WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/L/903 
23 October 2009 
 (09-5264) 
  
 
 
 
REPORT (2009) OF THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORT LICENSING 
TO THE COUNCIL FOR 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 procedur es 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 relati ng 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 Observe r status in the Committ ee. 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 si nce the Committee's last annual report (G/L/868), 
i.e. 21 October 2008 - 19 October 2009 (hereinafter "t he review period").  During the review period, 
the Committee held two meetings on 30 April a nd 19 October 2009 (G/LIC/M/29 and G/LIC/M/30).  
At its meeting on 30 April 2009, the Committee took  note of the nomination of Mr. Marco J. Kassaja 
(Tanzania) as Chairperson of the Committee for the current year and elected him by acclamation.  At 
that meeting, the Committee elected as Vice-Chairp erson for the current year, Mrs. Anna Ashikali 
(Cyprus).  Pursuant to 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 thei r 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 notified.  Since the entry into force of the WTO 
Agreement, 96 Members
1 have notified the Committee of their legislation and/or publications under 
these provisions.  During the review period, the Committee received ten notifications from the following ten Members: Albania; Argentina; Braz il; Canada; Croatia; Former  Yugoslav Republic of 
Macedonia; India;  Morocco; Turkey and the Unite d States. (see Figure 1).  These notifications may 
be found in document series G/LIC/N/1/-.  Copies of  publications and legisla tion submitted with these 
notifications are available for consultation in the Secretariat. 
                                                     
 
1 The European Communities and its Member States counted as one Member. G/L/903 
Page 2  
 
  6. The Committee also received, pursuant to pa ragraphs 5.1-5.4 of Article 5, twenty-six 
notifications relating to the institution of new import licensing procedures or changes in these 
procedures from ten Members: Albania; Argentin a; Brazil; Croatia; Hong Kong, China; Former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia; Indonesia; Korea; Singapore and the United States (see Figure 1).  These notifications may be found in document series G/ LIC/N/2/-.  Since the entry into force of the 
WTO Agreement 32 Members
1 have submitted notifications under these provisions.  Article 5.5 of the 
Agreement allows Members to submit reverse notific ations, where a Member considers that another 
Member has not notified the institution of a licen sing procedure or changes in the procedures.  
However, no such reverse notifications have been  received under this provision since the entry into 
force of the Agreement. 
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.  Since the entry into force of the WTO 
Agreement, 95 Members1 have made notifications under this prov ision.  This includes replies to the 
Questionnaire from 11 Members in 1995,  22 Members in 1996, 25 Members in 1997, 26 Members in 1998, 20 Members in 1999, 32 Members in 2000, 23 Members in 2001, 41 Members in 2002, 
25 Members in 2003, 21 Members in 2004, 19 Members in 2005, 46 Members in 2006; 37 Members 
in 2007 and 31 Members in 2008
1.  During the review period, the Committee received 50 notifications 
from the following 39 Members:  Albania; Brazil; Cameroon; Canada;  Chile; China; Colombia; 
Costa Rica; Cuba; Dominican Republic; Ecuado r; European Communities; Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia; Ghana; Grenada; Hondur as; Hong Kong, China; Japan; Korea; Macao, 
China; Madagascar; Mauritius; Morocco; Nicaragua ; Nigeria; Norway; Oman; Senegal; Singapore; 
Suriname; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; the Philippines; Qatar; Trinidad and Tobago; Turkey; Ukraine; 
Uruguay and the United States. (see Figure 1).  These notifications may be found in document series G/LIC/N/3/-.  
FIGURE 1: NUMBER OF MEMBERS HAVING NOTIFIED  AND NUMBER OF 
NOTIFICATIONS SUBMITTED  DURI NG THE REVIEW PERIOD  2008-2009 
0102030405060
N/1 Notif N/2 Notif N/3 NotifNo. of Members
having notified
No. of Notifications
 
8. Written comments and questions from Members concerning the notifications submitted to the 
Committee and/or on import licensing procedures mainta ined by Members, and replies thereto, may 
be found in document series G/LIC/Q/-3.  During the review period, such comments and questions 
                                                      
