WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/LIC/N/3/ROU/31 
9 October 2006 
 
 (06-4830) 
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  
 
ROMANIA 
 
 
The following communication, dated 29 September 2006, has been received from the 
Delegation of Romania. 
_______________ 
 
Outline of system  
 
1. Romania has changed its import (and export) li censing regime, mainly through the enactment 
of the following legislation, which came into force on 1 January 2004:  
- The Romanian Government Decision No. 1526 of 18 December 2003 on the general 
export and import regime, published in the “M onitorul Oficial al României” (Official 
Gazette of Romania), Part I, No. 937 of 24 December 2003, see WTO documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 (dated 5 October 2005) and G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 (dated 19 October 
2005). 
 
- The Romanian Government Decision No. 1527 of 18 December 2003 on the rules and 
procedures regarding export and import licen ses, published in the “Monitorul Oficial 
al României” (Official Gazette of Romania), Part I, No. 936 of 24 December 2003, see WTO documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 (dated 5 October 2005) and G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 (dated 19 October 2005). 
 
 Government Decision No. 1526/2003 establishe s the general rules for export and import 
regime from/into the Romanian custom territory in full compliance with the rules and procedures 
stipulated by the provisions of the Marrakesh Agreement on the establishment of the World Trade 
Organization and the other relevant international agreements and conventions to which Romania is 
party. 
  The Romanian export and import regime is based on the premise that the export and import of goods are free, without being conditional on prior is suing of a licence, except where specific products 
are subject to one of the measures adopted in accordance with the provisions of this Decision: 
 
                                                     
 
1  As from 3 December 2004, all documents that previously used the coun try code "ROM" in the 
document symbol will use the new code for Romania, "ROU". 
 G/LIC/N/3/ROU/3 
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  (a) prohibitions, restrictions or other measures fo r control, certification or authorization on 
exports, imports or goods in transit, justified on grounds of: public mora lity, public policy or 
public security, the protection of health and life of humans, animals or plants, the protection 
of natural resources, the protection of national treasures of artistic, historic or archaeological value, the protection of intellectual, industr ial or commercial property, rules relating to 
precious metals; 
 (b) safeguard measures; 
 (c) measures for monitoring exports or imports of cer tain products adopted in order to apply the 
provisions of international ag reements and understandings; 
 (d) measures stipulated by law for the objectives of  the market organizations for agricultural 
products; 
 
(e) measures for the statistical surveillance  of exports and imports of certain goods in view of 
assessing the tendencies and conditi ons of exports and imports;  such surveillance measures 
for limited and exceptional situations, relating to  the risk of threat with serious market 
prejudice, but with no intention of limiting market access. 
 
Romania’s trade regime is free of quantitative restrictions. 
 
Government Decision No. 1527/2003 establishes the general rules and procedures regarding 
export and import licenses in Romania.  The i ssuing of export and import licenses stipulated 
in this Decision is ensured by the Ministry  of Economy and Commerce, through the General 
Directorate for Trade Policies. 
 
The present regulations will apply until the accession of Romania into the European 
Union. Upon accession Romania will appl y the European Union Common Commercial 
Policy. 
 
Purpose and coverage of licensing
 
 
2. See reply 1 and: 
 (a) Automatic import licenses
 
 
The goods for which the automatic export and import licenses are issued by the Ministry of 
Economy and Commerce, through the General Dire ctorate for Trade Polices, are established 
by the Order of the Order of the Minister of Economy and Commerce No. 391 of 22 December 2003 on goods subject to export and import automatic licenses, published in the 
“Monitorul Oficial al României” (Official Gazette  of Romania), Part I, No. 26 of 13 January 
2004, see WTO documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 (dated 5 October 2005) and 
G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 (dated 19 October 2005). 
 The Order No. 391 of 22 December 2003
 was amended and the need for automatic import 
licenses was abolished gradually, as follows:  
- The Order of the Minister of Economy and Commerce No. 842 of 8 December 2004 
on some measures for removing the licenses fo r some radioactive products, published 
in the “Monitorul Oficial al României” (Official Gazette of Romania), Part I, No. 1217 of 17  December  2004, see WTO documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 (dated 5 October 2005) and G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 (dated 19 October 2005).
  G/LIC/N/3/ROU/3 
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- The Law No. 505 of 17 November 2004, published in the “Monitorul Oficial al 
României” (Official Gazette of Romania), Part I, No. 1133 of 1 December 2004, for amending and completing the Law No. 300/2002 on legal regime of precursors used for the illicit manufacture of narcotic dr ugs, published in the “Monitorul Oficial al 
României” (Official Gazette of Romania), Part I, No. 409 of 13 June 2002, see WTO 
documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 (dated 5 October 2005) 
 and G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 (dated 
19 October 2005). 
 Starting from 1 October 2005 the requirement for automatic import licenses, for statistical 
purpose, was entirely abolished according to the Order of the Minister of Economy and 
Commerce No. 529 of 19 September 2005
  for amending the Order No. 391 of 22 December 
2003, published in the “Monitorul Oficial al României” (Official Gazette of Romania), Part I, No. 860 of 23 September 2005, see WTO document G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3/Add.1 (dated 16 January 2006). 
 
