WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/LIC/N/3/URY/6/Add.1 
5 October 2012 
 (12-5402) 
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 
 
URUGUAY 
 
Addendum 
  The following communication, dated 4 October 2012, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Uruguay. 
 
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Outline of systems 
 1. Automatic licensing in Uruguay 
 
(a) Licences for certain textile tariff headings  listed in the Annex to  Decree No. 394/00. 
  National Directorate of Industry (DNI) auto matic 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 under the above NCM headi ngs (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) re quires, as a precondition, the filing of an 
import application with the DNI of the Minist ry 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 w ill approve such applications when received 
in appropriate and complete form. 
 
(c) Licences for all headings for footwear and pa rts thereof (Chapter 64).  Decree No. 251/005. 
 
                                                      
1 See document G/LIC/3, Annex, for the questionnaire. G/LIC/N/3/URY/6/Add.1 
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   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 th e 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. 
 
 - New vehicles.  Decree No. 727/991 as rewo rded in Decree No. 225/005.  The prior 
licensing system for automotive products is automatic.  The DNI gathers information 
for statistical purposes, verifies the declar ed 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 appli cable under the relevant trade agreement, 
the availability of tariff quotas, etc.  
 
(e) Licences for the importation of publishing paper.  Decree No. 218/996 
(NCM heading 4801.10.00.00). 
 
 The Paper Commission, which is under the purview  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 per cent rate, paper intended for 
printing books, directories, newspapers a nd other periodicals of general interest under 
subheadings 4801.00, 4802.51, 4802.52, 4802.53, 4802.60, 4810.11, 4810.21 and 4810.29 of 
the Nomenclature. 
 
Non-automatic licensing in Uruguay 
 
(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 industri al purposes (NCM headings 1701.11.00.00 
and 1701.12.00.00) and refine d sugar (NCM headings 1701.9 1.00.00 and 1701.99.00.00).  
Decrees Nos. 57/006 and 284/011. 
 
 Uruguay allows the importation of refined suga r for industrial use with a tariff preference 
of 100 per cent, 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 s ugar for industrial use with a tariff preference 
of 100 per cent, subject to the obtaining of a cer tificate 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). 
  G/LIC/N/3/URY/6/Add.1 
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   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 means 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 headi ngs 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). 
 
- 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.  Licen ces for the importation of new vehicles 
(Chapter 87) and auto-parts from Brazil en tering under ACE No. 2 (Decrees Nos. 128/70, 
473/70, 727/91, 316/92, 340/96, 60/99 and 273/99). 
 
- Licences for the importation of publishing paper, Decree No. 218/996 
(NCM heading 4801.10.00.00). 
 
- Acetic acid (NCM headings 2915.21.00.10;  2915.21.00.90).  
3. 
 (a) Licences for a group of textile headi ngs for trade with third countries. 
 
(b) Licences for the importation of oils, irrespective of origin.  
(c) Licences for all headings for footwear and part s thereof (Chapter 64), irrespective of origin. 
 
(d) Raw and refined sugar for industrial pur poses:  applied for tariff preferences. 
 (e) New vehicles, irrespective of origin.  Auto-parts. 
 
(f) Licences for the importation of publis hing 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. 
 G/LIC/N/3/URY/6/Add.1 
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  4. Licensing is not intended to restrict the quantity of imports. 
 
 Purpose of licences:  statistical purposes (for te xtiles, footwear and oils), granting of tariff 
preferences to third parties and statistical purposes (automotive industry), granting of tariff 
exemptions on domestic products (publishing paper,  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 wh ere 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 ar e 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 pro ducts is 48 hours.  For textiles, applications 
are approved immediately (provided that they ar e 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 licen ces for sugar and acetic acid is ten working 
days subject to compliance with the requ irements set forth in the legislation. 
  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 pe riod 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 and textiles, publishing paper, automotive products 
and acetic acid, the interested party submits the application to the DNI.  The data are 
processed, the licence is issued and communi cated directly to the National Customs 
Directorate (electronically).  The interested  party must submit it to the National Customs 
Directorate. 
 
 Import licences for refined sugar are processed 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 statis tical or price-control purposes, 
involving no restriction on imports.  G/LIC/N/3/URY/6/Add.1 
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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 subm itted 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 ma y 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 adju stable 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.  Lo nger periods require a new licence application to 
be submitted.  
15. There is no penalty for the partial utilization or non-utilization of a licence. 
 
16. Licences are not transferable, except in the cas e of sugar, where the prior agreement of the 
DNI must be obtained and no change must be ma de to the authorized volume or the industrial 
enterprise which uses the input. 
 
17. There are no other conditions.  G/LIC/N/3/URY/6/Add.1 
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  Other procedural requirements 
 
18-19. Possession of a licence is not a prerequis ite for obtaining foreign exchange.  Foreign 
exchange is freely available in Uruguay and there are 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 
 
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