G/LIC/N/3/URY/8  
29 March 2016  
(16-1744)  Page: 1/5  
Committee on Import Licensing  Original: Spanish  
 
  REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT 
LICENSING PROCEDURES1 
NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 7.3 OF THE AGREEMENT ON 
IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES (2014) 
URUGUAY  
The following communication, dated 15 February 2016,  is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Uruguay. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
Outline of systems 
1  AUTOMATIC LICENSING IN URUGUAY 
1.(a) Licences for certain textile tariff headings listed in the Annex to Decree No. 394/00. 
  National Directorate of Industry (DNI) automatic import licensing regime for statistical 
purposes (in effect since February 2001). 
 (b) Licences for the importation of edible oils (Mercosur Common Nomenclature (NCM) headings 
1507.90.11.00, 1507.90.19.00, 1512.19.11.00, 1512.19.19.00, 1515.29.10.00, 
1515.29.90.00, 1515.90.00.19, 1515.90.00.99, 1517.90.10.00 and 1517.90.90.00). 
Decree No. 275/001. 
 
 The importation of oils classified und er the above NCM headings (1507.90.11.00, 
1507.90.19.00, 1512.19.11.00, 1512.19.19.00, 1515.29.10.00, 1515.29.90.00, 1515.90.00.19, 1515.90.00.99, 1517.90.10.00, 1517.90.90.00) requires, as a precondition, 
the filing of an import application with the DN I of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines 
(MIEM), which will forward it immediately to the Trade Policy Advisory Office of the Ministry of the Economy and Finance. 
 
 The DNI and the Trade Policy Advisory Office will approve such applications when received in 
appropriate and complete form. 
 
(c) Licences for all headings for footwear and parts thereof (Chapter 64). Decree No. 251/005. 
  The importation of products listed in Chapter 64 of the NCM will be subject to the prior filing 
of an import application with the DNI of the MIEM, which will approve such applications 
when received in appropriate and complete form. 
 (d) Products of the automotive industry: 
 
- Granting of benefits and quota administration. Decree No. 316/992; 
Decree No. 60/999; Economic Complementarity Agreement (ACE) No. 2. 
                                               
1 The questionnaire is contained in document G/LIC/3, Annex. G/LIC/N/3/URY/8 
- 2 - 
  - New vehicles. Decree No. 727/991 as reworded in Decree No. 225/005. The prior 
licensing system for automotive products is automatic. The DNI gathers information for statistical purposes, verifies the declared value and transmits it to the customs authority for purposes that may be relevant to the Valuation Agreement, and lastly 
establishes the tariff preference that is applicable under the relevant trade agreement, 
the availability of tariff quotas, etc. 
 
(e) Licences for the importation of publishing paper. Decree No. 426/011. 
  The Paper Commission, which is under the purv iew of the DNI of the MIEM, is the authority 
responsible for authorizing newspaper firms, publishing companies and importers acting on 
behalf of third parties that are direct users, to import, at a 0% rate, paper intended for 
printing books, directories, newspapers and other periodicals of general interest under 
subheadings 4801.00, 4802.54, 4802.55, 4802.56, 4802.57, 4802.58, 4802.61, 4802.62, 
4802.69, 4810.13, 4810.14, 4810.19, 4810.22 and 4810.29 of the Nomenclature. 
 2  NON-AUTOMATIC LICENSING IN URUGUAY 
1. (a) Exemptions from import prohibition: Article 318 of Law No. 18.172: Diesel engines and kits. 
Decrees Nos. 290/008 and 277/009. 
  Non-automatic import licence issued by the MIEM. The DNI will issue a licence if the party 
concerned provides written proof that the goods to be imported are to be used for the 
purposes indicated in Decree No. 290/008. 
 
(b) Raw and refined sugar for industrial purposes (NCM headings 1701.11.00.00 
and 1701.12.00.00) and refined sugar (NCM headings 1701.91.00.00 and 1701.99.00.00). Decrees Nos. 57/006 and 284/011. 
 
