RESTRICTED  
  
WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
23 September 2015  
(15-4909)  Page: 1/9  
Working Party on the Accession of Liberia  Original: English  
 
 
ACCESSION OF LIBERIA 
LEGISLATIVE ACTION PLAN 
Revision 
 
The following submission, dated 23 September 2015, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of the Republic of Liberia.  
  
_______________ 
  
  WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
- 2 - PART I – PENDING BILL S/DRAFT REGULATIONS 
Subject Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority  Expected date of 
adoption/enactment Status Expected date of 
implementation Translation/Copy 
submitted to 
Working Party 
Economic Policies 
Monetary and fiscal policy Competition Law Ministry of Commerce 
and Industry Legislative seating 
of 2015 Draft completed 
awaiting submission for enactment into law October 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/10 
 
Policies Affecting Trade in Goods  
Horizontal Foreign Trade Law Ministry of Commerce 
and Industry Legislative seating 
of 2015 Draft completed 
awaiting submission for 
enactment into law October 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/10  
 
Horizontal Customs Co de Liberia Revenue 
Authority (LRA) Legislative seating 
of 2015 At the Legislature for 
enactment December 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/10 
WT/ACC/LBR/17 
Trading Rights Regulation on Fees for 
Business Registration Ministry of Finance 
and Development Planning, and Ministry 
of Commerce 
and Industry  September 2015 Draft completed December 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/17 
Pre-shipment 
(Revision) Pre-shipment inspection and 
institution capacity building services agreement  Liberia Revenue 
Authority (LRA) September 2015  The current agreement 
between the pre-shipment inspection company and Government of Liberia expired in July 2015 1 October 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/22 
Trade-related 
investment measures Special Economic Zones Act Ministry of 
Commerce/National Investment Commission  Legislative seating 
of 2016 Draft completed  August  2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Trade-related 
Intellectual Property Regime An Act to Repeal An Act 
Adopting a New Copyright Law of the Republic of Liberia Approved 23 July 1997; and the Industrial Property Act of Liberia Approved 20 March 2003 constituting Title 24 of the Liberian Code of Law Revised, and to enact in their stead a new Title 24 
to be known as the Liberia 
Intellectual Property Act, 2014.  Ministry of Commerce 
and Industry Legislative seating 
of 2015 At the National 
Legislature for enactment October 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/15  
  WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
- 3 - Subject Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority  Expected date of 
adoption/enactment Status Expected date of 
implementation Translation/Copy 
submitted to 
Working Party 
State ownership, privatization and state-trading entities An Act to Establish Liberia 
Agriculture Commodity Regulatory Authority (LACRA) LACRA Legislative seating 
of 2018 Stakeholders’ 
consultation underway for the development of the law December 2018 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Ordinary Customs 
Duties, internal 
taxation Law on 3-year migration 
programme to the CET 
(including bringing the excise tax rates into WTO conformity on HS Code 2106.90.00-miscellaneous edible preparation; HS Section 2202-non-alcoholic beverages; and HS Code 2209.00.10-vinegar containing alcohol) Liberia Revenue 
Authority  December 2015 Awaiting adoption by 
the National Legislature 
 1 January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/20 
WT/ACC/LBR/21 
Internal taxation  Law on Value added tax 
(VAT) Ministry of Finance 
and Development Planning/ Liberia Revenue Authority Legislative seating 
of 2017 Stakeholders’ 
consultation underway for the development of the law December 2017  WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Draft amendments 
regarding the Excise tax on Mineral and aerated water (HS Section 2201) Ministry of Finance 
and Development Planning / Liberia Revenue Authority Legislative seating 
of 2017 Amendment being 
drafted 1 August 2017  
Trade Remedies Regulation on the Adoption 
of ECOWAS Regulation Relating to Safeguards Measures Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015  Awaiting adoption by 
the National Legislature, following the ratification of the ECOWAS CET  January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/21  
Regulation on the Adoption 
of ECOWAS Regulation relating to Imposition of Countervailing Duties Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015  Awaiting adoption by 
the National Legislature, following the ratification of the ECOWAS CET January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/21  
Regulation on the Adoption 
of ECOWAS Regulation 
relating to Defence 
Measures to be Imposed on Imports which are Dumped from Non-Member States Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015  Awaiting adoption by 
the National 
Legislature, following 
the ratification of the ECOWAS CET January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/21   
  WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
- 4 - Subject Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority  Expected date of 
adoption/enactment Status Expected date of 
implementation Translation/Copy 
submitted to 
Working Party 
 Regulation on the Adoption 
of ECOWAS Regulation relating to  Supplementary Protection Measures which establishes import adjustment tax and supplementary protection tax applicable to goods originating from third countries Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015 Awaiting adoption by 
the National Legislature, following the ratification of the ECOWAS CET January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/21 
TBT/SPS Law on Technical Barriers to 
Trade (including enquiry points, establishment of national treatment and MFN in the application of measures, publication of laws, regulations)
  Ministry of Commerce 
and Industry October 2015 Awaiting adoption by 
the National Legislature  October 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Law on Sanitary and 
Phytosanitary Measures (including enquiry points, 
establishment of national 
treatment and MFN in the application of measures, publication of laws, regulations) Ministry of Agriculture October 2015 Awaiting adoption by 
the National Legislature October 2015  WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Veterinary and Animal 
Disease Law Ministry of Agriculture Legislative seating 
of 2017 Draft undergoing 
stakeholders review August 2017 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Liberia National Livestock 
Policy  Ministry of Agriculture  November 2015 Draft completed, 
validated awaiting 
Cabinet approval January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Standard Body Regulation Ministry of Commerce 
and Industry November 2015  Draft undergoing 
stakeholders review December 2015  WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Policies Affecting Trade in Services  
Telecommunication 
services Supplementary Act to the 
Telecommunications Act of 2007  Liberia 
Telecommunication Authority Legislative seating 
of 2016 Drafted, pending 
Executive Mansion submission to the Legislature for enactment 1 July 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Professional services Liberia Institute of Tax 
Practitioners Act Liberia Institute of Tax 
Practitioners Legislative seating 
of 2016 At the National 
Legislature, pending enactment  1 July 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
  
  WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
- 5 - PART II – COMPLETED LEGISLATION/REGULATIONS 
Subject Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority Date of 
adoption/enactment Status Date of 
implementation Translation/Copy 
submitted to 
Working Party 
Monetary and fiscal policy Financial Institution Act Central Bank 
of Liberia 18 March 1999 In force 30 April 1999 WT/ACC/LBR/5 
 
Act Creating the Central Bank of Liberia Central Bank 
of Liberia 18 March 1999 In force 20 October 1999 WT/ACC/LBR/5 
 
Revenue Code of 2000, as Amended in 2011 Ministry of 
Finance and Development Planning 15 December 2000 In force 
(except the amended/ repealed portions which are now captured in the Consolidated Tax 
Amendment, 
right below) August 2002 WT/ACC/LBR/5 
Consolidated Tax Amendment of the 
Revenue Code of 2000 Ministry of 
Finance and Development Planning 14 September 2009 In force November 2011 WT/ACC/LBR/5 
 
Regulation No. CBL/RSD/004/2013 Concerning AML/CFT Regulations for 
Financial Institutions in Liberia Central Bank 
of Liberia 29 July 2013 In force 29 July 2013 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
SOEs Public Finance Management Act 
of 2009  26 August 2009 In force 2 September 2009 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Framework for 
Making and Enforcing Policies Constitution of Liberia  6 January 1986 In force 6 January 1986 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Local Government Law  10 May 1972 In force 10 May 1972 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Public Authorities Law  9 July 1975 In force 9 July 1975 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Commercial  General Business Law; Chapter 1- 
Weights and Measures Ministry of 
Commerce 
and Industry 27 June 1973 In force 8 September 1978  
WT/ACC/LBR/15 
General Business Law: Chapter 2- 
Monopolies and Restraint of Trade 
 Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry 27 June 1973 In force 8 September 1978 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
General Business:  Chapter 4- 
Law Business Registration Ministry of 
Commerce 
and Industry 27 June 1973 In force 8 September 1978 WT/ACC/LBR/15  
  WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
- 6 - Subject Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority Date of 
adoption/enactment Status Date of 
implementation Translation/Copy 
submitted to 
Working Party 
An Act Amending the General Business Law, Title 14 of the Liberia Code of Law Revised by adding thereto Chapter 13 to facilitate the use of Electronic Transaction for Commercial and other purposes Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs 8 January 2001 In force 19 June 2002 WT/ACC/LBR/15  
An Act to Amend the Associations Law Ministry Of 
Foreign Affairs 19 May 1976 In force 3 January 1977 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
 
