WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/LIC/N/3/DOM/3/Add.1 
28 August 2009 
 
 (09-4048) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   Spanish 
  
 
REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON 
IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
1 
 
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on  
Import Licensing Procedures  
 
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
 
Addendum  
 
 
 The following communication, dated 20 July 2009, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of the Dominican Republic.  
_______________ 
  
 The Permanent Mission of the Dominican Re public is pleased to attach herewith the 
notification containing its replies to the Ques tionnaire on Import Licensing Procedures, pursuant to 
Article 7.3 of the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures. 
                                                     
 
1 See document G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire. G/LIC/N/3/DOM/3/Add.1 
Page 2  
 
  Ministry of the Environment of the Do minican Republic – Refrigerant Substances 
 
Outline of System
 
 
1. Import licences (non-automatic licences) are required for the importation of refrigerant 
substances in all forms and for all purposes.  Such substances are controlled by the Montreal Protocol 
with the aim of securing the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). 
 Authorizations are granted to all natural or legal persons that produce, export, import and use 
substances which deplete the ozone layer.  Purposes and coverage of licensing
 
 
2. Table of CFC substances to which the licensing system applies: 
Trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11) 
Dichlorodifluoromethane (CFC-12) 
Chlorotrifluoromethane (CFC-13) 
Pentachlorofluoroethane (CFC-111) 
Tetrachlorodifluoroethane  (CFC-112) 
Trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113) 
Dichlorotetrafluoroethane  (CFC-114) 
Chloropentafluoroethane  (CFC-115) 
Tetrachloromethane  (Carbon Tetrachloride) 
1, 1, 1 Trichloroethane (Methyl Chloroform)  
 
3. The system applies to all countries of the worl d with which the Dominican Republic has trade 
relations and which adhere to the Montreal Protocol. 
4. The licences are intended to reduce and eventua lly eliminate CFC consumption in accordance 
with the following schedule: 
Dominican Republic:  Plan to Reduce Consumption of  
Ozone-Depleting Substances (CFC-11, CFC-12 ) 
 
Permitted Annual Import Quotas, 2000-2010 (metric tonnes) 
YEAR CFC-11 CFC--12 
2000 156 377 
2001 140 339 
2002 124 302 
2003 109 264 2004 93 226 2005 78 188 2006 62 152 2007 46 113 
2008 31 75 
2009 15 38 2010 0 0 
  No alternative measures were considered.  Th e elimination plan was based solely on the 
system described in this document.  G/LIC/N/3/DOM/3/Add.1 
 Page 3 
 
 
   
5. The legal basis is Decree 356-99 together w ith the Regulation on Reducing the Consumption 
of Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.  Licensing for the importation of ozone-depleting 
substances is statutorily required in the Dominican Republic. 
Procedures  
 
6. With regard to imports of CFCs, the Domini can Republic has a timetable for reducing and 
eliminating imports, limiting quantities for each type of CFC refrigerant each year until the goal of 
zero imports is obtained from 2010 onwards, an undertak ing shared by all developing countries of the 
world. 
I. Information on the limited quantities to be  imported per CFC refri gerant per annum was 
published in an appendix to the General Regula tions on the Use of Substances that Deplete 
the Ozone Layer. 
 II. The quantity or volume of CFC refrigerant must be calculated on the basis of the quantity 
fixed as the baseline for the country, which is the product of the average quantities reported as 
consumed in the period 1995-1999, frozen from the year 2002 until 2010.  These quantities 
must show a gradual decrease, the percentage of which will vary according to each country's 
individual undertakings under the Montreal Protocol. 
 III. As regards products or refrigerants, the quotas ar e allocated for each type of refrigerant;  in 
the case of the Dominican Republic, only control of reduction and elimination of three types 
of CFC substances (R-12, R-502, R-11) is reco rded;  quotas are allocat ed as an average per 
type of refrigerant and the import authorizati ons are allocated for each importation applied for 
by registered firms and for a limited time, so that they are valid only for each individual 
importation and lose their validity after a certain time. 
 
