidity with a major international bank of a t least 12% of total 
assets are required.179 Recent amendments180 limit the tax exemptions to which offshore banks and 
their non -resident customers were eligible in the initial regulation. Exemptions on income tax, capital 
gains tax, withholding tax, or othe r direct tax on profits, assets, property values, and their transfers 
ceased in June  2021. Eight offshore banks had their licences revoked between 2016 and 2018181, 
and no new licence has been issued since 2017. As at June  2020, there were 17 registered off shore 
banks by FSU.182 
4.38.   The Exempt Insurance Act 1997, as amended183, prescribes the conditions for the operation 
of offshore insurance companies, and companies are only allowed to manage risks and premiums 
originating outside Dominica. Other requirements include the local incorporation of companies, the 
non-residence of shareholders, a minimum paid -up capital of at least USD  100,000, and at least one 
Dominican citizen in its Board of Directors. As at June  2021, there were no licensed offshore 
insurance companies in Dominica.  
4.4.2   Telecommunications  
4.39.   The regulatory framework governing the telecommunication sector has only marginally 
changed since the last Review, and the Telecommunications Act 2000, which is substantially the 
same as in other OECS con tracting parties of the Treaty Establishing the Eastern Caribbean 
Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL), remains in force.184 Criteria for granting a licence, the 
existence of a National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NRTC) in each ECTEL member 
State, universal service conditions to be applied, and procedures for concluding interconnection 
agreements, inter alia, are covered by the 2000 Act). The sector is under the responsibility of the 
Ministry of Economic Affairs, Planning, Resilience and Sustai nable Development, 
Telecommunications and Broadcasting, while the NRTC of Dominica acts as the regulator for the 
sector. At the regional level, the ECTEL has an important advisory and policy -coordinating role on 
any matter relating to telecommunications (C ommon Report).  
4.40.   Both entities, the NRTC and the ECTEL, intervene in the management of the electromagnetic 
spectrum in Dominica. Based on recommendations in ECTEL's Regional Spectrum Management Plan 
updated in 2012 and in line with ITU's specifications185, the NTRC manages and controls the use of 
 
176 Plan of Arrangement (BAICO and CLICO) Act 2016, Act No.  1 of 2016.  
177 FSU, Insurance Companies . Viewed at: https://fsu.gov.dm/registered -entities/insurance/insurance -
comp anies. 
178 Act No.  8 of 1996 as amended by eight amendments issued since then, and related regulations such 
as the Offshore Banking (Fees) Regulations, SRO No.  58 of 1996.  
179 Furthermore, an annual licence fee of USD  8,000 also applies, and companies are requ ested to 
provision a reserve fund where no less than 25% of their yearly profit is transferred.  
180 The most recent amendment in this regard is the Offshore Banking (Amendment) Act 2020, Act 
No. 4 of 2020.  
181 These licence revocations were enacted by means of  SROs by the Minister of Finance.  
182 FSU, Offshore Banks . Viewed at: https://fsu.gov.dm/registered -entities/offshore -banks . 
183 Act No.  14 of 1998 as amend ed by the Exempt Insurance (Amendment) Act 2000, Act No.  12 
of 2001, and the Exempt Insurance (Amendment) Act 2015, Act No.  7 of 2015.  
184 Act No.  8 of 2000 as amended by Act No.  17 of 2001.  
185 Telecommunications (Spectrum Management) Regulations, SRO No.  26 of 2011.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 159 - 
 