 Uruguay allows the importation of refined sugar for industrial use with a tariff preference 
of 100%, subject to the presentation of a certificate of industrial use. 
 
To obtain the licence, companies must register with the Uruguayan Technological Laboratory 
(LATU), which will verify the destination of the sugar and the price to be paid by the importer. 
 
 Uruguay also allows the importation of raw sugar for industrial use with a tariff preference 
of 100%, subject to the obtaining of a certific ate issued by the Ministry of Livestock, 
Agriculture and Fisheries. 
 (c) Licences for the importation of acetic acid. Decree No. 75/009 
(NCM headings 2915.21.00.10 and 2915.21.00.90). 
 
Article 4 of Decree No. 75/009 provides that the importation of acetic acid shall be subject to the requirement that a prior import licence be issued by the DNI. 
 
(i) For food-grade acetic acid, the granting of a licence is subject to LATU verification of 
the relevant food grade. 
 
(ii) For other acetic acids, a licence will only be granted if the application has been duly 
completed and it has been proved, by me ans of the declarations prescribed by 
Article 2 of Decree No. 75/009, that previous imports by the applicant were 
used properly. 
 Purposes and coverage of licensing 
2. 
- Licences for a certain textile tariff headings listed in the Annex to Decree No. 394/00.  
- Licences for the importation of oils (NCM headings 1507.90.11.00, 1507.90.19.00, 
1512.19.11.00, 1512.19.19.00, 1515.29.10.00, 1515.29.90.00, 1515.90.00.19, 1515.90.00.99, 1517.90.10.00 and 1517.90.90.00). G/LIC/N/3/URY/8 
- 3 - 
   
- Licences for all headings for footwear and parts thereof (Chapter 64).  - Raw sugar (NCM headings 1701.11.00.00, 1701.12.00.00) and refined sugar 
(NCM headings 1701.91.00.00 and 1701.99.00.00) for industrial purposes. 
 - Licences for the automotive sector. Licences for the importation of new vehicles 
(Chapter 87) and auto-parts from Brazil entering under ACE No. 2 (Decrees Nos. 727/91, 
316/92, 340/96, 60/99 and 273/99). 
 - Licences for the importation of publishing paper, Decree No. 218/996. 
 
- Acetic acid (NCM headings 2915.21.00.10; 2915.21.00.90).  
3. (a) Licences for a group of textile headings for trade with third countries. 
 (b) Licences for the importation of oils, irrespective of origin. 
 
(c) Licences for all headings for footwear and parts thereof (Chapter 64), irrespective of origin.  (d) Raw and refined sugar for industrial purposes: applied for tariff preferences. 
 
(e) New vehicles, irrespective of origin. Auto-parts.  
(f) Licences for the importation of publishing paper, irrespective of origin. 
 (g) Licences for the importation of acetic acid, irrespective of origin. 
 
(h) Exemptions from import prohibition for diesel engines and kits, irrespective of origin.  4. Licensing is not intended to restrict the quantity of imports. 
 
Purpose of licences: statistical purposes (for textiles, footwear and oils), granting of tariff preferences to third parties and statistical purp oses (automotive industry), granting of tariff 
exemptions on domestic products (publishing pape r, vehicles, sugar, diesel engines and kits) and 
human health care (acetic acid).  
5. All the licences mentioned were introduced by Executive Decrees which specify the tariff 
headings included in the system.  Licensing is therefore mandatory in cases where this is established by Decree, and the application 
or non-application of the system is not left to administrative discretion. For sugar, licences serve to 
access a tariff preference, and are not mandatory for carrying out a non-preferential operation.  
The Executive may abolish the system without legislative approval. 
 Procedures 
6.I-IV There are no quotas for or restrictions on the importation of goods subject to a licensing 
obligation. Imports of sugar are based on an assessment of the normal consumption and/or local market prices of the importing companies. 
 