2 Annexed to document G/LIC/3. 
3 See understanding on Procedures for the Review of Notifications (G/LIC/4).  G/L/903 
 Page 3 
 
 
  were submitted by Australia to China (G/LIC/Q/C HN/22/Add.1 and Corr.1); by Canada, China, the 
European Communities, Japan and the United States to Argentina (G/LIC/Q/ARG/6); by Canada to 
Brazil (G/LIC/Q/BRA/8),  to China (G/LIC/Q/CHN /24) and to Indonesia (G/LIC/Q/IDN/12);  by 
China to Brazil (G/LIC/Q/BRA/5/Add.1); by Korea to India (G/LIC/Q/IND/13);  by Mexico to Brazil (G/LIC/Q/BRA/10) and to Venezuela (G/LIC/Q/VEN/5 );  by Peru to Argentina (G/LIC/Q/ARG/7);  
by Thailand to Brazil (G/LIC/Q/BRA/7) and to I ndonesia (G/LIC/Q/IDN/10);  by the United States to 
Argentina (G/LIC/Q/ARG/3/Add.1), to India (G/LIC/Q/IND/11/Add.1) and to Indonesia 
(G/LIC/Q/IDN/9/Add.1); by the United States  and the European Communities to Indonesia 
(G/LIC/Q/IDN/11).  Responses were provided by Ar gentina to questions from Canada, China, the 
European Communities, Japan and the United Stat es (G/LIC/ARG/8) and to questions from Peru 
(G/LIC/Q/ARG/9); by Brazil to questions from Canada (G/LIC/Q/BRA/9), from China 
(G/LIC/Q/BRA/11), from Thailand (G/LIC/Q/BRA/ 12), and from the United States (G/LIC/Q/BRA/6 
and G/LIC/Q/BRA/13);  by China to questions fro m Australia (G/LIC/Q/CHN/26) and from Canada 
(G/LIC/Q/CHN/25);  by India to questions from the United States (G/LIC/Q/IND/14);  by India to 
Korea (G/LIC/Q/IND/15);  by Indonesia to questio ns from the United States (G/LIC/Q/IDN/13) and 
from the United States and the European Communities (G/LIC/Q/IDN/14);  and, by  the Philippines to 
questions from the United States (G/LIC/Q/PHL/3).  
9. The Committee has provided a regular forum for the discussion of specific notifications 
submitted by Members.  As evident in the Annex to this report, there has been an improvement in the 
level of compliance with the mandatory notificati on requirements under Articles 1.4(a), 8.2(b) and 7.3 
and with the ad hoc notification requirement under Ar ticle 5;  but there stills  some important gaps.  
Members' compliance with the transparency oblig ations of the Agreement has been the main 
preoccupation of the Committee for some time now.  10. During the review period, some Members had subm itted, for the first time, notifications to the 
Committee under various Articles of the Agreem ent: under Article 5: Croatia and the Former 
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;  and,  under Article 7.3:  Ni caragua;  the Former Yugoslav 
Republic of Macedonia and Suriname.  Nevertheless, at its meetings of 30 April and 19 October 2009, 
the Chair expressed continuing concern over the fa ilure of many Members to submit the required 
notifications and once again urged Members who had not yet notified and had not updated their 
notifications or provided clarifications sought by other Members to do so as soon as possible.  
11. At its meeting of 19 October 2009, the Co mmittee conducted the eighth transitional review, 
as appropriate to its mandate, of the implementa tion by China of the WTO Agreement and of the 
related provisions of its  Protocol of Accession
4, as provided for in Paragraph 18 of the Protocol on the 
Accession of the People's Republic of China to th e WTO (G/LIC/M/30, paragraphs 3.1-3.7).  The 
report of the Committee to the Council for Trade in Goods on this review is contained in document 
G/LIC/20. 
   