  electromagnetic spectrum in Dominica. Operators of a telecommunications network and providers 
of telecommunications service are subject to licensing, whether individual for infrastructure -oriented 
services or class fo r value -added service providers and other services. All licences are granted by 
the Minister in charge of telecommunications and class licences are assessed by the NTRC; their 
relevant forms and related fees are available online.186 Individual licences shou ld not be granted 
unless ECTEL recommends accordingly. In 2016, the Ministry issued regulations specifying networks 
and services subject to each type of licensing as well as an update of their related fees.187 Annual 
fees are fixed to minimum levels that va ry depending on the services; however, annual fees may 
increase according to gross revenues of licensees (3% of gross revenue if that percentage is above 
the minimum fee of XCD  20,000 for individual licences). The NRTC in coordination with the ECTEL 
organi zes public consultations before enacting new regulations.  
4.41.   By June  2021, there were seven active operators in Dominica: Flow Dominica (previously 
LIME) Ltd (fixed -line, mobile, and Internet services); SAT Telecommunications (fixed -line and 
Internet services ); Iristel (Dominica) Inc. (fixed -line only); Digicel (Dominica) Ltd (mobile and 
subscriber television); Marpin 2K4 Ltd (fixed -line and Internet services); Middle Caribbean Network 
(submarine cable only); and Green Dot Dominica Ltd (Internet and subscriber  television).188 As part 
of damages registered after Hurricane Maria, telecommunications infrastructure, in particular fixed 
services, was severely hit. By 2019, the penetration of fixed -line services was only 4%, i.e.  five 
times less than in 2015 (Table  4.1). On the other hand, mobile penetration fluctuated between 105% 
and 112% during the review period, after a peak at 143% in 2013. The 3G network coverage reaches 
95% of the territory and more than 60% of the population has access to the Internet. On avera ge, 
the communications sector accounts for 4.9% of GDP and in 2020 its contribution is expected to 
increase by one  percentage point based on preliminary data (Table  1.1). 
Table  4.1 Selected telecommunications indicators, 2013 -21 
  2013  2015  2017  2019  2021  
Provider revenues (XCD  million)  106 108 100 93 74 
Investment (XCD  million)  13 46 16 123 25 
Employment (number)  213 163 141 169 196 
Penetration rates (in  %)      
 Fixed -line 20 22 18 4 3 
 Mobile  143 112 105 105 93 
 Internet broadband  14.4 21.9 21.4 n.a. 65.0 
n.a. Not applicable.  
Source:  ECTEL, Selected Electronic Communications Sector Indicators 2013 -2017. Viewed at: 
https://www.ectel.int/selected -electronic -communications -indicators -2009-2010; Annual Electronic 
Communication Sector Review 2018 . Viewed at: https://www.ectel.int/wp -
content/uploads/2019/09/Selected -electronic -communications -indicators -2017-2018.pdf ; and 
Annual Electronic Communication Sector Review 2018 . Viewed at: https://www.ectel.int/annual -
electronic -communication -sector -review -2018/ ; and data provided by the authorities.  
4.42.   The Telecommunications (Interconnection) Regulations189 still regulate interconnection 
services and allow for interconnection agreements subject to the approval of the NTRC, after 
consultation with the ECTEL, to be negotiated between providers. A public network operator must 
provide interconnection to interconnecting operators under no less favourable terms and quality than 
similar services  provided for itself or its affiliates. Currently, there are two approved interconnection 
agreements between services providers and the authorities reported that one of them is effectively 
implemented.190 
4.43.   Operators are free to set their tariffs191, but the N TRC may intervene to ensure sufficient or 
fair competition, although its enforcement is limited. Mobile and Internet services prices are driven 
by competition. Tariffs of special services, such as emergency services and operator assistance, are 
regulated b y the NRTC. The Commission also defines criteria and parameters for the quality of 
 
186 NTRC, Fees. Viewed at: https://ntrcdominica.dm/fees/ . 
187 Telecommunications (Licence Classification) Notice 2016, SRO No.  32 of 2016.  
188 NTRC, License & Authorization . Viewed at: https://ntrcdominica.dm/license -authorization/ . 
189 Telecommunications (Interconnection) Regulations 2009, SRO No.  17 of 2009.  
190 Indeed, the authorities note that the NRTC is not fully equipped with all the necessary mechanisms 
for regulatory enforcement.  
191 Telecommunications (Retail Tariff) Re gulations, SRO No.  40 of 2012.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 160 - 
 
