G/L/1269  
 
25 October 2018  
(18-6718) Page: 1/6 
   
 
REPORT (201 8) OF THE COMMITTEE O N IMPORT LICENSING  
TO THE COUNCIL FOR T RADE IN GOODS  
 
1.  The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (hereinafter "the Agreement") which entered 
into force on 1 January 1995, establishes disciplines on users of import licensing systems with the 
principal objective of ensuring that the procedures applied for gra nting import licences do not in 
themselves restrict trade. It aims to simplify, clarify and minimize the administrative requirements 
necessary to obtain import licences.  
 
2.  The Committee on Import Licensing was established to afford Members the opportuni ty of 
consulting on any matter relating to the operation of the Agreement or the furtherance of its 
objectives. The Committee's Rules of Procedure, which were approved by the Council for Trade in 
Goods, are contained in document G/L/147.  
 
3.  All Members o f the WTO are ipso facto  members of the Committee. Observer governments in the 
General Council of the WTO have Observer status in the Committee. The International Monetary 
Fund, the World Bank and UNCTAD have regular Observer status in the Committee.  
 
4.  The focus of this report is on the period since the Committee's last annual report (G/L/1187), 
namely  4 October 201 7 - 22 October 201 8 (hereinafter "the review period"). In 201 8, the Committee 
held two formal meetings on 20 April and 22 October  (G/LIC/M/ 47 and G/LIC/M/4 8). On 20 April, 
the Committee elected by acclamation, Ms. Lorena  Rivera ORJUELA (Colombia ) as Chairperson for 
the Committee  of 2018 . Mr. Kazunori FUKUDA of Japan  was elected Vice -Chairperson of the 
Committee. Pursuant to  the Committee's Rule s of Procedure, the  officers  shall hold office until the 
end of the first meeting of the following year .  
 
5.  Pursuant to Articles  1.4(a) and/or 8.2(b) of the Agreement and procedures agreed by the 
Committee, all Members are required, to notify the ir laws, regulations and administrative procedures 
relevant to import licensing  and to submit copies of any relevant publications or laws and regulations 
upon becoming a WTO Member . Any subsequent changes to these laws, regulations and 
administrative procedures a re also required to be published and notified. During the review period, 
the Committee reviewed  16 notifications  (Annex I) from the following 10 Members: Botswana ; 
Ecuador; the European Union;  India; Israel; Liechtenstein; Macao, China; Paraguay; Switzerland;  
and Ukraine . These notifications can be found in the document series G/LIC/N/1/ -. Copies of 
publications and legislation submitted with these notifications a re available for consultation via  the 
Secretariat.  
 
6.  The Committee also reviewed , pursuant to paragraphs 5.1 -5.4 of Article  5, 20 notifications  
(Annex II) relating to the institution of new import licensing procedures or changes in these 
procedures from 10 Members:  Argentina ; Canada; the European Union; Indonesia; Israel; Japan; 
Paraguay ; the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;  Chinese Taipei;  and Ukraine .1 These 
notifications can be found in documents series G/LIC/N/2/ -. Article  5.5 of the Agreement allows 
Members to submit reverse notifications, where a Member considers that another Member has not 
notified the institution of a licensing procedure or changes in the procedures. However, n o such 
reverse notifications have been received  under this provision since the entry into force of this 
Agreement . 
                                                
1 After issuance of the airgram on 10 October 2018, new notifications have been received from Angola,  
which will be reviewed at the Committee 's next  meeting.    G/L/1269  
 
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  7.  Article  7.3 of the Agreement req uires all Members to provide replies to the Questionnaire on 
Import Licensing Procedures2 by 30  September each year. During the review p eriod, the Committee 
reviewed  41 notifications (Annex III) from the following 33 Members: Argentina; Australia;  Burundi ; 
Canada ; China ; Cuba; El Salvador; the European  Union;  Georgia; Hong Kong, China; India; Israel; 
Japan; Kazakhstan ; Macao, China; Malaysia; Mali; Mauritius; Montenegro; New Zealand; Nicaragua; 
Norway; Paraguay; Peru; Qatar; the Russian Federation; Singapo re; Switzerland; the former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;  Chinese Taipei ; Ukraine; United States and Uruguay .3 These 
notifications can be found in document series G/LIC/N/3/ -. 
 
