RESTRICTED  
  
JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
28 September 2018 
(18-6010) Page: 1/12 
Committee on Market Access    
 
NOTIFICATION OF Q UANTITATIVE RESTRICT IONS (QRS):  
A PRACTICAL GUIDE  
NOTE BY THE SECRETAR IAT1 
Revision  
BACKGROUND  
At its meeting of 22  September  20172, and as a result of consultations on  how to improve the 
number and quality of notifications  of quantitative restrictions , the Committee instructed the 
Secretariat to update the  "Practical Guide on QR  Notifications "3, with a view  to reflect ing lessons 
learnt  from the operation of the  2012 Decision  on Notification Procedures for Quantitative 
Restrictions  (hereinafter referred to as "the QR  Decision ").4 Interested delegations were invited to 
submit  comments  to the Secretariat  no later than 9 February  2018; two delegations did  so. This 
documen t will be updated as necessary to take account of new developments.  
 
This practical guide  is structured as follows: section  1 introduces the concept of  quantitative 
restrictions , with a brief overview of its definition in the relevant GATT/WTO  jurisprudence ; section  2 
explains the notification procedures set out in the QR  Decision , including the types of measures to 
be notified; section  3 describes the WTO  provisions that permit  a Member to introduce or maintain 
quantitative restrictions  as exce ptions  to the general rule ; section  4 describes the type of measures 
that have been n otified by Members under the QR  Decision ; and section  5 offers an indicative 
overview  of additional sources of information that could prove useful to  Members when preparin g 
their notifications . 
 
1  WHAT IS A "QUANTITATIVE RESTRIC TION "? 
1.1  Definition  
Under the QR  Decision, all quantitative restrictions affecting both import s and export s shall be 
notified, except fo r measures described in section  2.2 below . The scope of the measures to be 
notified is largely defined  by Article  XI of the GATT  19945, which states that: 
 
"No prohibitions or restrictions other than duties, taxes or other charges, whether 
made effective through quotas, import or export licences or other measures, shall be 
instituted or maintained by any contracting party on the importation of any product 
of the territory of any other contracting party or on the exportation or sale for export 
of any product destined for the territory of any other contracting party."  
 
Therefore, in the WTO  context, quantitative restrictions  refer to any type of "prohibitions or 
restrictions other than duties, taxes or other charges" that are applied on imports or exports of 
goods, which can be "made effective through quotas, import or export licences or other measures".  
For the purpose of preparing a notification, it should not be difficult to identify prohibitions (i.e.  bans) 
                                                
1 This document has been prepared under the Secretariat's own responsibility and is without prejudice  
to the positions of Members or  to their rights and obligations under the WTO . 
2 Document  G/MA/M/66.  
3 Document  JOB/MA/101.  
4 Decision adopted by the Counci l for Trade in Goods on 22  June 2012, document  G/L/59/Rev.1.  
5 The full text of Article  XI is reproduced in Annex  1. JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  on imports or exports, as customs and  other authorities usually  maintain lists o f goods that cannot 
be traded. However, it may prove more challenging to identify those  measures that qualify as 
"restrictions other than duties, taxes or other charges".  The text of Article  XI:1 is helpful in thi s 
context;  it indicates that restrictions can be "made effective through quotas, import or export 
licences", and also makes reference to "other measures". The language leaves open the question of 
how "other measures" is to be interpreted and understood , although GATT and WTO jurisprudence, 
the QR  Decision itself, and notifications already submitted by Members all provide useful guidance 
in terms of identifying and then notifying those  measures that fall under the scope of the 
QR Decision . 
 
1.2   Dispute settlement reports regarding Article XI of the GATT  
The scope and application of Article  XI of the GATT has been examined in GATT/WTO  jurisprudence  
on numerous occasions . For example, on the role of Article  XI, it was noted that " [t]he prohibition 
against quantitative restrictions is a reflection that tariffs are GATT 's border protection 'of choice '. 
Quantitative restrictions impose absolute limits on imports, while tariffs do not ".6 
 
On the scope of measures covered by this provision, a GATT  Panel  found th at "the wording of 
Article  XI:1 is comprehensive: it applies to all measures instituted or maintained by a [Member] 
prohibiting or restricting the importation, exportation, or sale for export of products other than 
measures that take the form of duties, ta xes or other charges ".7 This view was endorsed in the 
context of the WTO , where a Panel reiterated  that: " [t]he text of Article  XI:1 is very broad in scope, 
providing for a general ban on import or export restrictions or prohibitions 'other than duties, ta xes 
or other charges' "8 and that " there is no ambiguity as to what 'prohibitions' on importation means: 
Member shall not forbid the importation of any product of any other Member into their markets" .9 
 