  fixed-line, mobile, and Internet services. Providers are required to submit quarterly reports on 
compliance to the NTRC, although this obligation is not fully implemented.192 No regulations on net 
neutrality are applied in the region.193 Consumers can submit their complaints regarding service 
providers using the NRTC forms194 and, in case of non -resolution within 30 days, the NRTC intervenes 
as a resolution instance at the requ est of one of the parties.195 Procedures remain too costly for 
consumers.  
4.44.   Operators required to provide universal service are compensated by a nationally managed 
Universal Service Fund, which is managed by the NRTC, and promotes projects promoting universal  
service, with a special focus on rural, under -served, and maritime areas. Operators contribute 0.25% 
of gross annual revenue for the first year, 0.5% for the second year, and 1% for each year 
thereafter.196 The amounts contributed to the USF by operators a re approximately XCD  800,000 a 
year. 
4.45.   Based on ECTEL Numbering Plan197, the NTRC manages the National Numbering Plan and 
applies fees for application, the initial allocation, and annual renewals as prescribed by regulations 
in force.198 Currently, allocated s hort codes are published by the NRTC online.199 On 3 June 2019, 
ECTEL launched the mobile number portability across all ECTEL member States.200 VoIP numbers 
cannot be ported.  
4.4.3   Transport  
4.4.3.1   Maritime transport  
4.46.   Given the limited air connectivity of the island (see below), maritime transport is a key 
element for Dominica's trade and, for instance, authorities estimate that 90% of its merchandise 
trade was shipped by sea. The Ministry of Tourism, International Tran sport and Maritime Initiatives  
is responsible for the formulation of maritime policies, and the management of relevant 
infrastructure. The International Maritime Act 2000201 established the Commonwealth of Dominica 
Maritime Administration (MARAD), a unit wi thin the Ministry, which oversees ships engaged in 
international trade. MARAD is also responsible for the registration of vessels202, the welfare of the 
crew of vessels flying the flag of Dominica, the implementation of the International Ship and Port 
Facility Security (ISPS) Code, and the provision of other maritime services. The responsibility for 
port administration lies with the Dominica Air and Sea Ports Authority (DASPA), a statutory body 
under the Ministry established in 2006.203 DASPA's mandate includ es providing a coordinated and 
integrated system of airports, seaports, and port services, and managing the assets, liabilities, 
resources, and functions of the ports.  
4.47.   International business companies and foreign maritime corporations whose vessels fly the  
Dominican flag are not subject to taxes on their income or assets. By 2022, there were 110 vessels 
registered in Dominica, of which 64 are domestic.204 The number of registered domestic vessels 
 
192 Quality criteria and parameters are defined by the Telecommunications (Quality of Service) 
Regulations, SRO No.  13 of 2008.  
193 ECTEL, Net Neutrality . Viewed at: https://www.ectel.int/consumers/net -neutrality -2/. 
194 Complaint forms are available on the NRTC website. Viewed at: 
https://ntrcdominica.dm/fileacomplaint/ . 
195 ECTEL, Complaints . Viewed at: https://www.ectel.int/consumers/complaints/ . 
196 Telecommunications (Universal Service Fund Contribution), SRO No.  45 of 2009.  
197 ECTEL, Numbering Plan . Viewed at: https://ectel.int/wp -content/uploads/2015/12/numbering -plan-
2011.pdf . 
198 Annual fees are XCD  410 for a block of 10,000 numbers, and XCD  1,060 for a block of 10 codes. 
Telecommunications (Numbering) Regulations, SRO No.  32 of 2008.  
199 NTRC, Numbering . Viewed at: https://ntrcdominica.dm/numbering/ . 
200 ECTEL, Mobile Number Portability . Viewed at: https://www.ectel.int/mnp/ . 
201 International Maritime Act 2000, Act No.  9 of 2000.  
202 Dominica Maritime Registry registers all domestic vessels and those from CARICOM countries. 
Viewed at: https://dominica -registry.com/vessels/ . 
203 DASPA operates a publ ic authority under the Ministry of Tourism, International Transport and 
Maritime Initiatives. Dominica Air and Sea Ports Authority Act 2006, Act No.  8 of 2006.  
204 In 2019, the fleet flying the Dominican flag was able to transport 1.19  million DWT. The carry ing 
capacity of the national fleet increased during the review period, particularly regarding oil tankers. UNCTAD 
Stat, Maritime Profile: Dominica . Viewed at: https://unctadstat.unctad.org/CountryProfile/MaritimeProfile/en -
GB/212/index.html . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 161 - 
 