Liberian Commercial Code of 2010 Central Bank 
of Liberia 29 September 2010 In force 7 October 2010 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Labour Law Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry 17 March 1981 In force 17 March 1981 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Import Prohibitions Regulation of the Ministry of Finance 
No. 16.14263-2/MOF/R/BCE/14 of April 2014 on Punitive Tax on Used Vehicles Ministry of 
Finance and Development Planning 15 April 2013 In force 15 April 2013 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Ministry of Commer ce and Industry's 
Administrative Notice MCI/No. 008/05/2013 on the Updated 
List of Specific Products and 
Commodities Requiring Import Permit Declarations (IPDs) Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry 12 June 2013 In force 12 June 2013 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Pre-shipment 
inspection Letter on pre-shipment 
inspection services Liberia Revenue 
Authority 10 July 2015   WT/ACC/LBR/20 
Tariff Exemptions Presidential Executive Order No. 64 of 
2014 Suspending Tariff on Agricultural Equipment, Live Animals for Breeding, 
and Agricultural Seeds Ministry of 
Agriculture 25 April 2014 Expired 25 April 2014 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
  
Executive Order No. 61 of 2014 on Extension of Executive Order No. 45 "Suspension of Tariff on Rice" Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry  26 April 2014 Expired 26 April 2014 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
  
Presidential Executive Order No. 70 of 2015 on Extension of Executive Order No. 61 "Suspension of Tariff on Rice" Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry 25 June 2015 In force 26 June 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/19 
Trade Remedies Regulation No. 5.1204-1/MOF/R/01 
APRIL 2009 on the Surtax on Flour Liberia Revenue 
Authority 8 April 2009  In force  8 April 2009 WT/ACC/LBR/15  
  WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
- 7 - Subject Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority Date of 
adoption/enactment Status Date of 
implementation Translation/Copy 
submitted to 
Working Party 
Export Regulations Administrati ve Notice of the Ministry 
of Commerce and Industry MCI/No. 006/06/2012 on the List of Specific Products and Commodities Export Permit Declaration (EPDs) Applies to Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry 25 June 2012 In force 26 June 2012 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Presidential Executive Order No. 3 
of 2006 "On Government Revenues and Obligations" Liberia Revenue 
Authority 31 March 2006 In force 31 March 2006 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Government 
Procurement Public Procurement and Concessions 
Act of 2005, as Amended in 2010  16 September 2010 In force 18 September 2010 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Small Business Empowerm ent Act Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry 22 December 2014 In force 22 December 2014 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Professional Services Medi cines and Health Products 
Regulatory Authority Act (LMHRA) LMHRA 29 September 2010 In force 30 September 2010 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Liberia Institute of  Certified Public 
Accountant (LICPA) Act of 2010 LICPA 5 April 2011 In force 3 June 2011 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Liberia Certified Public Accountant 
Regulation No. 2 (Hiring and Working with Foreign Firms) LICPA 18 December 2014 In force 18 December 2014 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Judiciary Law Judiciary 10 May 1972 In force 20 June 1972 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Executive Law Ministry of 
Public Works 11 May 1972 In force 9 June 1972 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Intellectual Property  Copy right Act Liberia Copyright 
Office 23 July 1997 In force 30 July 1997 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Industrial Property Act Industrial 
Property Office 26 November 2002 In force 30 April 2003 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Telecommunication Telecommunications Act of 2007 LTA 4 April 2007 
 In force 2 July 2007 
 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Licensing and Authorization 
Regulation (Regulation 0001) LTA 10 April 2008 In force 10 April 2008  
Agriculture Agricultur e Law Ministry of 
Agriculture 23 March 1966 In force 5 April 1966 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
General Business Law: Chapter 9- 
Control of Crop Exportation Ministry of 
Commerce 27 June 1973 In force  8 September 1978 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Fishery Natural Resources Law Ministry of 
Agriculture/ Bureau of Fisheries 28 February 1957 In force 5 March 1957 WT/ACC/LBR/15  
  WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
- 8 - Subject Legislation/Regulation Competent 
Authority Date of 
adoption/enactment Status Date of 
implementation Translation/Copy 
submitted to 
Working Party 
TBT/SPS  Regulation No. MCI/NO.001/09/2015 
of 3 September 2015 Establishing an Enquiry and Notification Point for Technical Regulations Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry 1 September 2015 Signed into 
regulation October 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/17 
WT/ACC/LBR/19 
 
