G/L/1132  
 
29 October 2015  
(15-5745)  Page: 1/5  
   
 
 REPORT (2015) OF THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORT LICENSING 
TO THE COUNCIL FO R TRADE 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 granting 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 opportunity of 
consulting on any matters 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 of 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/1078), 
i.e. 21 October 2014 - 20 October 2015 (hereinafter "the review period"). During the review 
period, the Committee held two meetings on 21 April and 20 October 2015 (G/LIC/M/41 and G/LIC/M/42). At its meeting on 21 April 2015, the Committee took note of the nomination of Ms. Carrie I.J. WU (Chinese Taipei) as Chairp erson of the Committee for the current year and 
elected her by acclamation. At that meeting, the Committee elected Mr. Tapio Pyysalo (Finland) as 
Vice-Chairperson for the current year by acclamation. Pursuant to the Committee's Rules of Procedure, they took office at the end of that meeting.  
 
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 their laws, regulations and administrative procedures relevant to import licensing and 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 are also required to be published and notified. During the review period, the Committee reviewed 16 notifications (Annex I) from the following 13 Members: 
Australia; Brazil; Cameroon; the European Union; Hong Kong, China; Mexico; Montenegro; 
Russian Federation; Macao, China; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines and the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. These notifications can be found in document 
series G/LIC/N/1/-. Copies of publications and legislation submitted with these notifications are 
available for consultation in the Secretariat.  6.  The Committee also reviewed
1, pursuant to paragraphs 5.1-5.4 of Article 5, 16 notifications 
(Annex II) relating to the institution of new import licensing procedures or changes in these 
procedures from 10 Members: Australia; Brazil; the European Union; Hong Kong, China; Indonesia; Malawi; Mexico; Paraguay; Sri Lanka and Viet Nam. 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, no such reverse notifications have 
been received under this provision since the entry into force of this Agreement. 
 
                                               
1 Four new documents submitted on 8 October by the Russian Federation will be reviewed at the next 
Committee meeting. G/L/1132 
 
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  7.  Article 7.3 of the Agreement requires all Me mbers to provide replies to the Questionnaire on 
Import Licensing Procedures2 by 30 September each year. During the review period, the 
Committee reviewed 36 notifications (Annex III) from the following 35 Members: Australia; Brazil; Cameroon; Canada; Chile; China; Cuba; European Un ion; Haiti; Hong Kong, China; Japan; Jordan; 
Liechtenstein; Macao, China; Malawi; Malaysia; Mauritius; the Republic of Moldova; Montenegro; 
Nepal; Nicaragua; Panama; Paraguay; Peru; Philippines; Qatar; Russian Federation; Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; 
Singapore; Trinidad and Tobago; Turkey; Ukraine; United States and Zimbabwe. These 
notifications can be found in document series G/LIC/N/3/-.  8. During the review period, three Members had su bmitted for the first time, notifications to the 
Committee under various Articles of the Agreement: (i) under Articles 1.4(a)/8.2(b), Montenegro; 
(ii) under Article 5, Sri Lanka; (iii) under Article 7.3, Montenegro and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The Chair thanked these Members for their notifications and urged Members who had 
not yet notified and had not updated their notifications to do so as soon as possible. 
 9.  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 
document series G/LIC/Q/-. During the review pe riod: the European Union posed written questions 
to Angola (G/LIC/Q/AGO/1), India (G/LIC/Q /IND/24), Nigeria (G/LIC/Q/NGA/2), Turkey 
(G/LIC/Q/TUR/9) and the Republic of Moldova (G /LIC/Q/MDA/1); the United States posed written 
questions to Mexico (G/LIC/Q/MEX/1) and Viet  Nam (G/LIC/Q/VNM/6); Australia posed written 
questions to Indonesia (G/LIC/Q/IDN/34). The fo llowing Members provided written responses to 
comments and questions: Brazil to questions from  the EU (G/LIC/Q/BRA/19); Ecuador to questions 
from the EU (G/LIC/Q/ECU/8); India to qu estions from the EU (G/LIC/Q/IND/25 and 
G/LIC/Q/IND/26); Indonesia to questions from the US (G/LIC/Q/IDN/33/Add.1) and to questions from Australia (G/LIC/Q/IDN/35); Nigeria to questions from Iceland, Norway and Uruguay 
(G/LIC/Q/NGA/1); Turkey to questions from th e EU (G/LIC/Q/TUR/8 and G/LIC/Q/TUR/10); and 
the Republic of Moldova to questions from the EU (G/LIC/Q/MDA/2) 
10. The Committee has provided a regular forum fo r exchanging views on specific trade issues 
raised by Members. The following Members made statements 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 cell phones, handheld computers and tablets; on India's import licensing requirements for boric acid; on 
Bangladesh's import licensing procedures; on Mexico's steel import licensing program as well as on 
Viet Nam's import requirements on distilled spirits and the completeness of its notification. Australia made a statement on Indonesia's import licensing regulations for the importation of 
carcasses and processed meat products.  The European Union made statements on Indonesia's 
new regulation on tyre imports; on India's import of marble and marble products and on Brazil's regulatory requirements for nitrocellulose import. The EU, US, New Zealand, Australia and Chile made statements on India's amendments to its import policy conditions applicable to apples. 
Members whose licensing measures have been questioned responded at the meeting(s). 
11.  For some time now, the low level of complian ce of Members with the transparency obligations 
of the Agreement has been the main preoccupati on of the Committee. On 27 March 2015, three 
sessions of informal consultations were held by the former Vice-Chair Mr. Juha Niemi (Finland) 
with Members who had not submitted any notifications under this Agreement; those who had not submitted any N/1 notifications and those who had not yet submitted any N/3 notifications to 
date. Mr. Niemi reported on his consultations at the April Committee meeting. He noted that 
capacity constraints were cited by Members present at the consultations (mostly LDCs) as the main factor hampering such notifications from being made. He noted that some ideas on technical assistance were floated at the consultations including the organization of a workshop on import 
licensing notifications in Geneva for Members in need of technical assistance. He encouraged 
Members to continue the discussion and table written proposals in this regard. As a follow-up, Ms. Carrie WU, the current Chairperson held an informal consultation on 9 July 2015 seeking 
Members' views on a possible workshop. Members pr esent at the consultation agreed to continue 
the discussion on the possibility of a workshop on the basis of written proposals from interested Members.  
                                               