  increased during the review period (42 registered in 2013), wh ile the number of foreign vessels has 
decreased (123 in 2013).  
4.48.   Dominica has three ports owned and administered by the DASPA: the Port of Roseau 
(comprising Woodbridge Bay port, a ferry terminal, and a cruise ship berth); the Port of Portsmouth 
(Cabrits Cru ise Ship Berth, the Longhouse jetty); and the Port of Anse de Mai. The Ports of Marigot 
and Colihaut, which are not owned by DASPA, are also ports of entry. Charges for pilotage, running 
lines, and port usage per movement or time, as well as other cargo an d cruise services, are listed 
on DASPA's website.205 The charges have not changed since 2006.  
4.49.   Dominica levies a travel tax of 7.5% on passenger tickets purchased for vessels leaving 
Dominica206, an embarkation tax (also known as the departure tax) on passeng ers leaving Dominica 
of XCD  45 for nationals of Dominica or other CARICOM countries (XCD  59 for travellers of other 
nationalities)207, a passenger facility charge of XCD  27, and a port security charge of XCD  5.208 
Non-national passengers of cruise ships are not subject to taxes.  
4.50.   Since 1979, Dominica has been a member of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 
and is a party to a number of the IMO conventions, although some recent Protocols have not yet 
been ratified.209 The authorities indicate that the main ports and terminals are in compliance with 
the IMO's ISPS Code.  
4.51.   Following the COVID -19 pandemic, the private sector reports transport costs are picking up.  
4.4.3.2   Air transport  
4.52.   In force since 2010, the Civil Aviation Act 2005210 remains the regulatory framewo rk for air 
transport in Dominica and the sector is under the responsibility of the Ministry of Tourism, 
International Transport and Maritime Initiatives. At the regional level, the Eastern Caribbean Civil 
Aviation Authority (ECCAA) oversees civil aviation safety and security, notably through Advisory 
Circulars on general, airworthiness, operational, and personnel licensing issues. In 2020, Dominica 
issued a series of regulations regarding flight safety, security, and aeronautical 
telecommunications.211 
4.53.   Within the Ministry, DASPA is in charge of airport administration and the provision of airport 
services as prescribed by the regulation in force.212 DASPA can contract out some of its activities 
with the approval of the Ministry and, in this regard, ground handl ing is currently provided by private 
local companies. Conditions or requirements applicable for these activities are stipulated in the 
DASPA Act. The construction of a new international airport was scheduled to start in November  2022. 
The project will be e ntirely funded by the CBI programme, and it is expected to be completed 
by 2026. The objective is to increase the attractiveness for tourists from the United  States and 
European countries with direct flights. The total number of passengers handled by both airports 
reduced from approximately 135,000 in 2019 to less than 40,000 per year in 2020 -21 as a 
consequence of travel restrictions related to the COVID -19 pandemic. Air cargo is exclusively 
handled through Douglas -Charles Airport; the tonnage in both dire ctions lessened over the review 
period, and the total tonnage in 2019 was less than 50% of its value in 2014.  
4.54.   The authorities indicate that there is no limitation to foreign ownership or participation in 
domestic airlines. Currently, there is no domestical ly incorporated airline in Dominica, and the 
country is served by regional airliners (Air Antilles, Air Sunshine, InterCaribbean Airways, Silver 
Airways, and LIAT) with scheduled passenger flights to other Caribbean islands from 
 
205 DASPA. Viewed at: https://www.domports.daspa.dm/index.p hp/seaports/port -dues-payable/ . 
206 Inland Revenue Division, Travel Tax . Viewed at: https://ird.gov.dm/tax -laws/travel -tax. 
207 Embarkati on Duty (Amendment) Act 2004, Act No.  5 of 2004.  
208 The passenger facility and port security charges were fixed at their current value by the Dominica Air 
and Sea Ports Authority (Security and Passenger Facility Charges) Regulations 2014, SRO No.  23 of 2014 . 
209 IMO, Status of IMO Treaties . Viewed at: 
https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/About/Conventions/StatusOfConventions/Status%20 -%202021. pdf. 
210 Act No.  21 of 2006 entered in force on 1  July 2010.  
211 These regulations are contained in SRO Nos. 8, 9, 10, and 29 of 2020.  
212 Dominica Air and Sea Ports Authority Act 2006, Act No.  8 of 2006.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 162 - 
 