Regulation of 18 August 2015 
Establishing an Enquiry and 
Notification Authority for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Ministry of 
Agriculture 18 August 2015 Signed into 
regulation 1 October 2015 WT/ACC/LBR/17 
WT/ACC/LBR/19 
 
Environmental Protection and Management Law Environmental 
Protection Agency 26 November 2002  In force 30 April 2003 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Public Health Law Ministry of 
Health and 
Social Welfare March 1975 In force March 1975 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Transit National Transit Authority Act  24 Ma rch 2009 In force 24 March 2009 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
 
PART III: REGIONAL AGREEMENTS AND REGULATIONS 
Subject Agreement / Regulation Body responsible 
for drafting the 
domestic 
legislation on 
adoption Date of signing / 
adoption of 
domestic 
legislation Status Date of 
implementation 
of domestic 
legislation Translation / Copy 
submitted to the 
Working Party 
Ordinary Customs Duties ECOWAS Common External 
Tariff (CET) Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015  Be ing submitted to 
the National Legislature January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
ECOWAS Regulation on 
Supplementary Protection Measures Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015 Awaiting adoption 
by the National Legislature, following the ratification of the ECOWAS CET January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Rules of Origin ECOWAS Regulation on Rules 
of Origin Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015 Awaiting adoption 
by the National Legislature, following the ratification of the ECOWAS CET January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Internal Taxation Directive C/DIR.2/06/09 of 27 May 
2009 "On the Harmonization of the ECOWAS Member States' Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015 Awaiting adoption 
by the National Legislature, January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
  
  WT/ACC/LBR/13/Rev.3  
 
- 9 - Subject Agreement / Regulation Body responsible 
for drafting the 
domestic 
legislation on 
adoption Date of signing / 
adoption of 
domestic 
legislation Status Date of 
implementation 
of domestic 
legislation Translation / Copy 
submitted to the 
Working Party 
Legislations on Excise Duties" following the 
ratification of the ECOWAS CET 
Trade Remedies ECOWAS Regulation C/REG.4/06/13 
relating to Safeguards Measures Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015 Awaiting adoption 
by the National Legislature, following the ratification of the ECOWAS CET January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
ECOWAS Regulation 
C/REG.05/06/13 relating to Imposition of Countervailing Duties Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015 Awaiting adoption 
by the National Legislature, following the ratification of the ECOWAS CET January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
ECOWAS Regulation C/REG.6/06/13 
relating to Defence Measures to be Imposed on Imports which are Dumped from Non-Member States Liberia Revenue 
Authority December 2015 Awaiting adoption 
by the National Legislature, following the ratification of the ECOWAS CET January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Telecommunication  ECOW AS Supplementary Acts 
Relating to ICT Liberia 
Telecommunication Authority January 2016 Awaiting adoption 
by the National Legislature January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
Protection of New Plant 
Varieties Draft African Regional Intellectual 
Property Organization (ARIPO) Legal Framework for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants Ministry of 
Commerce and Industry 31 October 2015 
(signing) Awaiting signing by 
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then to be submitted to the National Legislature for ratification January 2016 WT/ACC/LBR/15 
WT/ACC/LBR/21 
 
  
__________