. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/LIC/N/3/TTO/10 
14 September 2012 
 (12-4924) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   English 
  
 
 
REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
1 
 
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures 
 
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 
 
 
 The following notification, dated 10 Septem ber 2012, has been received from the Permanent 
Mission of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
 Trinidad and Tobago's import licensing regime , as notified in document G/LIC/N/3/TTO/9, 
has not been modified and still remains valid fo r 2011 and 2012, except for the change introduced 
with regard to the Questionnaire on Import Licensi ng Procedures responses to Question 6 ( I-XI) as 
provided below:  
Procedures 
 
6. The answers provided to ques tion 6 (I-XI), relate exclusively to Methyl Bromide, which 
Trinidad and Tobago has under import quota rest riction and expects to phase out by 2015. 
 I. Information is not published with respect to the allocation of quotas. Letters are sent to the 
importers of methyl bromide. Methyl bromide is also on the import negative list (which is 
published and indicates that a licence is needed for importation of the product). No quantities 
are published.  
 
II. The quota is on an annual basis and in lin e with the phase out schedule of the Montreal 
Protocol. The quota was determined through surveys with the importers which were used to establish a national baseline and quota allocations. Licences are issued annually. The quota 
holders are informed annually in writing by th e National Ozone Unit of the Ministry of the 
Environment and Water Resources. 
 III. The Ministry of Finance (Customs and Excise Division) and the Ministry of Trade, Industry 
and Investment monitor licences issued to ensure  that those allocated are actually used for 
imports. Licences are issued for ozone-deple ting substances (ODS) under the Montreal 
Protocol and controlled by the import negative list. Unused allocations are not added to 
quotas for a succeeding period. The names of impor ters to whom licences have been allocated 
are made known to governments and export promotion bodies of exporting countries upon 
request. 
 
                                                      
1 See document G/LIC/3, Annex for the Questionnaire. G/LIC/N/3/TTO/10 
Page 2  
 
  IV. The quota is for the calendar year. Applicati ons for licences may be submitted at any time 
during that period. Licences expire at the end of the calendar year. 
 V. The minimum and maximum lengths of time for processing applications are 1-2 days.  
VI. Once licences have been granted, there are no restrictions regarding the time for importation 
provided that importing is done  during the calendar year. 
 VII. Consideration of license applications is effected by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Investment (Trade Licensing Unit) which has responsibility for the i ssuance of licenses. 
However, the Ministry of the Environmen t and Water Resources (National Ozone Unit) 
endorses the requests for a licence.  An importer has to approach only one administrative body with an application .  
 VIII. With respect to the demand for licences, the importers of methyl bromide were previously 
determined. There is a maximum amount to be allocated per applicant based on the quota. No 
provision is made for new importers of methyl  bromide given that the product is currently 
being phased out. Applications are examined on receipt. 
 IX. Not applicable.  
X. Not applicable. 
 XI. Licences are issued for quaran tine and reshipment purposes only. 
  
__________