  Douglas -Charles Airport.213 Regular cargo flights are provided by Wiggins Airways, incorporated in 
the United  States. Five kilometres north from Roseau, the Canefield Airport is a secondary airport 
and it does not have a scheduled service.  
4.55.   Dominica applies similar taxes on air passen gers as on maritime passengers (see above), 
i.e. a travel tax of 7.5%, an embarkation tax varying according to the nationality of passengers214, 
and a port security charge of XCD  5. Taxes are mainly collected by IATA and all taxes are included 
in the air ti ckets. Since July  2018, Dominica has deployed an Advance Passenger Information 
System, which requires air companies to submit extensive information on their passengers in 
advance for control by the competent authorities.215 
4.56.   In April  2019, Dominica became a Member State of the ICAO following the notification of its 
adherence to the Chicago Convention.216 As a signatory to the CARICOM Air Services Agreement, 
Dominica grants Fifth and Seventh Freedom rights to other members of the Agreement. Within the 
GATS, Dominica has no commitments on air transport services.  
4.4.4   Tourism  
4.57.   In June  2013, the Government issued a National Tourism Policy accompanied by a Tourism 
Master Plan for the period 2012 -22.217 Its objective was to clarify the priorities for the tourism se ctor 
to achieve the desired growth, and to raise international awareness on the development of projects 
and programmes by the industry as well as by international partner. The Government aims at 
creating a higher standard of living and well -being for the p eople of Dominica through the 
development of tourism on a sustainable basis and aims for the tourism sector to contribute up to 
23% of GDP by 2022. Limitations related to transport connectivity, hotel infrastructure, and 
international awareness of the dest ination were identified by the Master Plan, and therefore it was 
decided to follow an investment -driven strategy for the sector. Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) 
is a key agency for the implementation of recommended actions by the Tourism Master Plan.  
4.58.   According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the tourism sector contributed 
between  11.6% and 12.4% of Dominica's GDP between 2014 and 2017218, a contribution surpassed 
only by other tourism -oriented islands in the Caribbean and Asia. The arrivals of sta y-over tourists 
to Dominica were close to 75,000 every year (more than its total population) until 2016 and, after 
a low in 2017 -18, the number of arrivals showed a rapid recovery in 2019 almost surpassing the 
90,000 arrivals. In 2020, the sector was sever ely hit by the COVID -19 pandemic; however, the 
slowdown was not as marked as in other OECS members (Table  4.2). The number of establishments 
offering service after Hurricane Maria has significantly reduced, and the number of operating hotels 
in 2019 is onl y half of that in 2016.  
Table  4.2 Visitor arrivals, by main category, 2014 -21 
Category  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  
Stay-over 
touristsa 76,885  70,115  73,754  68,685  62,568  89,264  21,615  .. 
Excursionists  2,195  1,494  1,023  898 1,139  2,467  167 .. 
Cruise visitors  286,573  281,544  277,131  157,040  134,469  229,747  117,979  .. 
Yacht visitors  11,909  12,938  12,708  11,905  7,909  13,388  6,116  .. 
 
213 Located in the northeast of the island, the airport was previously named Melville Hall Airport and 
adopted its current name on 27  October  2014 in honour of former Prime Ministers Douglas and Charles.  
214 IATA, Dominica Customs, Currency & Airport Tax Regulations Details . Viewed at: 
https://www.iatatravelcentre.co m/DM -Dominica -customs -currency -airport -tax-regulations -
details.htm#Airport%20Tax . 
215 Schedule I of the Advance Passenger Information System Act 2018, Act No.  10 of 2018.  
216 ICAO (2019), "Dominica Becomes ICAO 's 193rd Member  State", 15  April. Viewed at: 
https://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/Dominica -becomes -ICAOs -193rd -member -state.aspx . 
217 Both do cuments are available at the following link: http://tourism.gov.dm/news -and-media/tourism -
policies . 
218 World Bank, Travel and Tourism Direct Contribution to GDP . Viewed at: 
https://tcdata360.worldbank.org/indicators/tot.direct.gdp?country=DMA&indicator=24648&viz=line_chart&yea
rs=2013,2021 . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 163 - 
 