(b) Non-automatic import licenses for the following goods
: 
 
- substances frequently used for the illicit ma nufacture of narcotic drugs (precursors) 
according to the Law No. 505/2004, see WT O documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 (dated 
5 October 2005)  and G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 (dated 19 October 2005). 
 
- radioactive materials, nuclear installations  and apparatus based on the use of X-rays 
or alpha, beta or gamma radiations, acco rding to the Law No. 111/1996 amended and 
completed by the Law No. 193/2003, see WTO documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 (dated 
5 October 2005)  and G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 (dated 19 October 2005). 
 
- non-dangerous wastes, according to the Government Decision No. 228/2004, see 
WTO documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 (dated 5 October 2005)  and G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 
(dated 19 October 2005). 
 - products dangerous for the population’s health  and the environment, according to the 
Government Decision No. 2009/2004, see WTO documents G/LIC/N/2/ROM/4 
(dated 5 October 2005) 
 and G/LIC/N/1/ROU/3 (dated 19 October 2005). 
 
3. The system of licenses provided in paragraph 2 is applied on  a  non-discriminatory basis, 
irrespective of the country of origin. 
 
4. There is no intention to restrict the quantity or the value of imports by means of licensing 
system or procedures.  
Romania’s trade regime is free of quantitative restrictions. The purpose of the system are: 
 
(a) Automatic import licenses
 
  At present the need for automatic import licen ses is abolished. This system was in force, 
before 1 October 2005, for sta tistical purpose in order to provide fast, reliable and accurate 
data on the trend of imports. 
 G/LIC/N/3/ROU/3 
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  (b) Non-automatic import licenses 
 
  The purpose is to implement, through the licensing procedure, the following measures:  
(i) Substances frequently used for the illicit production of narcotic drugs (precursors): 
measures necessary to protect human life and health, and to discourage the diversion 
of certain substances to the illicit manufact ure of narcotic drugs and psychotropic 
substances; 
 This non-automatic licensing procedure is ongoing as there is a continuous need to 
protect human life and health and to discour age the diversion of certain substances to 
the illicit manufacture of narcotic dr ugs and psychotrop ic substances. 
 (ii) Radioactive materials, nuclear installations  and apparatus based on the use of X-rays 
or alpha, beta or gamma radiations: measure s to protect the health of the general 
public and workers against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation; 
 
 This non-automatic licensing procedure is ongoing as there is a continuous need to 
protect the health of general public and workers against the dangers arising from 
ionizing radiation. 
 (iii) Non-dangerous wastes: measures necessary to  protect human life, health and the 
environment; 
 
This non-automatic licensing procedure is ongoing as there is a continuous need to 
protect human life, health and the environment.  
(iv) Products dangerous for the population’s h ealth and the environment (fertilizers): 
measures necessary to protect human life, health and the environment. 
  This non-automatic licensing procedure is ongoing as there is a continuous need to 
protect human life, health and the environment. 
 
5. See reply to question 1. 
 
 Licensing is statutory required for the purpose lis ted in the relevant legislative texts. Product 
coverage is defined in the legislation and is  not subject to administrative discretion.  
 
 The system cannot be abolishe d without legislative approval. 
 
Procedures
 
 
6. Romania’s trade regime is free of quantitative restrictions. 
 
I. See also the reply to question 1.  
  Romania’s trade regime is free of quantitative restrictions. The general rules for export and 
import regime from/into the Romanian customs’ terr itory are established by the Government Decision 
No. 1526 of 18 December 2003, according to wh ich can not be any quantitative restrictions. 
 
