RESTRICTED  
  
WT/ACC/SYC/45  
 
27 September 2013  
(13-5195)  Page: 1/6  
Working Party on the Accession of the Republic of 
Seychelles  Original: English  
 
ACCESSION OF SEYCHELLES 
DRAFT NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE XVI:1 OF THE GATT 1994 AND  
ARTICLE 25 OF THE AGREEMENT ON SUBSIDIES AND COUNTERVAILING MEASURES 
 
The following submission, dated 26 September 2013, is being circulated at the request of 
the Delegation of Seychelles.   
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 WT/ACC/SYC/45 
 
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  Note by the Delegation of Seychelles:  Pursuant to Article XVI:1 of the GATT 1994 and Article 25 of 
the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (ASCM), Seychelles submits herewith 
the new and full draft notification for the fiscal year 2012.  In accordance with Article 25.7 of the ASCM, the notification of the measures concerned does not prejudge their legal status, effects or 
nature under the GATT 1994 and the ASCM. 
I. ABATTOIR SUPPORT 1.  Title of programme 
Abattoir support. 
2.  Period Covered by the notification. 
Fiscal year 2012 (i.e. 1 January 2012 - 31 December 2012) 
3.  Policy objective and/or purpose 
(a) As part of the exercise to privatize state owned enterprises, the abattoir was 
privatized in 2012. Given that this was a new form of activity for private sector 
participation, it is thus classified as an infant industry. 
(b) The assistance is given to the abattoir as a support mechanism designed to ensure 
that the slaughter of animals remains at an affordable price, while maintaining high hygienic and SPS standards in th e form of infrastructure support.  
4.  Background and authority 
The assistance is administered by the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Investment. 
5. Form 
Cash payment 
6.  To whom and how the assistance is provided 
The assistance is provided to the central abattoir on a monthly basis, on the condition that 
the abattoir provides its monthly production data, which serves as a control mechanism for 
disbursement of the subsidy. 
7.  Amount 
The total subsidy disbursed to the abattoir for the year 2012 amounted to SR3,600,000. 
8.  Duration 
This is a 5-year programme, subject to yearly reviews. 
9. Statistical data permitting an assessment of the trade effects 
No data available. WT/ACC/SYC/45 
 
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  II. INVESTMENT LOANS FOR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR 
1.  Title of programme 
Investment loans for agricultural sector 
2.  Period Covered by the notification. 
Fiscal year 2012 (i.e. 1 January 2012 - 31 December 2012) 
3.  Policy objective and/or purpose 
(a) To provide loans to agricultural producers (farmers) to invest in sustainable and 
environmentally friendly means of farming activities, taking into consideration 
Government’s strong policy in preservi ng the Country’s fragile eco-system. 
(b) This support is also aimed at lowering the credit financing cost for agricultural 
producers to invest in farming technologies that mitigate the drawbacks of limited 
arable agricultural lands in Seychelles. 
4.  Background and authority 
Loan managed by the Small Business Financing Agency under the auspices of the Ministry 
responsible for Finance. 
5. Form 
Loan. 
6.  To whom and how the assistance is provided 
The loan is provided to agricultural producers and is disbursed through the Development 
Bank of Seychelles at a preferential rate of 2.5%, as opposed to the prevailing commercial rate of 8.5%. 
7.  Amount 
Nil.  Due to the recent difficulties faced by the agricultural sector, no application was made 
under this scheme for the fiscal year 2012. 
8.  Duration 
This is an ongoing scheme. 
9. Statistical data permitting an assessment of the trade effects 
No data available. WT/ACC/SYC/45 
 
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  III. LEASE OF AGRICULTURAL LA ND AT PREFER ENTIAL RATE 
1.  Title of programme 
Lease of agricultural land at preferential rate 
2.  Period Covered by the notification. 
Fiscal year 2012 (i.e. 1 January 2012 - 31 December 2012) 
3.  Policy objective and/or purpose 
(a) To assist agricultural producers in obtaining land at affordable prices in order meet 
their production and sustainable development needs, taking into consideration the 
national food security agenda. 
4.  Background and authority 
The lease is provided under the Ministry responsible for Land Use through the Seychelles 
Agricultural Agency of the Ministry responsible for Agriculture. 
5. Form 
Forgone revenue 
6.  To whom and how the assistance is provided 
The support is provided to agricultural producers that are registered with the Seychelles 
Agricultural Agency and is provided through a preferential rate of SR 6.50/m2 for lease of 
land for agricultural activities.  
The figures provided express revenue forgone in  granting the preferential rate as opposed 
to the commercial rate of SR 30.00/m2. 
7.  Amount 
The revenue forgone in providing this preferen tial rate of lease amounted to SR25,900,000 
for the fiscal year 2012. 
8.  Duration 
This is an ongoing scheme. 
9. Statistical data permitting an assessment of the trade effects 
No data available. WT/ACC/SYC/45 
 
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  IV. FISCAL INCENTIVES TO DEVELOP AG RICULTURAL AND FISHERIES ECONOMIC 
ACTIVITIES 
1.  Title of programme 
Agriculture and Fisheries Incentives Act (AFIA) 
2.  Period Covered by the notification. 
Fiscal year 2012 (i.e. 1 January 2012 - 31 December 2012) 
3.  Policy objective and/or purpose 
The AFIA was introduced to better provide fiscal incentives to the fisheries and agricultural 
sectors with a view of lowering the costs of import for those sectors in order to encourage investment and growth in those areas. The tariff exemptions are mainly for imports of construction materials, capital and operating equipment.  
4.  Background and authority 
The programme is administered by the Ministry  responsible for Finance, in collaboration 
with the Ministry responsible for Natural Resources. 
5. Form 
Forgone revenue. 
6.  To whom and how the assistance is provided 
Seychelles currently provides non-discriminatory indirect financial incentive to persons 
engaged in the agriculture and fisheries sector through a concession-based Agricultural and Fisheries Incentives Act (available through document WT/ACC/SYC/9/Add.1).  Such incentives take the form of tariff concession s on imports by the persons engaged in those 
sectors. 
To benefit from incentives under the AFIA, businesses have to be licensed by the 
Seychelles Licensing Authority (SLA) and are requested to submit relevant factsheets on 
their businesses to the Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC).   
Applications shall be made in the prescribed forms provided under the Agriculture and 
Fisheries Incentives Act 2005.  Generally, such application forms would need to contain 
information on the products to be imported and would need to be duly signed and/or 
stamped by the applicant.   
These application forms have to be approved by an authorized officer from the Ministry 
responsible for Finance. 
7.  Amount 
Seychelles has best endeavoured to compile these concessionary based statistics, 
however, the country does not have a system in place for registering those specific 
transactions which has made it problematic to obtain accurate figures. 
8.  Duration 
This is an ongoing scheme. WT/ACC/SYC/45 
 
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  9. Statistical data permitting an assessment of the trade effects 
No data available. 
 
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