With respect to the meaning of "restriction"  in the context of  Article  XI, WTO panel s have clarified 
that "the scope of the term 'restriction ' is also broad, as seen in its ordinary meaning, which is a 
'limitation on action, a limiting condition or regulation '"10 and that the term restriction "cannot mean 
merely 'prohibitions ', since Article  XI:1 expressly covers both 'prohibition or restriction '".11 
 
The concepts of "prohibitions" and "restrictions" under Article  XI were also examined by the 
Appellate Body, which concluded that: "[t]he term 'prohibition' is defined as a 'legal ban on the trade 
or importation of a specified commodity'  [and]  the noun 'restriction', is defined as '[a] thing which 
restricts someone or something, a limitation on action, a limiting condition or regulation, and thus 
refers generally  to something that has a limiting effect ".12 The Appellate Body also found that "this 
limitation need not be demonstrated by quantifying the effects of the measure at issue; rather, such 
limiting effects can be demonstrated through the design, architecture,  and revealing structure of the 
measure at issue considered in its relevant cont ext",13 as opposed to the actual resulting impact of 
the measure on trade flows . The Appellate Body als o extended the scope of Article  XI to cover 
measures through which a prohi bition or a restriction "is produced or become operative ".14 
 
WTO Dispute Settlement reports also found that a number of measures are determined to fall within 
the scope of Article XI , including not only the de jure but also de facto15 prohibitions or restrictions , 
as well as discretionary  or non-automatic import licensing procedures16, minimum export and import 
                                                
6 Panel Report, Turkey -Textiles  and Clothing (WT/DS34 /R), para. 9.63. 
7 GATT Panel Report, Japan -Semiconductors  (BISD 35S/116 -163), para. 104. 
8 Panel Report, India-Quantitative Restrictions (WT/DS90 /R), para. 5.129.  
9 Panel Report, Brazil -Retreaded Tyres  (WT/DS332 /R), para.  7.11. 
10 Footnote 8. 
11 Panel Report, India-Autos (WT/DS146 /R), paras.  7.269 -7.270 . 
12 Appellate Body Report, China -Raw Materials (WT/DS394/AB/R; WT/DS395/AB/R; and 
WT/DS398/AB/R) , paras.  319-320. 
13 Appellate Body Report, Argentina -Import Measures  (WT/DS438/AB/R; WT/DS444/AB/R; 
WT/DS445/AB/R) , para.  5.217 . 
14 Appellate Body Report, Argentina -Import Measures  (WT/DS438/AB/R; WT/DS444/AB/R; 
WT/DS445/AB/R) , para. 5.218.  
15 Panel Report, Argentina -Hides and Leather (WT/DS155 /R), para. 11.17.  
16 Panel Report, India-Quantitative Restrictions (WT/DS90 /R), para. 5.130.  JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  price requirements17, restrictions on imports by particular persons18, operations of state trading 
enterprises  resulting in import restrictions19, and limitations  on ports of entry .20 
 
For more information on the relevant WTO jurisprudence, please refer to the WTO  Analytical Index .21 
For example s of quantitative restrictions noti fied by WTO  Members , please see section  4 below . 
 
1.3  Do quantitative restrictions need to have a "quantitative" component?  
Not necessarily . As noted above, the GATT and WTO  jurisprudence have consistently found that the 
scope of Article  XI is comprehensive  and extends to all measures prohibiting or restricting the 
importation, exportation, or sale for exports of products other than measures that  take the form of 
duties, taxes or other charges . More specifically, the WTO jurisprudence clarifies that restrictions  
covered by Article  XI "need not to be a blanket pro hibition or a precise numerical limit "; it is sufficient 
that they have a " limiting effect " on trade .22 Moreover, if the design, structure or architecture of the 
measure falls within the scope of measures under Article  X:1, "it would not be necessary to consider 
trade volumes or a causal link between the measure and its effects on trade volumes ".23 
 
1.4  Are all quantitative restrictions  prohibited?  
No. Although Article  XI:1 of the GATT  1994 provides for the general elimination  of quantitative 
restrictions, Members are allowed to introduce or maintain them in a limited number of 
circumstances , as exceptions . These include, for example , the specific exceptions set out in GATT 
Article XI:2; general exceptions set out in GATT Article  XX; national secur ity exception s set out in 
GATT Article  XXI; and exceptions  described in the Agreement on Agriculture and the Agreement on 
Safeguards, as well as in other WTO  Agreements . In addition , certain  measures are implemented by 
Members as a result of obligations undertaken by them in the context of other international 
agreement s and conventions . Whenever a quantitative restriction is imposed or maintained by a 
Member , as a result  of one of these exceptions, that  Member must not discriminate in its trade with 
other  WTO Members; rather, the restriction must be applied in the same way  to all Members , as per 
Article  XIII of the GATT  1994. For more information on exceptions, see section  3 below.  
 
