WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/LIC/N/3/KNA/1 
8 December 2009 
 (09-6352) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   English 
  
 
REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES 
 
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on
 
Import Licensing Procedures  
 
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS 
   The following communication, dated 5 December 2009, is being circulated at the request of 
the delegation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. 
 
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Outline of system
 
 
1. St. Kitts and Nevis operates two licensing syst ems. One of which is the import license regime 
for general goods whereby applicants are required to  complete an application form and to pay an 
EC$1.00 postage stamp fee. The application form must be completed in duplicate, whereby the 
administrative division of the Government Supply O ffice would retain a copy and the other delivered 
to the party requesting the import license. In relati on to plant and plant products, an import license 
must be obtained to ensure that the exporting c ountry and the products do not appear on the schedule 
of restricted or prohibited goods.  
  There is a separate regime for the importation of  meat and meat products and live animals. An 
application form is submitted by the importer to the Veterinary division of the Agriculture Department for consideration. In addition the expo rting country must provide a health certificate for 
the goods being imported. If the goods meet the necess ary health standards then the application is 
signed and the import permit is issued. 
  The second license system applies to the expor tation of local produce and local animals & 
animal products. In the case of animals and animal products, the applicants ar e required to apply for a 
special license from the Agriculture Department wh ich is the competent authority for certifying local 
products for exportation. 
 
Purpose and coverage of licensing
 
 
2. For the importation of meat products and liv e animals, there are b asically two systems. 
 
(a) Countries where diseases of a particular sp ecies are endemic, a license would be denied 
(b) Countries where rabies are endemic, a license would be denied  3. In relation to meat and meat products, the c ountries of origin are primarily South American 
countries where the above diseases are endemic. 
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  4. The import license system is designed to control the quantities of specific imported goods. 
Additionally, it assists in reducing the importation of trans-boundary diseases into the Federation. The 
system also provides statistical data on the importation of specific imported goods.  5. All imports under the ‘Importation of Restri cted Goods Licensing Regime’ in St.Kitts and 
Nevis are provided for under Statutory Rules & Orders Number 19 of 1975 and Number 31 of 1976. 
Section Eleven (11) of the External Trade Orde r Chapter 338 and Statutory Rule and Order Number 
14 of 1992.   There is no provision for administrative discretion with regard to the list of good that appear 
in the different schedules. Any amendments or repeal  of the different instruments must be legislated. 
 
Procedures
 
 
6.I.   Imports requiring import licenses are gazette  and recorded in the Statutory Rules & Orders 
Number 19 of 1975 and Number 31 of 1976, and posted at the Government Supply Office. In 
regards to restrictions on the importation of  goods produced locally, the supply office is 
required to notify the major importers of thei r allotted quotas. In relation to meat, meat 
products and plants the restriction is activated  when there is a disease outbreak. There are no 
country quotas for imports originating from safe countries. 
 
II.  The overall quota is determined by the le vel of domestic production.  However, individual 
quotas are allocated based on the import history of the different importers. Quotas are given on a yearly basis, while licenses are issued at least one (1) month prior to importation. 
 III.  Yes, licenses are allotted for certain goods  to domestic producers.  Administratively the 
Supply Office monitors these licenses to ensure  that allocated licenses are used for imports. 
There is no transfer of licenses for succeeding pe riods. The names of importers who received 
licenses are made available to any ot her government agency upon request. 
 IV.  Applicants are allowed at least one m onth to submit applications for licenses upon the 
announcement of the opening of quotas.  
 
V.   Applications for import licenses for ge neral goods can be processed immediately and for 
plants, animals, and meat & meat products the processing time ranges from two (2) days to a month. 
 
VI.  Import licenses are granted at least one month prior to the importation of goods.  
 VII.  Applications for import licenses are consid ered by the Government Supply Office and the 
Veterinarian Services Division of the Department of Agriculture. 
 VIII.  Licenses would be allocated based on p ast performance of the requesting importers. The 
quotas are also determined based on past importa tion performance. This is not applicable for 
meat and meat products. 
 IX.  There are no additional requirements for licenses by exporting countries. The licensing 
systems are predominantly for domestic measures.   
 
X.  For meat and meat products only, the export country may communicate their export permit 
information to our regulatory authority via mail or email.  
 XI.  No  G/LIC/N/3/KNA/1 
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  7. Where there is no quantitative limit on importati on of a product or imports from a particular 
country:  (a) At least one (1) month prior to the importation of the goods. No. (b) Yes. 
(c) No. 
(d) No.  8.  Whenever there is an abundance of local fr esh produce, import restrictions are put in place 
and import licenses may be refused by the co mpetent authority. Refusals for licenses are 
communicated to the applicants. For meat and m eat products the restriction would take effect 
whenever there is a disease outbreak of an exotic nature.  
Eligibility of importers to apply for a license
 
 9.(a) Yes. 
(b) NA.   There is no specific published list of authori zed importers. However, commercial importers 
are required to have the relevant business licen se which is separate from the import license. 
 Documentation and other requireme nts for application for license
 
 
10.  The application process in St.Kitts and Nevis is  a simple one. It calls for the Description of 
the goods, Country of Origin, Quantity of the impor ted goods, CIF Value and Retail Price if the goods 
are intended for retail sale. 
 
 The applicant would be required to submit the completed application form in duplicate copy 
along with copies of the invoices. For the importation of meat and meat products. 
  11.  Upon importation, applicants are required to  submit a completed Customs Declaration Form 
along with the relevant Commercial Invoice, Bill of La den, Certificate of Origin where applicable and 
in some case the Certificate of Title. 
 12.  Yes. An EC$1.00 stamp fee is collected as  an administrative charge. There is also an 
EC$50.00 administrative fee for meat and meat products.  
13.  No 
 
Conditions of licensing
 
 
14.  Licenses are valid for one (1) ship ment. The license cannot be extended. 
 
15.  No. 
 16.  No.  17.  No. 
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  Other Requirements
 
 
18.  No. 
 19.  No. 
 
 
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