  Category  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021  
Total 377,562  366,091  364,616  238,528  206,085  334,866  145,877  .. 
.. Not available.  
a Includes Ross University students who accounted for some 5,000 visits annually until 2018.  
Source:  Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Real Sector Statistics – Selected Tourism Statistics . Viewed at: 
https://www.eccb -centralbank.org/statistics/tourisms/comparative -report . 
4.59.   In line with the objective of enhancing the hotel infrastructure, the Government enlarged its 
Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme in 2014219 by making it possible for investors w ithin the 
Programme to participate in Cabinet -approved real estate projects that mainly focus on the 
development of hotels and resorts. The CBI Unit keeps an updated list of approved real estate 
projects.220 The construction of the new airport is also expec ted to improve of air connectivity for 
the tourism sector.  
4.60.   As per GATS -specific commitments on hotel development, foreign investors can participate in 
the development of hotels with more than 50 rooms. The development of smaller facilities (capacity 
of few er rooms) is subject to an economic needs test. All foreign -owned hotels are subject to 
withholding tax. The Hotels Aid Act, as amended221, provides for investors constructing hotels (of 
not less than five bedrooms) to be granted exemptions of import duties  on building materials and 
articles of hotel equipment, including those purchased within the country. A VAT exemption on 
imported capital goods before the commencement of the hotel's operations may also be granted.222 
The Fiscal Incentives Act, as amended, foresees income tax exemptions, up to 20  years, on the 
construction and extension of hotels.  
4.61.   In 2016, the amendment to the Tourism (Regulations and Standards) Act 2005223, which 
provides for quality assurance through standards and licensing requirements for  the tourist industry, 
aimed at increasing the enforcement of standards by tourism services providers and established a 
fee schedule and durations for licences depending on the type of tourism services provided.  
4.62.   In addition to tourism -related taxes describ ed before (embarkation tax, cruise passenger head 
tax, and travel tax on tickets for travel by air and sea), the sector also contributes to tax revenue 
through VAT at a reduced rate of 10% (instead of 15%) on accommodation services, such as hotels, 
guest h ouses, and similar establishments, as well as for diving activities. Accommodation businesses 
with an annual turnover above XCD  62,500 are required to register for VAT with the IRD. Table  4.3 
provides details on the amounts collected on tourism activities between FY 2013 -21. 
Table  4.3 Revenue collected on tourism activities, FY2013/14 -FY2020/21  
(XCD '000)  
 2013/14  2014/15  2015/16  2016/17  2017/18  2018/19  2019/20  2020/21  
Embarkation tax  0 720.0  2,001.6  2,758.4  531.6  1,243.5  3,622.3  43.2 
Cruise 
environmental 
tax 3,145.3  2,808.1  3,253.7  4,268.3  406.8  3,619.6  2,394.9  678.4  
Travel tax  1,415.2  1,802.3  1,493.8  1,447.2  2,310.6  4,662.0  3,343.9  456.3  
Hotel Occupancy 
Tax (HOT)  0 0 0.3 0.2 0.4 0 0 0 
Exit certificate  10.3 9.1 13.1  7.3 5.8 4.5 2.7 0.3 
Total 4,570.7  5,339.5  6,762.6  8,479.6  3,255.1  9,529.5  9,363.8  1,178.2  
Note:  The Hotel Occupancy Tax was discontinued, and revenue collected above only concerns arrears.  
Source:  Information provided by the authorities.  
 
219 Properties must be valued at a minimum of USD  200,000. Commonwealth of Dominica Citizenship by 
Investment Regulations 2014, SRO No.  37 of 2014.  
220 By July  2021, nine projects were listed on CBI Unit's website. CBIU, Approved Real Estate Projects . 
Viewed at: https://www.cbiu.gov.dm/investment -options/approved -real-estate -projects/ . 
221 Hotels Aid Act Chapter 85:04, as amended by Act No.  21 of 1991.  
222 Eligible goods are described in the Schedule of the Hotels Aid Act.  
223 Tourism (Regulation and Standards) Act 2005, Act No.  19 of 2005 as amende d by Tourism 
(Regulation and Standards) (Amendment) Act 2008, Act No.  11 of 2008, and more recently by Tourism 
(Regulation and Standards) (Amendment) Act 2016, Act No.  13 of 2016.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 164 - 
 
  4.63.   The AID Bank provides loans at preferential rates with similar conditions to those described 
for the manufacturing sector to services operators in accommodation services, restaurant and bars, 
heritage sites and attractions, vehicle rental ente rprises, local crafts, and other tourism -related 
services.224 
4.64.   During the review period, Dominica issued the Aliens (Visa Exemption) Regulations 2015, as 
amended225, which grants visa -free entry to tourists from several countries across Europe; North, 
Central , and South America; and Asia. It also allows the entry of persons holding a Schengen, 
American, British, or Canadian visa regardless of their nationality.  
4.65.   In response to the emergence of COVID -19 pandemic and associated lockdowns, the 
Government sought to  mitigate the reduction of tourists' entries through different initiatives, 
promoting the island as a safe and convenient destination. In March  2021, it launched the Work In 
Nature (WIN) Extended Stay Visa, targeted people working remotely and their famili es, which 
enables applicants to relocate and stay in the country for up to 18 months.226 In February  2021, 
Dominica received a Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel and Tourism Council and is using 
this recognition to reassure travellers regarding Domini ca's health and safety protocols to combat 
and control the spread of the COVID -19 pandemic.227 
4.66.   In 2019, an exemption of the excise tax on motor vehicles was applied for operational vehicles 
used in tourism taxi and tour operation services.228 
 
224 Dominica Agricultural Industrial & Development Bank, Tourism Loan . Viewed at: 
http://www.aidbank.com/?q=loans/tourism . 
225 Aliens (Visa Exemption) Regulations 2015, SRO No.  7 of 2015 was amended in four occasions, 
mainly to extend the visa ex emption to further destinations.  
226 Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Visa Details . Viewed at: 
https://windominica.gov.dm/details/eligibility . 
227 Disco ver Dominica Authority (2021), "Dominica Receives Safe Travels Stamp from the World Travel 
and Tourism Council", 9  February. Viewed at: https://cdn.discoverdominica.com/production/20210210081712 -
press -release -dominica -receives -wttc-safe-travels -stamp.pdf . 
228 Excise Tax (Amendment) (No.  2) Order 2020, SRO No.  42 of 2020.  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 165 - 
 