                                                     
 
4 WT/L/432. G/L/903 
Page 4  
 
  ANNEX  
 
Notifications
1 
 
NOTIFICATIONS  SUBMITTED  BY MEMBERS  SINCE  THE  ENTRY  INTO  FORCE  OF THE  
AGREEMENT  UNTIL  13 OCTOBER  2009 
MEMBERS2 N/13 DATE N/24 DATE N/35 DATE 
ALBANIA N/1/ALB/3 07.10.09 N/2/ ALB/2 28.11.08 N/ 3/ALB/3 22.12.08 
ANGOLA             
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA N/1/ATG/1 31.01. 02     N/3/ATG/2 30.01.02 
ARGENTINA N/1/ARG/3 17.09.09 N/2/ ARG/21 17.09.09 N/3/ARG/5 10.09.08 
ARMENIA N/1/ARM/4 24.09.07     N/3/ARM/5 03.10.08 
AUSTRALIA N/1/AUS/1/A.1 22.05.97 N/ 2/AUS/1 14.06.04 N/3/AUS/3 23.10.06 
BAHRAIN N/1/BHR/1 13.06.97     N/3/BHR/1 15.09.00 
BANGLADESH N/1/BGD/2 01.04.05     N/3/BGD/4 05.10.07 
BARBADOS N/1//BRB/1 04.10.96     N/3/BRB/4 27.09.07 
BELIZE             
BENIN N/1/BEN/1 10.02.97         
BOLIVIA N/1/BOL/1 16.06.97     N/3/BOL/3 29.06.00 
BOTSWANA             
BRAZIL N/1/BRA/4 01.12.08 N/2/BRA /4 08.12.08 N/3/BRA/7 01.12.08 
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM         N/3/BRN/1 10.04.97 
BURKINA FASO N/1/BFA/1 10.02.97     N/3/BFA/1/A.1 18.12.00 
BURUNDI N/1/BDI/1 27.04.01     N/3/BDI/2 07.11.01 
CAMBODIA             
CAMEROON N/1/CMR/1 18.09.01     N/3/CMR/3 25.09.09 
CANADA N/1/CAN/2 10.06.09     N/3/CAN/7 17.10.08 
CAPE VERDE             
CENTRAL AFRICAN REP.             
CHAD N/1/TCD/2 16.08.00     N/3/TCD/2 20.08.01 
CHILE N/1/CHL/1 31.07.06     N/3/CHL/4 17.03.09 
CHINA N/1/CHN/5 20.03.06     N/3/CHN/7 17.10.08 
                                                      
1 The title "Date" refers to the da te of issuance of the document. 
2 The European Communities and its Member States counted as one Member. 
3 Article 1.4(a) and/or Article 8.2(b) publications and/or legislation (date of latest communication). 
4 Article 5.1-5.4 – Ad hoc New import licensing procedures or changes (date of latest communication). 
5 Article 7.3 – Annual Replies to Questionnaire (date of latest communication).  G/L/903 
 Page 5 
 
 
  MEMBERS2 N/13 DATE N/24 DATE N/35 DATE 
COLOMBIA N/1/COL/2 08.10.07     N/3/COL/7 17.03.09 
CONGO             
COSTA RICA N/1/CRI/2 15.03.07 N/ 2/CRI/1 15.03.07 N/3/CRI/6 09.10.09 
COTE D'IVOIRE N/1/CIV/1 08.02. 02     N/3/CIV/2 05.10.07 
CROATIA N/1/HRV/4 18.09.09  N/2/HR V/1  09.10.09 N/3/HRV/3 04.04.05 
CUBA N/1/CUB/1 24.01.96     N/3/CUB/3 20.01.09 
CONGO DEM. REP. OF  N/1/COD/1 19.10.06     N/3/COD/1 18.10.06 
DJIBOUTI             
DOMINICA N/1/DMA/1 22.02.01     N/3/DMA/2 06.12.06 
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC N/1/DOM/1 04.05. 04     N/3/DOM/3+A.1 28.08.09 
EC COMMISSION N/1/EEC/2/A.4 10.01.03 N/ 2/EEC/2 14.07.97 N/3/EEC/12/A.1 09.10.09 
ECUADOR N/1/ECU/2 15.06.06     N/3/ECU/2 20.12.02 
EGYPT              
EL SALVADOR N/1/SLV/1 03.02.04         
REP. OF THE FIJI ISLANDS N/1/FJ I/1 03.09.97     N/3/FJI/1 16.04.97 
FMR. YUGOSLAV REP. OF  
MACEDONIA N/1/MKD/2 17.03.09  N/2/MKD/1 17.04.09  N/3/MKD/1  17.04.09 
GABON N/1/GAB/2 13.03.02         
GAMBIA         N/3/GMB/2 27.09.07 
GEORGIA N/1/GEO/1 08.04.02     N/3/GEO/3 04.09.06 
GHANA N/1/GHA/1 21.04.04     N/3/GHA/4 29.09.09 
GRENADA N/1/GRD/1 10.04.02     N/3/GRD/3 09.10.09 
GUATEMALA N/1/GTM/2 28.01.00     N/3/GTM/4 09.11.07 
GUINEA BISSAU             
GUINEA, REP.OF             
GUYANA N/1/GUY/1 10.04.02     N/3/GUY/2 28.10.03 
HAITI N/1/HTI/2 27.10.06     N/3/HTI/4 21.09.07 
HONDURAS N/1/HND/1 03.12.96 N/2/ HND/3 12.11.07 N/3/HND/3 23.09.09 
HONG KONG, CHINA N/1/HKG/5 07.01.03 N/2/HKG/4 18.09.09 N/3/HKG/13 18.09.09 
ICELAND N/1/ISL/1 26.01.99     N/3/ISL/3 28.10.04 
INDIA N/1/IND/12 19.10.09 N/2/I ND/10 22.09.08 N/3/IND/10 22.09.08 
INDONESIA N/1/IDN/1 02.11.98 N/2/ IDN/3 06.07.09 N/3/IDN/3 27.11.06 
ISRAEL N/1/ISR/1 19.10.06 N/2/IS R/1 19.10.06 N/3/ISR/1 19.10.06 
JAMAICA N/1/JAM/1 11.07.96 N/2/ JAM/1 01.10.03 N/ 3/JAM/3 03.09.08 
G/L/903 
Page 6  
 