2 Annexed to document G/LIC/3. G/L/1132 
 
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   ANNEX I: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED DURING THE REVIEW PERIOD PURSUANT TO 
ARTICLES 1.4(A) AND/OR 8.2(B) OF THE AGREEMENT  
[FROM 21 OCTOBER 2014 TO 20 OCTOBER 2015] 
MEMBER DOCUMENT DATE OF ISSUANCE 
OF THE DOCUMENT 
AUSTRALIA   G/LIC/N/1/AUS/2   12/01/2015  
BRAZIL  G/LIC/N/1/BRA/6   22/10/2014  
CAMEROON   G/LIC/N/1/CMR/3   03/03/2015  
EUROPEAN  UNION  G/LIC/N/1/EU/6  
G/LIC/N/1/EU7  18/09/2015  
18/09/2015  
HONG KONG, CHINA  G/LIC/N/1/HKG/6   06/01/2015  
MACAO, CHINA  G/LIC/N/1/MAC/5   08/09/2015  
MEXICO  G/LIC/N/1/MEX/6  
G/LIC/N/1/MEX/7  10/03/2015  
10/03/2015  
MONTENEGRO   G/LIC/N/1/MNE/1   14/04/2015  
PARAGUAY   G/LIC/N/1/PRY/6   06/07/2015  
PERU  G/LIC/N/1/PER/5   13/07/2015  
PHILIPPINES   G/LIC/N/1/PHL/4   07/09/2015  
RUSSIAN FEDERATION   G/LIC/N/1/RUS/5  
G/LIC/N/1/RUS/6  26/01/2015  
01/06/2015  
SEPARATE  CUSTOMS  TERRITORY  OF 
TAIWAN, PENGHU,  KINMEN AND 
MATSU G/LIC/N/1/TPKM/10   08/09/2015  
 
 G/L/1132 
 
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  ANNEX II: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED DURING THE REVIEW PERIOD PURSUANT TO 
PARAGRAPHS 5.1-5.4 OF ARTICLE 5 OF THE AGREEMENT 
 [FROM 21 OCTOBER 2014 TO 20 OCTOBER 2015] 
 
