WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/LIC/N/2/MWI/2 
27 October 2011 
 (11-5370) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   English 
  
 
AGREEMENT ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES 
 
Notification under Article 5.1-5.4 of the Agreement
1 
 
MALAWI 
 
 The following notification, dated 25 October 2011  is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Malawi.  
1. (a) Title / number / date of the law or re gulation establishing / changing the import 
licensing procedure:   
(b) If the notified measure refers to a change  in an already notified import licensing 
procedure, please indicate the document symbol of the notification to which 
change(s) has(ve) been introduced. (In this case please also indicate in Section 3, 
below, the nature of the changes (i.e. inclusion or exclusion of some goods and a list thereof; contact point for information and/ or administrative body(ies) for submission 
of applications, etc.)):    
G/LIC/N/2/MWI/1  
2. Information concerning the institution / change of import licensing procedure: 
(a) List of products subject to the licensing procedure  (Exact name of the products 
and/or whenever possible HS code and indicatio n of the exact HS Nomenclature (i.e.  
1996; 2002 or 2007).  Abbreviati ons should be avoided.  In the case of a long list of 
products, please attach the list as an A nnex in Microsoft Word or compatible 
software.  Please do not use PDF, or photocopies.)   
 The following products shall require an Import License obtained from the Ministry 
of Industry and Trade to be imported into  Malawi in accordance with the provisions 
of the Control of Goods Act, Chapter 18:08 of the Laws of Malawi: 
 
  (i) Clothing and uniforms, designed for military, naval, air force or police use;   (ii) Radioactive substances;   (iii) Mist nets for the capture of wild birds;  (iv) Wild animals, wild animal trophies and wild animal products, (including 
birds and reptiles) and any egg prod uced by such birds or reptiles; 
  (v) Live fish, including the eggs and spawn thereof;  (vi) Compound products containing flour, meal residues, and other preparations 
of any kind suitable only for use as  animal foodstuffs and excluding the 
following: 
 
   - Chemical additions to animal foodstuffs;    - Antibiotic growth stimulants;    - Inert fillers; G/LIC/N/2/MWI/2 
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     - Trace elements; 
   - Synthetic animal foodstuffs; 
   - Bird seed; and 
   - Cat and dog foods.   (vii) Eggs of poultry, whether in shell,  pulp or dried forms; eggs of wild birds. 
  (viii) Live poultry, including day-old-chicks  (ix) Meat products including dressed poultry, is prohibited without prior 
permission in writing from the Minister of Industry, Trade and Private 
Sector Development.  The Minister has, however, exempted the following 
from import licensing: 
   - all tinned meat;    - all potted meats;    - meat soaps; 
   - edible meat fats; 
   - tallow;    - all cooked or cured me ats ot her than cooked pork, ham and bacon; 
    a n d   - the importation of all animals and other animal products require to 
be certified as free from disease before importation. 
  (x) Dieldrin   (xi) Aldrin   (xii) Kitchen and table salt   (xiii) Portland Ordinary Cement   (xiv) Cane sugar 
  (v) Wheat flour 
  (vi) Fertilizers    (vii) Matches 
(b) Contact point for information on eligibility   
 All enquiries should be forwarded to:   Ministry/authority:  The Principal Secretary, Ministry of Industry and Trade 
 Address: P.O. Box 30366, Lilongwe 3, MALAWI  Telephone:  (+265 1 770 244; +265 01770290)  Fax:  (+265 1 770 680)  E-mail address:  ps-mci@malawi.net; 
 Contact officer:  [   ] Mr. [   ] Mrs. Name:   
 (c) Administrative body(ies) for submission of applications  (If more than one please 
include  the same information for each body.)  
 The Ministry of Industry and Trade is the main administrative body for issuance of 
import licenses. Address is the same as in (b) above. 
(d) Date and name of publication where licensing procedures are published  
 The schedule of products that require im port permit and the procedures are published 
as supplement to the Control of Goods Act, Chapter 18:08 of the Laws of Malawi and is gazetted.  The current schedule and procedures were gazetted in 2010.   
 
 
 
  G/LIC/N/2/MWI/2 
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  (e) Indication of whether the licensing procedure is   
[   ] automatic.   If so please indicate:  (f) the administrative purpose:  [          ]  
[   ] non-automatic.   If so please indicate:  (g) the measure being implemented 
through the import licensing procedure:  [          ]  
 
Products Type of Licence Purpose 
- Eggs of poultry 
- Live poultry - Compound products 
containing flour meal residues and 
other preparations of 
any kind suitable for use as animal foodstuffs 
- Meat and meat 
products 
- Kitchen and table 
salt 
- Dieldrin - Aldrin Automatic Public health 
- Portland ordinary 
cement 
- Cane sugar 
- Wheat Flour 
- Fertilizer - Matches Automatic  
 Data collection, quality 
and standards purposes 
- Clothing and 
uniforms, designed for military, naval, air force or police 
use Non-automatic Security 
- Radioactive 
substances 
- Mist nets for capture 
of wild birds 
- Live fish Non-automatic Environmental, security, 
and public health 
protection 
Import license is granted to all persons, fi rms and institutions that have fulfilled the 
statutory requirements pertaining to the impor tation of a specific product that requires 
license. 
The documentation varies according to specif ic product. However, name of applicant, 
product to be imported, specifications of the product, and a pro forma invoice should 
be provided.  Where an Import License gives conditions pertaining to health, an 
appropriate health certificate is  also needed upon importation. 
There is no administrative fee that is requi red to obtain the license.  The application 
can be made any working day throughout the year. 
Where a license issuance has been refused, reasons for refusal are granted and the G/LIC/N/2/MWI/2 
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  applicant has the right to appeal. 
(h) Expected duration of the licensing procedure if this can be estimated with some 
probability, and if not, reason why this information cannot be provided 
The import licence is issued within 7 days upon receiving the application.  The license 
is valid for six months and can be extended for another six months with satisfactory reasons.  
3. Other relevant data or information:  (i.e. complete title and data concerning the 
legislation, inclusion or exclusion of cert ain products from the import licensing regime and 
list thereof; changes related to the administra tive body(ies) for submission of applications, 
etc.) 
The only addition to the product list is Matches.  
 
 
__________  
 
                                                      
1 "Members which institute licensing procedures or  changes in these procedures shall notify the 
Committee of such within 60 days of publication [...]" (Art. 5.1).