2  THE 2012 PROCEDURES  FOR NOTIFYING QUANT ITATIVE RESTRICTIONS  
The procedures and format for the notification of quantitative restrictions are contained in 
the 2012 QR Decision  (G/L/59/Rev.1) .24 The objective of this Decision is to enhance transparency 
on prohibitions and other restrictions introduced or maintained by Members  on their trade in goods , 
including their legal justification of such measures under WTO  rules. The QR  Decision also recognizes 
that sometimes certain measures that qualify as quantitative restrictions may have been introduced 
pursuant to other inte rnational commitments, such as multilateral environmental agreements  that, 
for the sake of transparency , should also be notified and justified under the relevant WTO  provisions. 
Finally, the QR  Decision acknowledges that some measures may already have been  notified by 
Members to other WTO  Committees or bodies and , for this reason , it allows for a cross -reference to 
be made to existing notifications . 
 
2.1  What types of measures should be notified ? 
Annex  2 of the QR  Decision provides a n indicative  list of ten  measures  that are covered by the 
notification requirements , including a list of symbols  to be used in the notification .25 Such measures 
                                                
17 Panel Report, China -Raw Materials (WT/DS394 /R), para. 7.1081 -7.1082.  
18 Panel Report, India-Quantitative Restrictions (WT/DS90 /R), para. 5.143.  
19 Panel Report, India-Quantitative Restrictions (WT/DS90 /R), para. 5.134 -5.135.  
20 Panel Report, Colombia -Ports of Entry  (WT/DS366 /R), paras.  7.274 -7.275.  
21 https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/publications_e/ai17_e/gatt1994_e.htm . 
22 Panel Report, India-Autos (WT/DS146 /R), paras.  7.269 -7.270.  
23 Panel Report, Colombia -Ports of Entry  (WT/DS366 /R), paras.  7.252 -7.253.  
24 Paragraph  8 of the QR  Decision  states that it fully replaces the previous notification procedures  
contained in the CTG  Decision of 1  December  1995 ( document  G/L/59) and the notification format in 
document  G/MA/NTM/QR/2.  
25 The list with the symbols in Annex  2 was originally contained in the Annex to the Group on 
Quantitative Rest riction's (1985) Report and the recommendation was that they should be used for future . 
notifications to the Group and other relevant GATT  bodies . See, for example, GATT  document  NTM/W/6/Rev.2 , JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  include prohibitions, global quotas, non -automatic licensing, restrictions  made effective through 
state trading operation s, mixing regulations, voluntary export restraints, and others  (see table 1) . 
The QR Decision further requires the notifying Member to specify whether the measure notified 
affects imports and /or exports, and if the measure is  "seasonal". In such cases, the suffixes "S" for 
seasonal restriction s and " X" for export restriction s should be added to the relevant symbol, as 
appropriate. For example , if a Member applies a temporary import ban, this should be reflected in 
the notifica tion with the symbol "P-S"; if the notified measure is a non -automatic export licence,  the 
symbol  NAL-X should be used.  
 
Paragraph  2(ii) of the QR  Decision indicates that, where a measure cannot be classified using one of 
the category  symbol s listed  in Ann ex 2 the notifying Member s hall instead provide a f ull description 
of the measure.  
Table 1: Measures listed in Annex  2, with symbols  
Measure  Symbol  Suffix  
(as required)  
• Prohibition  P  
 
 
 
X: Export  
S: Seasonal  • Prohibition except under defined condi tions CP 
• Global quota  GQ 
• Global quota allocated by country  GQC 
• Bilateral quota (i.e. any thing less than a global quota)  BQ 
• Non-automatic licensing  NAL 
• Quantitative restriction made effective t hrough state -trading 
operations  STR 
• Mixing reg ulation  MXR 
• Minimum price, trigge ring a quantitative restriction  MPR 
• "Voluntary" export restraint  VER 
Source: Document  G/L/59/Rev.1 . 
 
The QR  Decision states clearly that measures and symbols in Annex  2 are with out prejudice to 
Members' rights and obligations under the WTO  Agreement, and that they are "not intended to define 
or harmonize the concept of quantitative restrictions under the WTO" .26 
 
2.2  What types of measures do not need to be notified ? 
Footnote  1 lists a number of measures that are not  covered by the QR Decision and that do not , 
therefore , need to be included in the QR  notification . These cover measures that could in principle 
qualify as quantitative restrictions  within the meaning of Article  XI of the GATT  1994 but which are 
subject to more specialized rules and notification requirements  elsewhere , as well as measures that  
by definition  fall outside of the scope of Article  XI. The excluded measures  are: 
 
(a) Measures covered by the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  (see 
Article  1 and Annex  A of the SPS  Agreement);  
 
(b) measures covered by the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade  (see Article  1 and  
Annex  1 of the TBT  agreement):  
 
(c) automatic import licensing procedures  (Article  1 of the Agreement on Import Lice nsing 
Procedures defines the term "import licensing  procedure " in general, while Article  2 
defines what is understood by "au tomatic import licensing"); and  
 
(d) tariff rate quotas (TRQs) . These are sometimes referred to as "tariff quotas" in the legal 
texts, and  consist of a lower tariff ("in -quota tariff") that applies to a specific volume 
(quota volume), as well as a higher tariff ("out -of-quota tariff") that applies to all 
additional imports. In the WTO  context , these measures are considered to be tariff s. 
 