V. The minimum length of time for the processing of licences for oils, sugar, footwear, 
publishing paper, acetic acid and automotive products is 48 hours. For textiles, applications are approved immediately (provided that they are submitted in appropriate and complete 
form and are administratively feasible). 
  The maximum length of time for the processing of licences for oils, footwear, publishing 
paper, automotive products and textiles is ten working days. 
  The maximum length of time for processing lice nces for sugar and acetic acid is ten working 
days subject to compliance with the requirements set forth in the legislation. G/LIC/N/3/URY/8 
- 4 - 
   
 The maximum length of time for processing licences to import diesel engines and kits is 
15 working days (as from the day following that  when the application is filed). Where the 
advice of another ministry is required, this period will be extended by an additional ten days 
(Decree No. 290/008). 
 VI. Upon approval of the licence, the single customs document (DUA) may be 
registered immediately. 
 VII. In the case of licences for oils, footwear an d textiles, publishing paper, automotive products 
and acetic acid, the interested party submit s the application to the DNI. The data are 
processed, the licence is issued and communicated directly to the National Customs 
Directorate (electronically). The interested party must submit it to the National Customs Directorate. 
 
 Import licences for refined sugar are processe d by the LATU, while import licences for raw 
sugar are processed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. 
 
VIII-XI Not applicable, since these are automatic licences for statistical or price-control purposes, 
involving no restriction on imports. 
 
7.(a-d) 
All licence applications are dealt with in chronological order. 
 
Nor is there any provision for the urgent processing of licence applications. 
 
Textiles, footwear and oils: licences are submitted to the DNI of the MIEM for processing. 
In addition to the approval of the DNI, that of  the Trade Policy Advisory Unit of the Ministry 
of the Economy and Finance is also required. The importer thus deals with only one body. Licences for publishing paper are submitted for processing and approval to the Paper Commission, which is under the purview of the DNI. 
 
8. Not applicable.  
Eligibility of importers to apply for licences 
9. The importer or body authorized to engage in importation is entitled to apply for a licence 
subject to registration. 
 
In the case of sugar, licence applications may be  submitted only by industrial enterprises which 
demonstrate that the product is used for industrial purposes.  
In the case of paper, licence applications may be  submitted only by publishers which demonstrate 
that the paper is used for publishing purposes.  
Documentation and other requirements for licence applications 
10. The forms have not changed from those notified previously. Presentation of a commercial 
invoice will be requested in all cases. 
 
11. The documents normally needed for the issue of the DUA are required in all cases.  12.  The DNI charges UR 0.2 per licence. The adjust able unit (UR) is an adjustable amount based 
on the average wage index and calculated by the National Statistical Institute. 
 13. This is not the case in Uruguay. 
 
Conditions of licensing 
14. The licences referred to are valid for 60 days, except for those relating to the automotive 
sector and sugar, which are valid for 90 days. Longer periods require a new licence application to 
be submitted. G/LIC/N/3/URY/8 
- 5 - 
   
15. There is no penalty for the partial utilization or non-utilization of a licence.  16. Licences are not transferable, except in the case of sugar, where the prior agreement of the 
DNI must be obtained and no change must be made to the authorized volume or the industrial 
enterprise which uses the input.  
17. There are no other conditions. 
 Other procedural requirements 
18-19. Possession of a licence is not a prerequisite for obtaining foreign exchange. Foreign 
exchange is freely available in Uruguay and there ar e no restrictions on the transfer of capital or 
profits from or to foreign countries.  
Note: 
List of acronyms used in this document: 
 
MIEM Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mines 
DNI National Directorate of Industry MEF Ministry of the Economy and Finance APC Trade Policy Advisory Unit 
DNA National Customs Directorate 
DUA Single Customs Document DGI Directorate-General of Taxation 
BPS Social Insurance Bank 
UR Adjustable Unit INE National Statistical Institute  
 
__________