 Any firm which has not imported the products w ithin this period of validity must make a new 
application for authorization. 
 IV. Quotas and quantities are annual;  they terminate on the last day of the last month of the year 
and give entitlement from the first day of the fi rst month of the year;  surplus quantities which 
have not been applied for within the period of validity may not be carried over to the 
following year.  Applications are made accordi ng to the needs or the procurement programme 
drawn up by each firm, and according to the qua ntities coming within the limits which the 
country is permitted to import each year. 
 
V. From the first day of January to the second half of December each year. 
 VI. Not applicable, as authorizations are give n within the period corresponding to each 
importation period, in this case within the current year. 
 VII. Applications for importing refrigerants ar e processed only by the Ozone Programme under 
the Ministry of the Environment and Natura l Resources (SEMARENA), which is responsible 
for applying the Montreal Protocol at national level. 
 VIII. The total quantities which the country is pe rmitted to import each year are administered by 
the Ozone Programme, which at the same time c ontrols the registration system for importers 
and distributors of these substances at na tional level.  The amounts (percentages) of 
CFC refrigerant making up the import total are a llocated by the project office to each firm in 
proportion to the average imports reported and regist ered in previous years, and are granted as G/LIC/N/3/DOM/3/Add.1 
Page 4  
 
  and when applications are received;  where a quota is available for a firm which does not 
intend to use it, it may be distributed among other registered importers for their use. 
 IX. The Dominican Republic envisages a corr esponding measure within the existing legal 
framework for the importation of ozone-depleting substances. 
 
X. Import permits and authorizations are grante d under the procedures laid down in the current 
Regulations on the Use of Ozone-Depleting Substances. 
 XI. In addition to the three CFCs referred to earlier and included in the annual CFC quotas, this 
system of authorizations comprises all refrigera nts in general, the quantities of which are not, 
however, restricted.  The only imports authorized on condition that they are not marketed inside the country are those granted to tran snational or domestic firms operating under the 
Temporary Import Rules, and solely for the firm's use;  such authorizations are granted only for non-CFC substances. 
 
7. N/A 
(a) Applications must be made before importation and are processed within the next five working 
days following the date of receipt of the app lication containing all the required information, 
otherwise not until all the information has been supplied.  For imports arriving at the port of entry without the corresponding authorization, th e latter is granted if they are within the 
permitted quantities;  otherwise the surplus or no n-permitted quantities are seized and the firm 
incurs an administrative penalty from the Minist ry of the Environment and Natural Resources. 
(b) No. 
(c) Available quotas or amounts for refrigerant imports  are valid only for the current year.  It is 
not possible to carry over quota amounts from previous years or make advance use of 
quantities for future years;  this is becau se the Dominican Republic, as a member of the 
Montreal Protocol, is required each year to co mmunicate its statistics on consumption of these 
substances, and the country's consumption is measured on the basis of imports, which may not 
exceed the annual limits permitted under the provisions of the Montreal Protocol. 
(d) The Dominican Republic's Ozone Programme, which comes under the Ministry of the 
Environment and Natural Resources, has sole  responsibility for processing applications for 
imports of refrigerants. 
8. The main reason for refusing authorization to im port refrigerants is that no quota is available 
or that the quota available to the importing firm h as been used up, or where the substance the firm 
seeks to import is not registered with the relevant o ffice or there is inadequate technical information to 
permit identification and classification of the substance. 
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
 
 
9. From the date of publication of the Regulati ons on Reducing the Consumption of Substances 
that Deplete the Ozone Layer, published in Decr ee No. 356-99, no new producer enterprises that 
import ozone-depleting substances will be included in  the Ministry of the Environment's register of 
importers.  G/LIC/N/3/DOM/3/Add.1 
 Page 5 
 
 
   The register in question will continue to include  the names of firms listed therein prior to the 
date of publication of the Regulations, their names being as follows:  
1. AutoRefricentro M & B, CxA 2. Central de Refrigeración, C.X.A 
3. Fábrica de Refrigeradores Comerciales, CxA 
4. Freeze-it Dominicana, s.a. 5. Freezer y Botelleros Continental 6. Friger del Caribe 7. Friomaster c. por a. 
8. Metalgas 
9. Petroquímicos Automotrices, S.A 10. Pochy Ieromazzo, S.A, 11. Reefer services, s.a. 12. Rafael Refojos y Asoc. 
13. REFRIPARTES, C.X.A 
14. Romaca, c. por a. 15. Suministradora Industrial, C.X.A 16. Respuestos C&h 17. Refrimport Mota 18. Frio Aire 
19. LUKASTA 
 