When the QR  Decision was negotiated, Members sought to  minimize duplication  with respect to other 
notifications. For this reason, some of the measures covered by the QR  Decision can be notified by 
making cross -reference t o other notifications ( for example,  non-automatic import licensing, 
                                                
p. 2. In the QR  Decision, Members agreed to use these symbols in their notification to indicate the type of 
restriction being notified . 
26 Document G/L/59/Rev.1, Footnote 1 in Annex 2 .  JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  safeguards, and others ). Nevertheless , Members expressly decided to exclude SPS and 
TBT measures from the scope of the QR Decision ; they did so in order  to avoid creating notification 
obligations that were unduly co mplex and burdensome given  the large amount of information that 
it would have been necessary to include in them had SPS and TBT  measures also been included . 
Therefore, if a Member applies a prohibition or a restriction through an SPS or TBT  measure , it is 
not necessary to  notify it pursuant to the QR  Decision.  
2.3  What are the types of notifications to be presented?  
Paragraph  1 of the QR  Decision  provides that Members shall make:  
 
(a) "Complete notifications of all quantitative restrictions in force" beginning on 
30 September  2012 and in two -yearly intervals thereafter (e.g.  no later than 
30.09.2014, 30.09.2016, 30.09.201 8, and so on ); 
 
(b) "Notification of changes" that take place between the complete notifications. These 
should be notified "as soon as possible , but not later than six  month s from their entry 
into force".  
 
Paragraph  5 of the QR  Decision allows Members to submit  "reverse" notifications, which is when 
they notify that another Member is imposing, but has not notified, a quantitative restriction. The 
"reverse" notification is then automatically included in the agenda of the Market Access Committee. 
The Member subject to a "reverse " notification from another Member has two  months from the date 
of its circulation in which to comment, in writing, on whether or not the notified measure is in force , 
and to correct any inaccurate information contained therein. If such comment is not provided within 
two months, the Secretariat shall enter into the database the information contained in the said 
"reverse" n otification.27 
  
Furthermore, in accordance with paragraph 1 of the QR Decision, Members retain their rights to 
present corrections to their notifications.  
  
2.4  When are the notifications due?  
The QR  Decision requires Members to notify every two  years all typ es of restrictions or prohibitions 
to trade that they have in force at that time (e.g. 30  September  2016). Once a complete notification 
has been submitted, and unless a change occurs in the intervening period, there is no need to 
provide another notificati on until the next biennial period (e.g.  30 September  2018). For example, 
if a new measure has been introduced , a notified measure has ceased to apply or it has been 
amended in the course of the two  years, Members shall submit a notification of changes as s oon as 
possible and no later than six  months from a new or amended measure's entry into force. C orrections 
to QR notifications  can be made at any time . 
 
A report on the status of notifications under the QR  Decision is prepared annually by the Secretariat 
and is circulated to Members under the document series  G/MA/QR/.  
Table 2: Summary of notification types and deadlines  
Notification type  Deadline  for submission  Circulated as  
First/complete notification  Every two  years (by 
30 September  2016, 2018, etc.)  G/MA/QR/Member code  
Changes to existing notification (s) As soon as possible  and no later 
than 6  months from entry into 
force of the modified measure  Addendum or Revision  
Corrections  No deadline  Corrigendum  
"Reverse" notification  No deadline  G/MA/QR/Member code  
 
2.5  What type of information should be provided  for each measure ? 
Paragraph  2 of the QR  Decision  lists seven  elements that should be provided fo r "each restriction in 
force". In general terms, these are:  
 
(1) A general description of the measure in force;  
                                                
27 To the date of this document, no "reserve" notification has been made by WTO  Members.  JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  (2) the type of measure  based on the symbols in Annex  2; 
(3) the tariff line codes of the products covered by the restriction, including the HS  version 
used (e.g.  HS2002, HS2007, HS2012,  etc.);  
(4) the detailed product descriptions that correspond to those tariff lines , particularly when 
the measure  only covers part of an HS  code; 
(5) the WTO  justification that the Member considers justifies the measure  in question , 
including  precise reference to relevant WTO  provisions, as well as  details of any relevant 
international commitment , where appropriate , and the precise WTO  provisions which 
the Member cites as justification ; 
(6) the law, regulation or administrative decision establishing the measure , including its 
date of entry into force and date on which it cease s to be enforced , if known; and  
(7) Member 's comments, including with regard to administration of the restriction or 
modification of a ny previously notified restriction.  
 