  MEMBERS2 N/13 DATE N/24 DATE N/35 DATE 
JAPAN N/1/JPN/2/R.1 26.02.97 N/2/JPN/3 27.04. 01 N/3/JPN/8 07.10.09 
JORDAN N/1/JOR/2/A.1 03.09.03 N/ 2/JOR/2 10.06.05 N/ 3/JOR/1 11.12.00 
KENYA N/1/KEN/1 12.06.03     N/3/KEN/2/A.1 12.06.03 
KOREA, REP. OF N/1/KOR/3 14.04.98 N/2/KOR/1/R
1 27.07.09 N/3/KOR/7 28.11.08 
KUWAIT N/1/KWT/1 18.05.07         
KYRGYZ REPUBLIC N/1/KGZ/1 18. 01.00     N/3/KGZ/2 09.10.06 
LESOTHO         N/3/LSO/1 06.06.08 
LIECHTENSTEIN N/1/LIE/2 26.10.00 N/2/ LIE/2 26.10.00 N/3/LIE/4/A.1 14.04.03 
MACAO, CHINA N/1/MAC/3 10.12. 07     N/3/MAC/12 06.10.09 
MADAGASCAR N/1/MDG/2 25.04.00     N/3/MDG/4 01.04.09 
MALAWI N/1/MWI/1 13.10.99     N/3/MWI/2 03.10.06 
MALAYSIA     N/2/MYS/ 3 17.10.08 N/3/MYS/4 17.10.08 
MALDIVES         N/3/MDV/1 15.04.02 
MALI N/1/MLI/1 27.08.01     N/3/MLI/2 27.08.01 
MAURITANIA             
MAURITIUS N/1/MUS/2 11.05.07 N/2/ MUS/1 17.03.08 N/ 3/MUS/3 17.03.08 
MEXICO N/1/MEX/2 18.10.06     N/3/MEX/2 18.10.06 
MOLDOVA N/1/MDA/1 22. 01.02 N/2/MDA/1 16.10.08   N/3/MDA/1 08.02.02 
MONGOLIA N/1/MNG/ 1 27.04.01     N/3/MNG/1 12.06.03 
MOROCCO N/1/MAR/1/A.1/
R.1 08.10.09     N/3/MAR/7/R.1 09.10.09 
MOZAMBIQUE             
MYANMAR             
NAMIBIA N/1/NAM/1 29.10.02     N/3/NAM/4 29.10.02 
NEPAL             
NEW ZEALAND N/1/NZL/1 22.08.96     N/3/NZL/1/A.1 06.04.98 
NICARAGUA N/1/NIC/1 05.08.96     N/3/NIC/1  13.10.09 
NIGER N/1/NER/1 12.01.98         
NIGERIA N/1/NGA/1 18.02.98 N/2/ NGA/2 18.02.98 N/3/NGA/5 21.07.09 
NORWAY N/1/NOR/2 03.12.97     N/3/NOR/4 29.09.09 
OMAN N/1/OMN/1 20.02.01     N/3/OMN/4 08.05.09 
PAKISTAN N/1/PAK/1 29.05.96 N/2/PAK/1 29.05.96     
PANAMA N/1/PAN/2 16. 11.98 N/2/PAN/1 18.08. 98 N/3/PAN/2 04.03.04 
PAPUA NEW GUINEA     N/2/PNG/1 17.02.98     
 G/L/903 
 Page 7 
 