MEMBER DOCUMENT DATE OF ISSUANCE OF 
THE DOCUMENT 
AUSTRALIA   G/LIC/N/2/AUS/2   12/01/2015  
BRAZIL  G/LIC/N/2/BRA/6   22/10/2014  
EUROPEAN  UNION  G/LIC/N/2/EU/6  
G/LIC/N/2/EU/7  18/09/2015  
18/09/2015  
HONG KONG, CHINA  G/LIC/N/2/HKG/5  
G/LIC/N/2/HKG/6  27/01/2015  
06/02/2015  
INDONESIA   G/LIC/N/2/IDN/27  
G/LIC/N/2/IDN/28  08/10/2015  
08/10/2015  
MALAWI  G/LIC/N/2/MWI/3   07/09/2015  
MEXICO  G/LIC/N/2/MEX/4  
G/LIC/N/2/MEX/5  
G/LIC/N/2/MEX/6  23/10/2014  
10/03/2015  
11/03/2015  
PARAGUAY   G/LIC/N/2/PRY/4  
G/LIC/N/2/PRY/5  20/01/2015  
06/07/2015  
SRI LANKA  G/LIC/N/2/LKA/1   12/01/2015  
VIET NAM  G/LIC/N/2/VNM/2   14/04/2015  
 G/L/1132 
 
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ANNEX III: NOTIFICATIONS REVIEWED  DURING THE REVIEW PERIOD  
PURSUANT ARTICLE 7.3 OF THE AGREEMENT  
[FROM 21 OCTOBER 2014 TO 20 OCTOBER 2015] 
MEMBER DOCUMENT DATE OF ISSUANCE OF 
THE DOCUMENT 
AUSTRALIA   G/LIC/N/3/AUS/7   12/02/2015  
BRAZIL  G/LIC/N/3/BRA/10   22/10/2014  
CAMEROON   G/LIC/N/3/CMR/5   24/09/2015  
CANADA  G/LIC/N/3/CAN/13   05/02/2015  
CHILE  G/LIC/N/3/CHL/8   03/03/2015  
CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/CHN/13   22/01/2015  
CUBA  G/LIC/N/3/CUB/7   08/10/2015  
EUROPEAN  UNION  G/LIC/N/3/EU/3  
G/LIC/N/3/EU/4  06/11/2014  
12/10/2015  
HAITI  G/LIC/N/3/HTI/8   07/09/2015  
HONG KONG, CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/HKG/19   16/09/2015  
JAPAN  G/LIC/N/3/JPN/14   08/10/2015  
JORDAN  G/LIC/N/3/JOR/2   04/08/2015  
LIECHTENSTEIN   G/LIC/N/3/LIE/8   03/11/2014  
MACAO, CHINA  G/LIC/N/3/MAC/18   08/09/2015  
MALAWI  G/LIC/N/3/MWI/4   09/10/2015  
MALAYSIA   G/LIC/N/3/MYS/10   06/11/2014  
MAURITIUS   G/LIC/N/3/MUS/5   08/10/2015  
MOLDOVA,  REPUBLIC  OF  G/LIC/N/3/MDA/3   03/03/2015  
MONTENEGRO   G/LIC/N/3/MNE/1   14/04/2015  
NEPAL  G/LIC/N/3/NPL/2   14/04/2015  
NICARAGUA   G/LIC/N/3/NIC/7   08/10/2015  
PANAMA   G/LIC/N/3/PAN/6   13/04/2015  
PARAGUAY   G/LIC/N/3/PRY/4   05/02/2015  
PERU  G/LIC/N/3/PER/11   13/07/2015  
PHILIPPINES   G/LIC/N/3/PHL/11   07/09/2015  
QATAR  G/LIC/N/3/QAT/11   08/05/2015  
THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION   G/LIC/N/3/RUS/2   08/10/2015  
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES   G/LIC/N/3/VCT/1   23/04/2015  
SINGAPORE   G/LIC/N/3/SGP/10   12/02/2015  
SEPARATE  CUSTOMS  TERRITORY  OF 
TAIWAN, PENGHU,  KINMEN AND MATSU G/LIC/N/3/TPKM/6   08/09/2015  
TRINIDAD  AND TOBAGO  G/LIC/N/3/TTO/12   23/10/2014  
TURKEY  G/LIC/N/3/TUR/14   28/09/2015  
UKRAINE  G/LIC/N/3/UKR/8   08/10/2015  
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA   G/LIC/N/3/USA/12   09/10/2015  
ZIMBABWE   G/LIC/N/3/ZWE/4  
G/LIC/N/3/ZWE/4/REV.1  31/10/2014  
11/11/2014  
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