2.6  Do Members need to use a specific format  for this notification ? 
Yes. All notifications  shall be made in accordance with the format in Annex  1 and based on the 
information required in p aragraph  2 of the QR  Decision.  
 
According to Annex  1 of the QR  Decision , the format of QR  notificat ions co nsists of three elements:  
 
(1) A cover page with key information on the notification (notifying  Member , type of 
notificati on, biennial period , and others ); 
(2) Section  1, which provides a list of all quantitative restrictions in force and the 
information r equired for each of these measures; and  
(3) Section  2, where it is possible to cross -reference the QR  notification with other 
WTO notifications that also contain informatio n on, or relevant to , the quantitative 
restriction  in question . 
 
Notifications shall  be submitted  to the Secretariat in electronic form (footnote  2 of the QR  Decision ) 
and are c irculated under document symbol  G/MA/QR/N/Member code . QR notifications can be 
submitted in any of the three WTO  official languages (English, French , or Spanish) , but only the 
cover page is translated. This means that the information contained in Sections  1 and 2 of the 
QR notification will only ever be available in the language  in which it was submitted . 
 
2.7  The information was already provided to another WTO  Body. Do es it need to be 
notified again under the QR  notification?  
Yes and no . The QR  Decision provides that Members shall notify all quant itative restrictions in force. 
Members may choose to notify measures already notified to other Committees by cross-referencin g 
to the other notification in question,  as provided for in Section  2 of Annex  1 of the QR  Decision. This 
section  includes  cross-reference s to other notifications  made pursuant to the Agreement on 
Agriculture, Agreement on Balance of Payments, Agreement on  Safeguards, Agreement on Import 
Licensing Procedures (only non -automatic licensing procedures), and other agreements . 
 
However, it should  be noted that the QR  Decision requires Members to provide any relevant 
additional information on  elements of the measure pertinent to a QR  notification that may not 
necessarily have been required  in the notification submitted to another Committee that is being 
cross-referenced. An alternative approach would be to include all the information requested in 
Sectio n 1, irrespective of whether or not that information has already been provided in the context 
of another WTO  notification require ment.  
 
2.8  What happen s once the QR notification is submitted?  
The notification will be circulated by the Secretariat under the G/M A/QR/N/ document symbol and it 
will automatically be included in the agenda of the next meeting of the Market Access Committee.  
At the Committee's meeting, Members will have an opportunity to comment on the notification, to 
request additional information, both orally and in writing, and at the appropriate time, when no more 
questions are pending, to conclude their consideration of the notification . JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  3  EXCEPTIONS TO THE GE NERAL PROHIBITION  OF QUANTITATIVE RES TRICTIONS  
3.1  Will the notification of a quantitative restriction automatically  imply a violation of 
Article  XI of the GATT  1994?  
Not necessarily . Article  XI:1 of the GATT  1994 requires  Members not to institute or maintain the 
types of measures described therein . There are, however, several provi sions in the GATT and other 
WTO Agreements that allow for the introduction or maintenance of quantitative restrictions  as 
exception s. 
 
The information that has been provided thus far in the notifications submitted by Members suggests 
that Members maintain prohibitions or restrictions that relate , for example,  to trade in nuclear 
material, to narcotic drugs, to weapons, and to dangerous chemicals . Provisions that have been 
invoked by Members to justify the introduction or maintenance of quantitative restrictions include, 
inter alia , Articles  XI:2, XII, XVIII, XIX, XX, and XXI of the GATT  1994, Annex  5 of the Agreement 
on Agriculture, the Understanding on Balance of Payments, an d the Agreement on Safeguards , 
among others . 
Table 3 Examples of exceptions to the p rohibition set forth in Article  XI:1* 
Provision/Agreement  Description  of QRs that could be introduced or maintained , as an 
exception  
Article  XI:2 of the GATT  
Quantitative Restrictions  • Measures temporarily applied to prevent or relieve critical shortages 
of foodstuffs or other essential products;  
• Application of standards or regulations for the classification, grading 
or marketing of commodities in international trade;  
• Import restrictions on any [agricultural ]28 or fisheries product 
necessary to enforce certain types of government measures  
Article  XII of the GATT and 
the Agreement on Balance of 
Payments  • Restrict ion on  the quantity of imported goods i n order to safeguard 
the external financial position and the balance of payments  
Article  XVII of the GATT  
State -trading Enterprises  • Import  or export restrictions made effective through State -trading  
operations  
Article  XVIII of the GATT  
plus the Enabling Clause  • Governmental assistance for economic development  through 
protective or ot her measures affecting imports.  
Article  XIX of the GATT and 
the Agreement on 
Safeguards  • Emergency actions (safeguards) in the form of quotas in case of 
serious injury, or threat thereof, to domestic producers.  
Article  XX of the GATT / 
General exceptions  • Measure necessary to protect public morals  or human, animal or 
plant life or health ; measures relating to  the import or export of gold 
or silver ; to the products of prison labour ; for the protection of  
national treasures ; for the conservation of exhaustible natural 
resource s. 
Article  XXI of the GATT / 
Security exceptions  • Measures or actions that are  necessary for the protection o f essential 
security interests  
Waivers  (Article  IX:3 of the 
Marrakech Agreement ) • Waivers  on obligation s imposed by the GATT  or any of the 
Multilateral Trade Agreements  
Annex  5 of the Agreement 
on Agriculture  • Some Members were allowed temporarily to deviate from the 
provision of  Article  4:2 of the  Agreement on Agriculture, which 
required Members to tarify  certain measures. Products subject to this 
special treatment had  to be designated with the symbol "ST -Annex  5" 
in Section I -B of Part  I of the  Member's  Schedule . 
* Indicative  list 
3.2  Other international obligations  
WTO Members have also adopted prohibitions  and restrictions  to trade  as a result of international 
obligat ions undertaken outside the WTO  framework. The vast majority of WTO  Members are 
signatories  to a number of international conventions that regulate or restrict trade in certain goods, 
such as the Montreal Protocol  on Substances that Deplete the O zone Layer, the  Convention to protect 
                                                