 
  MEMBERS2 N/13 DATE N/24 DATE N/35 DATE 
PARAGUAY N/1/PRY/1 12.06.03         
PERU N/1/PER/2/R.1 31.05.05     N/3/PER/5 21.09.07 
PHILIPPINES N/1/PHL/1 14.04. 98     N/3/PHL/6 25.02.09 
QATAR N/1/QAT/1 02.04.98     N/3/QAT/6 17.04.09 
RWANDA         N/3/RWA/1 20.07.06 
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS N/1/KNA/1 07.08.98         
ST. LUCIA N/1/LCA/3 10.07.08 N/2/ LCA/2 17.10.02 N/3/LCA/5 29.09.08 
ST. VINCENT & 
GRENADINES             
SAUDI ARABIA         N/3/SAU/1 18.10.06 
SENEGAL N/1/SEN/1 23.10.02     N/3/SEN/3 .07.10.09 
SIERRA LEONE             
SINGAPORE N/1/SGP/5 04.04.08 N/2/SGP/5 05.10. 09 N/3/SGP/7 06.10.09 
SOLOMON ISLANDS             
SOUTH AFRICA     N/2/ZA F/1 15.07.97 N/3/ZAF/4 17.09.02 
SRI LANKA N/1/LKA/1 20.05.03     N/3/LKA/1 27.05.03 
SURINAME N/1/SUR/1 15.12.03      N/3/SUR/1  09.10.09 
SWAZILAND N/1/SWZ/1 04.10.96         
SWITZERLAND N/1/CHE/2 26.09.00 N/2/CH E/2 26.09.00 N/3/CH E/4/A.1 14.04.03 
CHINESE TAIPEI  N/1/TPKM/6  20.12.04 N/2/TPKM/4 20.12.04 N/3/TPKM/2/R.1 31.08.09 
TANZANIA             
THAILAND N/1/THA/1 28.09.07     N/3/THA/2 09.10.09 
TOGO N/1/TGO/1 12.06.03     N/3/TGO/1 12.06.03 
TONGA             
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO N/1/TTO/1 10.11.98     N/3/TTO/8 08.10.09 
TUNISIA N/1/TUN/2 14.02.07     N/3/TUN/5 05.10.07 
TURKEY N/1/TUR/8 29.09.09     N/3/TUR/9 29.09.09 
UGANDA N/1/UGA/1 03.10.96     N/3/UGA/1/A.2 07.10.05 
UKRAINE N/1/UKR/1 03.09.08     N/3/UKR/2 07.10.09 
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES N/1/ARE/1 18.04.97     N/3/ARE/1 25.04.00 
UNITED STATES N/1/USA/5 13.10.09 N/2/USA/2/A1 06.04.09 N/3/USA/6 13.10.09 
URUGUAY N/1/URY/3 25.09.01     N/3/URY/4 09.10.09 
VENEZUELA N/1/VEN/1 25.10.02 N/2/ VEN/5 20.05.03 N/ 3/VEN/1 27.05.02 
VIETNAM             
G/L/903 
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  MEMBERS2 N/13 DATE N/24 DATE N/35 DATE 
ZAMBIA N/1/ZMB/2 18.02.04     N/3/ZMB/2 18.02.04 
ZIMBABWE N/1/ZWE/2 28.09.98     N/3/ZWE/2 18.10.07 
TOTAL:  126 96   32   95   
 
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