 Information related to the regime of import and export and on the procedures regarding the 
import and export licenses is published in the Offici al Gazette of Romania (“Monitorul Oficial al 
României”).   G/LIC/N/3/ROU/3 
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  II. See reply to question 6. (I). 
 III. See reply to question 6. (I).  IV. See reply to question 6. (I). 
 
V. The applications for licenses are approved immediately on registration, to the extent administratively feasible, but within a maximum 5 working days from the day of their registration with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce.  
VI. Normally the licenses are valid until the end of  the year for which they have been issued. 
 VII. See reply to question 6. (I).  VIII. Not applicable. 
 
IX. Not applicable.  X. Not applicable.  XI. Not applicable. 
 
7. (a) There is no fixed time-limit for submitting an app lication in advance of importation. It is up to 
the applicant to decide when to apply for a licence, knowing that the document will be issued 
within a maximum of five working days of receipt of application. 
 
(b) When submitted in appropriate and comple te form, the applications shall be approved 
immediately on registration. 
 (c) There are no limitations as to the time of th e year during which applications may be made. 
 (d) The consideration of licence applications is effected by a single administrative organ, the 
competent authority depending on the product. Th e application must not be passed on to other 
organs for approval and the importer has to  approach only one administrative organ. 
 8. There are no other circumstances, under which a licence application may be rejected, then 
failure to meet ordinary criteria. Applications for licenses should be submitted in appropriate and 
complete form without erasing, modificati on or addition using another typewriter. 
 
The reasons for rejection are given to the applicant.  
 The applicants have the right of appeal if an a pplication is rejected, as first judicial step to the 
competent authority in Romania for issuing a certain  licence and, if they are not satisfied with the 
decision, they have the possibility to act in cour ts (Tribunals) according to the Law on Administrative 
Solicitor’s Job No. 554 of 2 December 2004.  
Eligibility of importers to apply for licence 
 
 
9. All economic operators, without discrimination, re gistered in Romania are eligible to apply 
for import (or export) licenses.  (a) Not applicable. 
 G/LIC/N/3/ROU/3 
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  (b) Yes. All economic operators registered with fo reign trade activities by their statute and/or 
contract of association and the Legal Decision of Establishment of their companies are eligible to apply for licenses. 
 
All trading companies are required to register with the National Office of the Register of 
Commerce and the local taxation office. Registration costs about RON 305 (Romanian 
currency). Since the year 2001 a “one-stop-o ffice” was established for streamlining and 
simplifying the registration of companies and since the year 2003 the silent approval procedure related to the registration of companies applies.  
Any person can obtain information about the ec onomic operators entitled to perform foreign 
trade activities in Romania from the Nationa l Office of the Register of Commerce. 
 
Documentational and Other Requirements for Application for Licence
 
 10. Usual information on the importer, exporter, designation of product, quantity, value, terms 
and conditions of delivery etc are required in the a pplication form. A sample application is available 
for consultation in the Secretariat together with  The Government Decision No. 1527 of 18 December 
2003.   For certain products, additional informati on and/or documentation may be required, as 
indicated in the specific regulations. 
 11. The licence itself is required upon importation. 
 12. There is no licensing fee or administrative charge. A charge of RON 12 (Romanian currency) 
is payable for the licence application form. 
 13. There are no deposit or advance payment require ments associated with the issuance of a 
licence.  
Conditions of licensing
 
 
14. The import licence is valid until the end of the cal endar year during which it has been granted.  
 
The validity of a licence issued by the General Di rectorate of Trade Policy of the Ministry of 
Economy and Commerce can be extended over the end of  the calendar year, when  the licence expires, 
for a specific period, by Order of the Minist er of Economy and Commerce, provided that the 
circumstances for which the respective system of licenses was established prevail. 
 
15. There is no penalty for the non-utilisation of a licence or a portion of a licence. 
 16. Licenses are not transferable between importers. 
 
17. There are no other conditions att ached to the issue of a licence 
 
Other procedural requirements
 
 18. No other administrative procedures, apart from import licensing and similar administrative 
procedures are required prior to importation.   G/LIC/N/3/ROU/3 
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  19. The banking authorities automatically provide fo reign exchange for goods to be imported as 
well as to cover import licenses. A licence is not  required as a condition to obtaining foreign 
exchange. 
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