8. During the review period, Botswana submitted a notification to this Committee  for the first time . 
The Chair urged Members who had not yet notified and those who had not updated their notifications  
to do so as soon as possible.  
 
9.  The Committee has provided a regular forum for exchanging views on spe cific trade issues raised 
by Members. Written comments and questions concerning notifications submitted to the Committee 
and/or on import licensing procedures maintained by Members, and replies thereto, may  be found 
in the document series G/LIC/Q/ -. During  the review period: the European Union posed written 
questions to  Argentina (G/LIC/Q/ ARG/16); Brazil (G/LIC/Q/BRA/22 ); China (G/LIC/Q/ CHN/27 ); 
Egypt  (G/LIC/Q/ EGY/1); the Russian Federation (G/LIC/Q/ RUS/4) and Thailand (G/LIC/Q/THA/4 ).3 
The following Members provided written responses to comments and questions: Viet Nam to the 
United States (G/LIC/Q/VNM /7); Argentina to the European Union (G/LIC/Q/ARG/17 and 
G/LIC/Q/ARG/17/Add.1); and Brazil to the European Union (G/LIC/Q/BRA/23).  At the  Committee 
meetings, Members concerned exchanged views on the issues raised.  
10. In addition , the following Members requested to include in the agenda and commented on 
specific issues regarding other Members' import licensing regimes/measures.  At Committee  
meeting(s) during the review period, the United States made statements on Indonesia's import 
licensing regime for cellphones, handheld computers and tablets; on Indonesia's import 
requirements related to milk supply and circulation; on India's import lice nsing requirements for 
boric acid ; on Viet Nam's import licensing for cyber security products  and on China's import licensing 
on certain recoverable materials . Australia made  a statement on India's import requirements for 
beans of the species vigna mungo h epper or vigna radiata wilczek and pigeon peas (Cajanus Cajan). 
Australia, Canada and the European Union  made statements on India's import requirements on 
certain pulses. Members whose licensing measures had been questioned responded at the meeting s.  
11. Pursuant to Article 7.1 of the Agreement, the Committee undertook its twelfth biennial review 
of the implementation and operation of the Agreement at the meeting held on 22 October, based on 
the draft report prepared by the Secretariat ( G/LIC/W/49 ). The fi nal report was circulated in 
document G/LIC/ 27.  
12.  At the informal meeting held on 9 July, the Secretariat introduced the new WTO import licensing 
website/database  (https://importlicensing.wto.org) . The new website/database was developed by 
the WTO's Market Access Division , with technical support from the Information Technology and 
Support Division . The objective was to  improve transparency, to consolidate all information on 
import licensing and to provide a more user -friendly platform for Members to o btain specific 
information otherwise scattered across  numerous notifications.  The information presented on the 
website was based on notifications submitted by Members under various provisions of the 
Agreement. The new " Member profile"  gateway  on the websi te provided direct access to import 
licensing -related laws, regulations  and products subject to licensing , as well as administrative 
procedural details for each category of product s for each Member (subject to the availability of 
notifications) , which  could significantly enhanced transparency  of import licensing measures .  
13. With a view to address ing developing Members'  capacity constraints in fulfilling their notification 
obligations under the Agreement , in particular those of Least -Develop ed Countrie s', the second 
Workshop on Import Licensing was held from 17 to 20 April 2018 in Geneva. Thirty  participants 
representing thirty  WTO developing Members  (including LDCs)  participated in this workshop.  In 
addition, d uring 2018 , upon the request of individual Member s, national  workshops on import 
licensing were held , jointly by the Secretariat and the host government s, in Paraguay (22 -24 May)  
                                                
2 Annexed to document G/LIC/3.  
3 After issuance of airgram  on 10 October 2018, new notifications have been received from Kazakhstan 
and Nicaragua , which will be reviewed at the next Committee meeting.  G/L/1269  
 
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  and Egypt (25 -27 September) . These technical assistance activities  not only improved the overall 
understanding of the Ag reement, but also effectively enhanced the capacities  of government  officials  
of relevant administrative bodies in these countries to prepare their import licensing notifications. 
As requested by Members,  the Secreta riat presented an overview of the Agreem ent, at an informal 
Committee meeting held on 9 July 2018, in order  to familiarize Geneva -based delegates with the 
Agreement , and its notification obligations in particular . 
 
