WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/LIC/N/3/HRV/3 
4 April 2005 
 
 (05-1340) 
Committee on Import Licensing Original:   English 
  
 
REPLIES TO QUESTIONNAIRE ON IMPORT LICENSING PROCEDURES
1 
 
Notification under Article 7.3 of the Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures  
 
CROATIA 
 
  The following communication, dated 23 March 2005, is being circulated at the request of the Delegation of Croatia.  
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Outline of system
 
 1.  As a rule, imports to the Republic of Croatia ar e free with the exception of those specified in the 
national legislation (product affe cting public security and order, health, environment and cultural 
heritage).  Products subject to import licensing are specified in the tariff a nd are imported under prior 
authorisation issued by the competent ministry or authorised body.  The licensing system is regulated by  
the Law on Trade, Articles 58 and 59,  published in the "Official Gazette" No. 49 on 27 March 2003, and the Amendments of the Law on Trade, published in the "Official Gazette" No. 96 on 
10 June 2003, No. 103 on 26 June 2003, No. 170 on 27 October 2003, and No. 55 on 30 April 2004, 
and the Decree specifying goods subject to export and import licences, published in "Official Gazette" 
No. 67 of 19 April 2003, and the Amendments of th e Decree specifying goods subject to export and 
import licences, published in the "Official Gazette" No. 83 on 21 May 2003, and the "Official Gazette" No. 121 on 29 July 2003, and the "Official Gazette" No. 198 on 19 December 2003.  
 
Purposes and coverage of licensing
 
 2.  Licences are prescribed for the purpose of fulfilling international agreements, ensuring State 
security, protection of human, animal and plant hea lth and protection of  envi ronment, maintenance of 
public moral and control of trade in works of art and precious metals.  
 
 Import licences are compulsory for tanks, war vessels, military arms, re volvers, pistols, guns, 
parts and equipment for arms, ammuni tion, swords and sabers, nuclear reactors, radioactive materials, 
isotopes, derivatives, hydrocarbons , mint postage stamps, gold, coins, iron tubes and bars.  
 
 The licences are issued by the Ministry of Ec onomy, Labor and Entrepreneurship which is also 
the licensing authority for imports of substances af fecting the ozone layer (Montreal Convention).  In 
addition, drugs and medical produc ts, glands and other organs, v accines, drugs, pha rmaceutical goods, 
dialysis appliances, and narcotics ar e subject to licences issued by the Ministry of Health and Social 
Welfare;  imports of veterinary drugs and vaccines are licensed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management;  and the Stat e Office for Standardization and Me trology issues import licences 
                                                     
 
1 See document G/LIC/3, Annex, for the Questionnaire. G/LIC/N/3/HRV/3 
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 for certain scales and measuring instruments.  The Ministry of the Sea, Tourism, Transport and 
Development is the licensing authority for imports of telecommunications instruments and appliances 
such as transmitters, radar, radio remote controls and radio navigation equipmen t.  Licences for imports 
of armaments and military e quipment for  Croatian Army and Croatian Police are issued by the Ministry 
of Defense and the Ministry of the Interior.    
 
3.  The licensing regime applies e qually to imports from all countries. 
 4.  The licensing regime is not intended to restrict  the quantity or value of imports but to protect 
national security, health, environment, cultural he ritage and to fulfill the Croatia's commitments 
undertaken by  the international agreements. 
 5.  The import licensing system is regulated by the Law on Trade, Articles 58 and 59, published in 
the "Official Gazette" No. 49 on 27 March 2003,  and the Amendments of the Law on Trade, 
published in the "Official Gazette" No. 96 on 10 June 2003, No. 103 on 26 June 2003, No. 170 on 
27 October 2003 and No. 55 on 30 April 2004. 
  The system of licensing can be abolished by the Government without changing the Law on Trade.   
(i) Licences for goods subject to tariff quotas are for certain agricultural products 
 The licensing for these products is used to administer imports under tariff quotas.  The 
purpose of the licensing is to fulfil the commitment s undertaken by Croatia regarding preferential or 
free trade agreements.  The governmental body which is responsible for issuing licences for 
determined agricultural products is the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.  The system applies to specified agri cultural products originating in the countries with which Croatia 
concluded preferential or free trade agreements.  Only  those agricultural products that are intended to 
be imported within tariff quotas are subject to import licensing.  The imports out of tariff quotas and exceeding tariff quotas are not subject to licensing procedures.   The issuing of licences regarding tariff quot as for goods originating in the countries with 
which Croatia concluded preferential or free trade agreements is governed by the relevant decrees 
regulating the implementation of these agreements. 
  It is not possible for the executive branch to a bolish this system without legislative approval. 
 Procedures
 