Documentational and other require ments for application for licence
 
 
10. Registered firms interested in continuing to import the above-mentioned substances, whether 
in pure or mixed form, must apply in writing for the corresponding authorization from the Ministry of 
the Environment and Natural Resources.  In order to have its import application processed, the firm 
must submit the following: 
(a) Import application duly signed by the legal representative of the firm. 
(b) The application must be supported by deductions of previous imports, duly certified by the 
Directorate-General of Customs. 
(c) Letter of prior consent from the competent au thority in the country of consignment, as 
established in the Montreal Protocol, or export licence issued by that authority. 
(d) Name, trade name or corporate title of the importer. 
(e) Quantity, in kilograms, of the ozone-d epleting substance to be imported. 
(f) Country of origin of the ozone-depleting substance. 
(g) Company of origin of the ozone-depleting substance. 
(h) Name of the border entry point to the country. 
(i) Date on which the importation is to be effected. 
(j) Any other information which the Ministry deems appropriate. 
 G/LIC/N/3/DOM/3/Add.1 
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  11. At the time of import, the form attached hereto, on the last page, must be submitted to the 
Directorate of Customs. 
12. The Ministry of the Environment, through the National Ozone Programme, is the body 
responsible for granting an inward clearance licence  for any of the substances listed in Articles 1 
and 2 of the Regulations on Reducing the Consumpt ion of Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. 
 Subject to analysis of the product in relation to the Montreal Protocol and subject to prior 
payment by the importer, as stipulated by the Mini stry of the Environment and Natural Resources, by 
the importer, by way of contribution to the cost of  eliminating the substance in accordance with the 
following table:  
 The Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, following analysis of the product in 
relation to the Montreal Protocol, shall determine th e payment required by way of contribution to the 
cost of eliminating the substances in accordance with the following table: 
 
- 4 per cent of the total CIF/FOB price in 1999 
- 8 per cent of the total CIF/FOB price in 2000 
- 12 per cent of the total CIF/FOB price in 2001 
 And so on successively, with a 4 per cent increase each year, as a means of discouraging use 
at the domestic level and facilitating the gra dual introduction of substitutes (Decree No. 356-99, 
Article 3).  
13. There is no deposit or advance payment requireme nt associated with the issue of an import 
licence.  The licence is issued immediately upon payment of the total cost. 
Conditions of licensing
 
 
14. The date of the licence corresponds exactly to the date of arrival of the goods at the port;  it is 
valid for 30 days from the date of issue. 
15. No penalties are available or applied for non-use of a licence. 
16. Import licences are not transferable under any circumstances. 
17. No other conditions are attached to the i ssue of a licence.  The issue of an import 
authorization is not subject to any other conditions. 
Other procedural requirements  
 
18. Imports are subject to environmental inspecti on and verification requirements in the port. 
19. N/A.  G/LIC/N/3/DOM/3/Add.1 
 Page 7 
 
 
  ANNEX  
  
Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources 
 
Undersecretariat of Environmental Management 
 
IMPORT LICENCE FOR OZONE-DEPLETING SUBSTANCES 
  
Number:  ____________ Date:__________________ 
  The Ministry of the Environment and natural Resources authorizes:  ______________________________________________________________ 
(Name of importer, natu ral or legal person) 
  Importer's registration number:  ____________________________  
 
 To import the following ozone-depleting s ubstances (ODS) governed by the Montreal 
Protocol.:  
ODS Quantity in Kilograms Tariff Code 
CFC-11  2903.4010 
CFC-12  2903.4010 CFC-22  2903.4010 
R-502  2903.4010 
Otras:   
 
 
Date on which the importation will be effected:  _____________ __________ 
  This import licence for ozone-depleting substances must be submitted to the Directorate-General of Customs in order to initiate the import procedure, and the specified substances 
must be imported into the country in the year and the quantity authorized. 
  Only the ORIGINAL of this document may be submitted.    
 
 
______________________________________________________________ 
Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources 
 
__________