28 In a recent decision, the Appellate Body confirmed that, by virtue of Article  21.1 of the Agreement on 
Agriculture, Article  XI:2(c) of the GATT  1994 cannot be relied upon to justify or exempt measures falling within 
the prohibition of quantitative  import restrictions under Article 4.2 of the Agreement on Agriculture.  See report 
by the Appellate Body in WT/DS477/AB/R.  JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  endangered species  (CITES) , or the Basel Convention on hazardous wastes .29 When a Member 
applies a quantitative restriction as a result of other international commit ments, it must also notify 
it under the QR  Decision and  provide  an indication of which WTO  provision , in its opinion, permits 
the exception . For example, Members  that have notified measures maintained pursuant to a 
multilateral environmental agreement  have typically indicated Article  XX of the GATT  as legal 
justification for the measures.  
Table 4 Examples of non -WTO international obligations * that may result in quantitative 
restrictions  
Agreement/Convention  Obligation  
The Montreal Protocol  on 
Substanc es that Deplete the 
Ozone Layer  Control measures on  the production and consumption  of ozone 
depleting substances – chemicals , including control trade measures  
Basel Convention on 
Hazardous Wastes  Restriction s on the  transboundar y movements of hazardous wastes  
and other wastes and their disposal, including illegal traffic  
 
Rotterdam Convention  Ban or severe restriction on international trade of certain hazardous 
chemicals and p esticide s in order to  protect human health and the 
environment  
The Stockholm Convention 
on Persistent Organic 
Pollutants  Measures to reduce or eliminate the production and use, as well as 
the import and export, of the intentionally produced persistent organic 
pollutants  
UN Convention against Illicit 
Traffic in Narcotic, Drugs 
and Psychotropic 
Substances  Measures against illicit traffic i n narcotic drugs and psychotropic 
substances, including provisions against money laundering and the 
diversion of precursor chemicals  
The B iological Weapons 
Convention/Chemical 
Weapons Convention  Eliminate weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the 
development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer 
or use of such weapons  
Convention on International 
Trade in Endangered  
Species of Wild Fauna and 
Flora (CITES)  Regulates international trade in wildlife (animals, plants and their 
parts and derivatives) for conservation and sustainable use purposes 
and prohibits international commercial trade in wild specimens of a 
number of  species threatened with extinction  or endangered .  
 
UNESCO Convention on the 
Means of Prohibiting and 
Preventing the Illicit 
Import, Export and Transfer 
of Ownership of Cultural 
Property  Preventive  measures to impede the illicit import and export of cultural 
property ( for example,  export certificates, and monitoring of trade)  
Treaty on the 
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear 
Weapons  Non-nuclear -weapon States Parties undertake not to acquire or 
produce nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices  
* Indicative  list 
 
4  OVERVIEW OF QR  NOTIFICATIONS  RECEIVED30 
In an effort to improve Members' understanding  of quantitative restrictions and also to assist them 
in comply ing with the QR  notification requirements, the Secretariat regularly prepares a factual 
report analyzing  the content and information provided in the notifications received , which is 
circulated as document  G/MA/W/114 and its revisions. A second  report on t he status of notification s 
is circulated under the G/MA/QR/  document series.  
 