  5  APPENDIX TABLES  
Table  A1.1 Merchandise visible exports and imports by SITC section, 2014 -21 
(USD million and %)  
Description  2014  2015  2016  2017  2018  2019  2020  2021   
(USD  million)  
Total exports  34.0 24.3 17.7 11.7 10.2 18.6 14.2 17.2 
Domestic exports  29.5 21.8 15.5 9.3 6.1 13.8 9.8 13.7 
Re-exports  4.5 2.6 2.2 2.4 4.1 4.7 4.4 3.5  
(% of total exports)  
0. Food and live animals  27.4 35.9 58.3 52.5 35.0 53.7 46.5 49.6 
1. Beverages and tobacco  4.4 3.3 4.7 6.0 3.7 12.3 12.6 7.8 
2. Crude materials, inedible, except fuels  13.5 17.1 12.2 8.3 6.7 7.6 9.2 18.9 
3. Mineral fuels and related materials  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
4. Animal and vegetable oils, fats and 
waxes  0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 
5. Chemicals and related products  42.2 35.5 15.2 16.1 19.1 3.3 3.6 5.5 
6. Manufactured goods  1.1 1.0 0.5 0.7 4.8 1.0 0.6 0.6 
7. Machinery and transport equipment  8.2 5.0 5.7 9.2 22.2 4.5 3.5 3.5 
8. Miscellaneous manufactured articles  3.1 1.8 3.2 6.7 8.4 17.5 23.8 14.1 
9. Commodities and transactions not 
classified elsewhere in SITC  0.0 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
          
(USD  million)  
Total imports  239.8  222.0  213.9  197.9  302.3  319.3  213.2  231.0   
(% of total imports)  
0. Food and live animals  19.7 20.3 19.9 16.7 12.3 15.1 19.1 17.2 
1. Beverages and tobacco  3.6 4.0 4.3 4.0 4.5 4.1 3.8 3.4 
2. Crude materials, inedible, except fuels  1.9 1.7 1.8 2.1 3.5 2.2 0.7 0.5 
3. Mineral fuels and related materials  19.9 15.3 12.7 14.6 11.2 9.3 15.3 19.7 
4. Animal and vegetable oils, fats and 
waxes  0.6 1.6 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.4 1.0 1.0 
5. Chemicals and related products  6.6 9.2 8.4 8.1 7.2 8.2 10.4 10.3 
6. Manufactured goods  13.3 13.9 15.7 17.3 21.0 22.3 18.4 17.3 
7. Machinery and transport equipment  21.4 22.3 23.7 25.9 27.7 25.1 19.9 19.5 
8. Miscellaneous manufactured articles  13.0 11.7 12.9 10.8 11.9 13.2 11.6 11.1 
9. Commodities and transactions not 
classified elsewhere in SITC  0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
Source:  Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), Real Sector Statistics – Selected Visible Trade Statistics . 
Viewed at: https://www.eccb -centralbank.org/statistics/trades/country -report . WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 166 - 
 
  Table A2. 1 Notifications to the WTO, 2014 -22 (September)   
WTO  Agreement  Description of the requirement  Periodicity  Latest notification/  
date 
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade  
Article  24.7(a)  Free Trade Areas (CARIFORUM -UK EPA)  Ad hoc  S/C/N/1025/Add.1  
WT/REG420/N/1/Add.1, 
05/05/2021  
 