_______________  
 
  
 
  G/L/1269  
 
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  ANNEX I: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED DURING THE REVIEW PE RIOD PURSUANT  
TO ARTICLES  1.4(A) A ND/OR 8.2(B) OF THE AGREEMENT  
FROM 4 OCTOBER 201 7 TO 10 OCTOBER  2018 
 
MEMBER  DOCUMENT  DATE OF ISSUANCE OF THE 
DOCUMENT  
BOTSWANA  G/LIC/N/1/BWA/1  26.02.2018  
ECUADOR  G/LIC/N/1/ECU/7  18.09.2018  
EUROPEAN UNION  G/LIC/N/1/EU/12  21.06.2018  
INDIA  G/LIC/N/1/IND/14  
G/LIC/N/1/IND/14/ADD.1  15.05.2018  
20.06.2018  
ISRAEL  G/LIC/N/1/ISR/4  17.09.2018  
LIECHTENSTEIN  G/LIC/N/1/LIE/4  
G/LIC/N/1/LIE/5  
G/LIC/N/1/LIE/6  09.01.2018  
09.01.2018  
22.02.2018  
MACAO, CHINA  G/LIC/N/1/MAC/7  
G/LIC/N/1/MAC/8  30.10.2017  
21.08.2018  
PARAGUAY  G/LIC/N/1/PRY/8  02.03.2018  
SWITZERLAND  G/LIC/N/1/CHE/5  
G/LIC/N/1/CHE/6  
G/LIC/N/1/CHE/6/REV.1  04.12.2017  
19.01.2018  
02.02.2018  
UKRAINE  G/LIC/N/1/UKR/7  22.02.2018  
 
  G/L/1269  
 
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  ANNEX II: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED DURING THE REVIEW PE RIOD  
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 5.1-5.4 OF THE AGREEMENT  
 FROM 4 OCTOBER 201 7 TO 10  OCTOBER  2018 
 
MEMBER  DOCUMENT  DATE OF ISSUANCE OF 
THE DOCUMENT  
ARGENTINA  G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/ADD.1  
G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/ADD.2  
G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/ADD.3  
G/LIC/N/2/ARG/28/ADD.4  08.12.2017  
22.01.2018  
14.08.2018  
19.09.2018  
CANADA  G/LIC/N/2/CAN/1  14.09.2018  
EUROPEAN UNION  G/LIC/N/2/EU/12  21.06.2018  
INDONESIA  G/LIC/N/2/IDN/37  
G/LIC/N/2/IDN/38  
G/LIC/N/2/IDN/39  
G/LIC/N/2/IDN/40  
G/LIC/N/2/IDN/41  
G/LIC/N/2/IDN/42  04.05.2018  
04.05.2018  
15.08.2018  
15.08.2018  
15.08.2018  
15.08.2018  
ISRAEL  G/LIC/N/2/ISR/4  17.09.2018  
JAPAN  G/LIC/N/2/JPN/4  17.04.2018  
PARAGUAY  G/LIC/N/2/PRY/8  05.03.2018  
THE FORMER YUGOSLAV 
REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA  G/LIC/N/2/MKD/2  14.12.2017  
THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS 
TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, 
PENGHU, KINMEN AND 
MATSU  G/LIC/N/2/TPKM/5  
G/LIC/N/2/TPKM/6  
G/LIC/N/2/TPKM/7  24.09.2018  
24.09.2018  
24.09.2018  
UKRAINE  G/LIC/N/2/UKR/7  07.02.2018  G/L/1269  
 