4.1  What are the most frequently notified measures?  
The majority of quantitative restrictions  that have been notified by Members consist of import 
measures (more than 60%) and to a lesser extent e xport -related  measures  (around 30%) . In terms 
of the specific ty pes of measures that have been notified, most of them relate to non-automatic 
                                                
29 For more information on trade-related measures pursuant to certain multilateral environmental 
agreements , see WTO document WT/CTE/W /160/Rev.8 . 
30 See G/MA/W/114/Rev.1 of 27 April 2017.  JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  licensing procedures  and prohibitions , applying both to imports  and export s. Quotas31, either global 
or allocated by country, to date  represent only a very small number of the measures  notified . 
Table 5: Examples of quantitative restrictions notified by WTO  Members under the 
QR Decision  
Example of notified measures:  
Restriction/prohibition to import/export nuclear and radioactive materials and substances, and radioactive 
waste  
Restriction/prohibition to import/export explosives  
Restriction/prohibition to import/export chemical weapons, chemicals and their precursors  
Restriction/prohibition to import/export asbestos and goods containing asbestos, and haza rdous waste  
Restriction/prohibition to import/export narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and related chemicals  
Restriction/prohibition to import/export ozone -depleting substances  
Restriction/prohibition to import/export rough diamonds from non -participants of the Kimberley Process  
Restriction/prohibition to import/export certain hazardous chemicals, pesticides and persistent organic 
pollutants  
Restriction of trade in endangered animal and plant species for the protection of species of wild fauna an d 
flora 
Trade restrictions of certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman 
or degrading treatment or punishment  
Restrictions on export of cultural heritage and archeological goods  
Prohibition to import child pornography  
Prohibition to import and export printed and audio -visual materials containing calls to extremist and terrorist 
activity or public justifications of terrorism  
Prohibition/restriction to import alcohol  
Prohibition to import plastic bags  
Import and/or export restrictions of human organs and tissues, blood and its components, samples of 
biological materials  
Source: WTO  Members' notifications. No n-exhaustive list.  
 
4.2  What types of  WTO  justification  have been  used?  
Paragraph 2(v) of the QR Dec ision requires Members to provide an indication of the grounds and 
WTO justification for the measures maintained . The GATT  1994 is the most frequently cited 
WTO Agreement , with particular reference to the g eneral exception s under Article  XX. Within this 
provision, the most frequently cited clause is paragraph  (b), which relates to measures  "necessary 
to protect human, animal or plant life or health" . Besides the GATT  1994, Members have referred , 
even if to a lesser extent , to other provisions when justifying a measure , such as the "Kimberl ey 
Process" Waiver32 or the TRIPS  Agreement.  
 
In addition , Paragraph 2(v) of the QR Decision  requires Members to provide a justification under the 
relevant WTO provisions for "any relevant international commitment w here appropriate". To date, 
several notifications h ave provided information on non -WTO agreements, but Members have taken 
different approaches. While some have included very detailed information, others have not made 
reference to them  despite being parties  to those international conventions.  The most frequently cited 
international conventions in the notifications  received to date  include the Montreal Protocol, CITES, 
the Rotterdam Convention, and the Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes . In most cases, the legal 
justification used was Article XX of the GATT (general exceptions).  
 
5  SOURCE OF INFORMATIO N ON QUANTITATIVE RESTRIC TIONS  
When preparing a notification,  it could be useful to first become acquainted with the types of 
measures that have been notified by other Members, as many of these measures have already been 
applied by other Members . Specific information  relating to quantitative restrictions  can also be found 
in a number of other sources.  This section provides an overview of possible sources of information 
that could be useful when preparing a QR  notification.  
                                                
31 A quota is a restriction (i.e. an absolute volume) on the quantity of a good that may be imported by, 
or exported from, a country. It should not be confused with a "tariff quota" or "tariff rate quota"  (TRQ), which 
consist in the application of a reduced tariff rate (i.e. in -quota duty) for a specified quantity of imported goods; 
imports above this specified quantity face a higher tariff rate (i.e. out -of-quota duty). TRQs are commonly used 
for agricult ural products. Footnote  1 of the QR  Decision explicitly excludes TRQs from its scope.  
32 Consists on a waiver from paragraphs 1 of Article XI, 1 of Article I, and 1 of Article XIII of the GATT to 
regulate the international trade in rough diamonds consistent  with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme 
(WT/L/518 and extensions) . JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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5.1  WTO  official documents  
QR notifications are circulated under the G/MA/QR/N/ document symbol and are accessible through 
Documents O n-Line (http://docsonline.wto.org).  Members can also find information in the official 
documents of the Committee on Market Access, such as the minutes of the meetings  (G/MA/M/ - 
series ), the Annual Report to the Council for Trade in Goods  (G/L/223/ series) , as well as in the 
yearly report prepared by the Secretariat on the status of notifications pursuant to paragraph  7 of 
the QR  Decision  (G/MA/QR/ series) . 
 
5.2  The QR  database  
Paragraph  4 of the QR  Decision established a database on Quantitative Restrictions 
(http://qr.wto.org ), which was launched in May  2014 and that compiles all notifications su bmitted 
by Members under the QR  Decision.  This database allows users to query information according to 
specific selection criteria, such as product, reporting Member, t ype of measure, trading partner, and 
others. It also allows users to prepare different types of reports and is updated every time a new 
notification is received.  
 