S/C/N/1025  
WT/REG420/N/1, 07/01/2021  
Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures  
Articles 25.1 and 
27.4 Notification and extension of the Fiscal 
Incentives Programme  Annual  G/SCM /N/299/DMA  
G/SCM/N/315/DMA, 24/04/2018  
Articles 25.1 and 
27.4 Notification and extension of the Fiscal 
Incentives Programme  Annual  G/SCM/N/284/DMA  
G/SCM/N/290/DMA, 15/10/2015  
Articles 25.1 and 
27.4 Extension of the Fiscal Incentives Programme  Annual  G/SCM/N/275/DMA, 07/07/2014  
Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade  
Article  10.6 Specifications for the establishment of 
phytosanitary import requirements on seeds, 
fruit, and spores (HS 1209)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/28, 15/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specifications for the determination of host 
status of fruit to fruit flies (Tephritidae)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/27, 15/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specifications for the export, shipment, 
import, and release of biological control 
agents and other benef icial organisms  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/26, 15/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specifications for production, maintenance, 
and phytosanitary certification of pest free 
potato (HS 0701.90) intended for 
international trade  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/25, 15/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specifications for the development, 
implementation, and verification of a system 
approach for pest risk management of fruit 
flies (Tephritidae)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/24, 15/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specifications for planting material for bulbs, 
tubers, and tuberous roots (HS 0601.20)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/23, 15/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specifications for categorize edible 
vegetables and certain roots and tubers 
(HS 07), and edible fruit and nuts (HS 08) 
according to their pest risk  Ad hoc  G/TBT /N/DMA/22, 15/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specifications of import and export 
requirements on seeds, fruit, and spores  
(HS 1209)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/21, 15/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specifications of sampling methodologies 
applied to edible vegetables and certain roots 
and tubers (HS 07), and edible fruit and nuts 
(HS 08)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/20, 14/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specification for used vehicles, machinery, 
and equipment applied  to tractors (HS 
8701); and tanks and other armoured 
fighting vehicles, motorised (HS 8710)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/19, 14/06/2021  
Article  10.6 Specification for tyres primarily intended for 
trucks and buses (ICS 83.160.10)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/18, 08/09/2020  
Article 10.6 Specification for tyres primarily intended for 
passenger cars (ICS 83.160.10)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/17, 08/09/2020  
Article  10.6 Specification for biodegradable products used 
as single use bags or in food service 
(ICS 13.030.99 and ICS 55.020)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/16, 08/09/2020  
Article  10.6 Specification for tyres intended for trucks and 
buses (ICS 83.160.10)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/15, 07/03/2017  
Article  10.6 Specification for hollow concrete blocks  
(ICS 91.100.15)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/14, 0 7/03/2017  
Article  10.6 Specification for tyres intended for passenger 
cars (ICS 83.160.10)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/13, 30/07/2015  
Article  10.6 Specification for concrete aggregates 
(ICS 91.100.15)  Ad hoc  G/TBT/N/DMA/12, 30/07/2015  WT/TPR/S/437 /Rev.1  • Dominica  
 
- 167 - 
 
  WTO  Agreement  Description of the requirement  Periodicity  Latest notification/  
date 
General Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS)  
Articles 3.4 and 
4.2 Contacts and enquiry points notified  Annual  S/ENQ/78/Rev.18, 01/02/2019  
Article  5.7(a)  Regional Trade Agreement (CARIFORUM -UK 
EPA) Ad hoc  S/C/N/1025/Add.1  
WT/REG420/N/1/Add.1, 
05/05/2021  
S/C/N/1025  
WT/REG420/N/1, 07/01/2021  
Agreement on Trade Facilitation  
Articles 1, 10, and 
12 Notifications on publication and availability of 
information, formalities and use of customs 
brokers, and contact points for exchange of 
information  Ad hoc  G/TFA /N/DMA/2, 16/11/2020  
Article  15 Notification of Category A commitments  Ad hoc  WT/PCTF/N/DMA/1, 29/04/2015  
Articles 15 and 16  Notification of commitments for all 
Categories and indicative dates for 
Categories B and C commitments  Ad hoc  G/TFA /N/DMA/1, 27/02/2019  
Article  16 Notifications of definitive dates for Category 
C commitments  Ad hoc  G/TFA/N/DMA/1/Add.1, 
23/08/2019  
Transparency Mechanism for Regional Trade Agreements  
 Notification of changes affecting the 
implementation of a Regional Trade 
Agreement (Colombia and CARICOM)  Ad hoc  WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1/Add.148/
Suppl.1, 14  February  2022 
 Notification of changes affecting the 
implementation of a Regional Trade 
Agreement (CARICOM and Colombia)  Ad hoc  WT/COMTD /RTA15/N/1/Add.148,  
20 March  2020 
 Notification of changes affecting the 
implementation of a Regional Trade 
Agreement (Cuba and CARICOM)  Ad hoc  WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1/Add.156,  
20 March  2020 
 Notification of changes affecting the 
implementation of a Regional Trade 
Agreement (CARICOM and the Bolivarian 
Republic of Venezuela)  Ad hoc  WT/COMTD/RTA15/N/1/Add.141,  
20 March  2020 
Source:  Compiled by the WTO Secretariat, based on information from WTO notifications.