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  ANNEX III: NOTIFICAT IONS REVIEWED DURING THE REVIEW PE RIOD  
PURSUANT TO ARTIC LE 7.3 OF THE AGREEME NT  
FROM 4  OCTOBER 201 7 TO 10 OCTOBER  2018 
MEMBER  DOCUMENT  
(YEAR NOTIFIED FOR)  DATE OF 
ISSUANCE OF 
THE DOCUMENT  
ARGENTINA  G/LIC/N/3/ ARG/14  2018 02.10.2018  
AUSTRALIA  G/LIC/N/3/AUS/10  2017 18.09.2018  
BURUNDI  G/LIC/N/3/BDI/4  2018 04.05.2018  
CANADA  G/LIC/N/3/CAN/16  
G/LIC/N/3/CAN/17  2016 
2017 29.11.2017  
01.10.2018  
CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/CHN/15  2016 12.01.2018  
CUBA  G/LIC/N/3/CUB/9  2018 20.09.2018  
EL SALVADOR  G/LIC/N/3/SLV/2  2017 02.10.2018  
EUROPEAN UNION  G/LIC/N/3/EU/6  
G/LIC/N/3/EU/7  2017 
2018 03.10.2017  
03.10.2018  
GEORGIA  G/LIC/N/3/GEO/7  2017 31.10.2017  
HONG KONG, CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/ HKG/22  2018 04.10.2018  
INDIA  G/LIC/N/3/IND/17  2017 12.04.2018  
ISRAEL  G/LIC/N/3/ISR/4  2018 17.09.2018  
JAPAN  G/LIC/N/3/JPN/17  2018 09.10.2018  
KAZAK HSTAN  G/LIC/N/3/KAZ/2  2017 20.10.2017  
MACAO, CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/MAC/20  
G/LIC/N/3/MAC/21  
G/LIC/N/3/MAC/21/REV.1  2017 
2018 
2018 27.10.2017  
21.08.2018  
23.08.2018  
MALAYSIA  G/LIC/N/3/MYS/13  2017 19.03.2018  
MALI G/LIC/N/3/MLI/9/ADD.1  2000-2011  22.05.2018  
MAURITIUS  G/LIC/N/3/MUS/8  2018 10.10.2018  
MONTENEGRO  G/LIC/N/3/MNE/2  2018 20.06.2018  
NEW ZEALAND  G/LIC/N/3/NZL/5  2018 05.06.2018  
NICARAGUA  G/LIC/N/3/NIC/9  2017 26.10.2017  
NORWAY  G/LIC/N/3/NOR/9  2017 02.02.2018  
PARAGUAY  G/LIC/N/3/PRY/5  2017 05.03.2018  
PERU  G/LIC/N/3/PER/12  
G/LIC/N/3/PER/13  2016 
2017 14.08.2018  
15.08.2018  
QATAR  G/LIC/N/3/QAT/13  2017 01.02.2018  
RUSSIAN FEDERATION  G/LIC/N/3/RUS/4  2017 14.08.2018  
SINGAPORE  G/LIC/N/3/SGP/13  2017 11.12.2017  
SWITZERLAND  G/LIC/N/3/ CHE/14 2018 03.10.2018  
THE FORMER 
YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC 
OF MACEDONIA  G/LIC/N/3/MKD/6  
G/LIC/N/3/MKD/7  2017 
2017 14.12.2017  
06.03.2018  
THE SEPARATE CUSTOMS 
TERRITORY OF TAIWAN, 
PENGHU, KINMEN AND 
MATSU  G/LIC/N/3/TPKM/9  2018 21.09.2018  
UKRAINE  G/LIC/N/3/UKR/11  2018 09.10.2018  
UNITED STATES  G/LIC/N/3/USA/14  
G/LIC/N/3/USA/15  2017 
2018 22.01.2018  
05.10.2018  
URUGUAY  G/LIC/N/3/URY/10  
G/LIC/N/3/URY/11  2016 
2017 14.08.2018  
15.08.2018  
_________