5.3  I-TIP database  
Data on QR  notifications can also be accessed through the Integrated Trade Int elligence Portal 
(I-TIP) ( https://www.wto.org/english/res_e/statis_e/itip_e.htm ), which provides a single  entry 
point for information com piled by the WTO on several non -tariff measures.  
 
5.4  Other sources  
The WTO  website contains a dedicated section on quantitative restrictions , where it is possible to 
find a range of information  concerning the relevant legal provisions, disputes, the Committee on 
Market Access, as well as the documents and formats for notifications  (available for download ), links 
to the database and other resources, related news and events, and a video explaining the 
QR notification Decision .33 
 
The Trade Policy Review (TPR) Mechanism is another useful source of information o n quantitative 
restrictions that are maintained by Members . In particular , Section  3, on "Trade policies and 
practices by measure", which provides information on import and export prohibitions and restrictions  
that must be notified pursuant to the QR  notification  obligation .34 
 
Information on measures applied by Members can be found in the "trade monitoring report" , which 
is an annual report prepared by the WTO  Secretariat  and circulated under document symbol 
WT/TPR/OV/. The tables in the annexes to this report include information on prohibitions and 
restrictions, b ut only when these are not related to TBT  and SPS  matters.  
 
Since there may be an overlap with other WTO  notifications, it is also  advisable to take into 
consider ation notifications  submitted by  the Member to other Committees  of the types referred to in 
Section  2 of Annex  1 (e.g.  G/AG/N/, WT/BOP/N/, G/SG/N/, G/LIC/N/, and so on ). 
 
Finally , certain international organizations (e.g. the ITC, UNCTAD, the World Bank, and the OECD) 
also collect and pu blish information that may prove  useful when preparing a QR  notification.  
 
5.5  National sources  
Since n ational customs authorities are the bodies typically  in charge of enforcing quantitative 
restrictions at the border, these  will normally keep detailed information on all the prohibitions and 
restrictions in force. Some of them will also have the information in database format, and at the 
tariff line level, which may considerably simplify the preparation of a notification. Other Ministries or 
national agencies may also keep the  relevant information, in particular with respect to prohibitions 
and certain import  and export  permits.  
                                                
33 https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/markacc_e/qr_e.htm .  
34 Trade Policy Re views are available th rough the WTO website: 
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tpr_e.htm ). JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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  5.6  How can I get  assistance  to prepare a notification ? 
Paragraph  6 of the QR  Decision provides that the WTO  Secretariat shall assist developing and 
least-developed countries in the preparation of their notification, at their request. Upon request, the 
Secretariat can also review  draft notifications before they are formally submitted  so as to ensure 
their conform ity with regard to format and content . 
  JOB/MA/101/Rev.2  
 
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ANNEX 1  
Article XI of the GATT 1994: "General Elimination of Quantitative Restrictions"  
 
1. No prohibitions or restrictions other than duties, taxes or other charges, whether made 
effective through quotas,  import or export licences or other measures, shall be instituted or 
maintained by any contracting party on the importation of any product of the territory of any 
other contracting party or on the exportation or sale for export of any product destined for the 
territory of any other contracting party.  
 
2. The provisions of paragraph  1 of this Article shall not extend to the following:  
 
a) Export prohibitions or restrictions temporarily applied to prevent or relieve critical 
shortages of foodstuffs or other products essential to the exporting contracting party;  
b) Import and export prohibitions or restrictions necessary to the application of standards 
or regulations for the classification, grading or marketing of commodities in 
international trade;  
c) Import restri ctions on any agricultural or fisheries product, imported in any form *, 
necessary to the enforcement of governmental measures which operate:  
 
i. to restrict the quantities of the like domestic product permitted to be marketed or 
produced, or, if there is no s ubstantial domestic production of the like product, of 
a domestic product for which the imported product can be directly substituted; or  
ii. to remove a temporary surplus of the like domestic product, or, if there is no 
substantial domestic production of the l ike product, of a domestic product for which 
the imported product can be directly substituted, by making the surplus available 
to certain groups of domestic consumers free of charge or at prices below the 
current market level; or  
iii. to restrict the quantities  permitted to be produced of any animal product the 
production of which is directly dependent, wholly or mainly, on the imported 
commodity, if the domestic production of that commodity is relatively negligible.  
 
Any contracting party applying restrictions on the importation of any product pursuant to 
subparagraph  (c) of this paragraph shall give public notice of the total quantity or value of the 
product permitted to be imported during a specified future period and of any change in such 
quantity or value. M oreover, any  restrictions applied under (i)  above shall not be such as will 
reduce the total of imports relative to the total of domestic production, as compared with the 
proportion which might reasonably be expected to rule between the two in the absence of 
restrictions. In determining this proportion, the contracting party shall pay due regard to the 
proportion prevailing during a previous representative period and to any special factors* which 
may have affected or may be affecting the trade in the produc t concerned.  
 
 
 
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