WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/LIC/N/3/ECU/3/Add.1 
19 April 2010 
 
 (10-1981) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   Spanish 
  
 
REPLIES TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ON 
IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
1 
 
Notification Under 7.3 of the Agreement  
on Import Licensing Procedures  
 
ECUADOR 
 
Addendum  
 
 
 The following communication, dated 15 Apri l 2010, was received from the delegation of 
Ecuador.  
_______________ 
  
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
 
 Page 
III. Animal Health Law ................... ............................ ............................ ............... 1 
 
III. ANIMAL HEALTH LAW 
Outline of systems  
 
1. Livestock products of animal origin appearing in Annex I of Resolution 465 of the Foreign 
Trade and Investment Council (COMEXI) require an  Animal Health Import Permit (PZI) which 
contains the animal health requirements to be me t by the exporting country prior to the shipment of 
such products. 
Purposes and coverage of licensing  
 
2. Article 17 of the Animal Health Law states that health requirements in relation to the 
importation of animals and birds are established by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock 
Aquaculture and Fisheries (MAGAP). 
 Article 18 states that the Regulations to the Animal Health Law should establish the 
requirements to be met by importers of pr oducts and by-products of animal origin. 
  The procedure for obtaining PZIs for products of  animal origin is automatic, provided the 
animal health requirements can be found in A nnex I of AGROCALIDAD Resolutions 010 and 011, 
published in Official Register 118 of 22 April 2009, and in the updates published on the 
                                                     
 
1 The questionnaire appears in Annex to document G/LIC/3. G/LIC/N/3/ECU/3/Add.1 
Page 2  
 
  website:  http://www.agrocalidad.gov.ec.  Where th ere are no animal health requirements for a 
product from a new origin, the user is informed that a Disease Risk Analysis (DRA) must be 
performed prior to importation.  3. The system of animal health import permit s applies to all animals and products and 
by-products of animal origin from all countries. 
4. The PZI requirement does not restrict the quantity or value of imports, but rather, it protects 
the country against the introduction and/or spread of exotic or emerging diseases. 
5. The PZI is governed by the Animal Health Law and its Regulations.  The administrative 
procedure is based on Resolutions 010 and 011, published in the Official Register and on the 
AGROCALIDAD website www.agrocalidad.gov.ec
. 
 Designation of products that require a PZI is  not left to the discretion of AGROCALIDAD. 
  The national government, through COMEXI, may determine or modify the list of products 
requiring a PZI subject to the submission of the technical report. 
 
Procedures
 
 
6. AGROCALIDAD does not apply restrictions as to  quantity or value of imports of livestock 
products from other countries. 
7. (a) The PZI must be obtained prior to the shipment  of the product.  Applications are submitted to 
the appropriate office at the Ministry of Agricu lture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries of 
Ecuador, and must be addressed to AGROCALI DAD, the agency responsible for conducting 
the technical analysis of the product to be im ported and for issuing the PZI or rejecting the 
product within a maximum limit of ten working days. 
(b) A PZI cannot be granted earlier than mentioned in the previous paragraph. 
(c) There are no limitations as to the period of the year during which an application for a PZI 
may be made. 
(d) No, all of the import applications for products  of animal origin are sent to AGROCALIDAD 
through the Ministry of Agriculture, Li vestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries. 
8. The PZI may be refused if the animals or the products or by-products of animal origin present 
a risk of introducing and/or spreading exotic diseas es in the territory of Ecuador.  It can also be 
refused if the product to be imported does not meet  animal health requirements established through a 
DRA.   The importer is informed of the refusal, a nd as stated in the Animal Health Law and its 
Regulations, there is no appeal procedure. 
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
 
 
9. (a) Not applicable.  G/LIC/N/3/ECU/3/Add.1 
 Page 3 
 
 
  (b) Before importing any animals or products and by-products of animal origin, the natural or 
legal person in question must register as an importer of livestock products with 
AGROCALIDAD, as stipulated in Resolution 010, published in Official Register 571 of 16 April 2009.  There is a fee for the registrati on of importers of liv estock products, animals, 
or products and by-products of animal origin  which is established in Resolution 010.  The 
official list of importers registered with AGROCALIDAD can be found on the website:  
www.agrocalidad.gov.ec
. 
Documentational and other require ments for application for licence  
 
10. The application for a PZI must be submitted in writing, signed and dated by the applicant, and 
must contain the following information: 
 (a) Name and address of the importer; 
 (b) description of the product to be imported;  (c) quantity of the product to be imported;  (d) name and address of exporter; 
 (e) country of origin of the product to be imported; 
 (f) name of the port of entry and exit of the product to be imported;  (g) means of transport of the product;  (h) use to be made of the product.   The above must be accompanied by:  a copy of the order form, a copy of the pro forma 
invoice, a copy of the customs document, and proof of payment to AGROCALIDAD of the officially 
established fees (see paragraph 12).  11. Upon importation, the following doc umentation is required:  the PZI, the importer registration 
certificate issued by the AGROCALID AD, the animal health export certificate issued by the national 
animal health protection organization of the country of origin, a certificate of origin for the product, 
and a certificate of treatment of the product wher e necessary.  These documents are examined during 
the animal health inspection which takes place upon entry of the product into the country. 
12. The charges for importation are based on the AGROCALIDAD schedule of fees 
(Resolution 001), published in Official Register 331 of 10 May 2004. 
13. The issue of a PZI is not subject to any deposit or advance payment.  However, as stipulated 
in the AGROCALIDAD schedule of fees (Resolution 00 1), full payment in advance is required to 
obtain a PZI. 
Conditions of licensing
 
 
14. PZIs are valid for a period of three months (90 days), as stipulated in CAN Resolution 240 
and AGROCALIDAD Resolutions 010 and 011.  They are valid for only one shipment, and in case of 
expiry, the importer may ask, 48 hours in advance, fo r an extension of 30 days.  If the PZI is not 
utilized during the stipulated time, the importer must apply for a new one. 
15. There is no penalty for total or partial non-utilization of a PZI. 
16. PZIs are not transferable between importers. 
17. The issue of the licence is not subject to any other conditions. G/LIC/N/3/ECU/3/Add.1 
Page 4  
 
  Other procedural requirements
 
 
18. AGROCALIDAD does not require any administrative procedures other than those set forth in 
Resolutions 010 and 011. 
19. Not applicable. 
__________