 
6.  For products under quantity restriction:  I.  Information on annual global quotas, conditions  which must be fulfilled in order to obtain 
import licence, exceptions and derogations are publis hed in the form of governmental decrees in the 
"Official Gazette". 
 
II.  The volume of quotas is determined on an a nnual basis.  Licences are issued for a certain 
period;  in principle their validity is limited to 90 days and may be extended.  III.  Licences are issued to all importers on th e same basis regarding criteria for allocation of 
certain shares of the amount of quota for determin ed goods to certain importers.  Importers who are 
domestic producers of like goods are not excluded from allocation of quotas for such products.   G/LIC/N/3/HRV/3 
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 IV.  The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management is obliged to allocate quotas to 
the importers within 30 days of the enactment of the governmental decree on the volume of quotas and is obliged to announce the time-limits for the submission of applications.  This public 
announcement should be made at least 21 days before  the allocation of quotas.  Applicants who did 
not receive the licence in the amounts desired and ot her applicants who may make applications at any 
time during the year, will be considered in the rea llocation of the unused quotas at the beginning of 
the third and fourth quarters of the calendar year.  V.  The maximum time allowed for pr ocessing the applications is 15 days.  
 
VI.  The importation may take place immediately after the licence has been issued. 
 VII.  The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management is the only authority responsible for the administration of quotas and issuing of import licences.  
VIII.  If the demand for licences cannot the fully sa tisfied the allocation of quotas is carried out on 
the basis of evaluation of needs and technical capaci ty of the applicant (production, restructuring of 
production in case of producers; sales network, amount of turnover in case of traders) as well as past performance.  In cases of new importers and newly founded companies, applications are examined on 
a case-by-case basis.  
IX-X.  Croatia is not a member of any such export restraint arrangements. 
 XI.  In some cases licences are issued in ex cess of the quota provided that the goods will be 
processed for export.  
7.  When there is no quantitative limit on impor tation or no limit on importation from a particular 
country:  (a)  There is no fixed time-limit for subm itting an application before importation; 
 (b)  A licence cannot be granted immediately upon request. Prior review of the license is required; 
 
(c)  There are no limitations as to the period of the year during which applications can be made. 
 (d)  A licence regarding tariff quotas is issued only by one administrative body and it is the 
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management.  The decision is made the 
Committee consisting of the representatives of Ministry of Economy, La bour and 
Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Finance and the representative of Chamber of Commerce.  
 8.  Applications could only be rejected if the importer did not fulfill the conditions stipulated in 
international conventions for specific goods or did no t meet standard criteria for the transportation of 
certain goods.  An importer denied an import lice nce could file an administrative lawsuit with the 
Administrative Court of the Republic of Croatia.  Eligibility of importers to apply for licence
 
 
9.  All persons, firms and institutions  are eligible to apply for licences. 
 Documentational and other requireme nts for application for a licence
 
 10.  The application for import of certain produc ts has to provide the following information: G/LIC/N/3/HRV/3 
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 - company name and  full address or name and full address of person; 
- company code; 
- commercial name of products, quantity and value of importing products ; 
- tariff number and tariff code; 
- price of products per unit;  
- import country; 
- importation period. 
  The importer is also required to supply ot her documentation depending on the products 
imported (weapons, munitions) such as statement on the purpose of import, registration certificate, 
pro forma invoice, specifications, in same cases quality certificate. 
 11.  Upon actual importation the importer has to present to the customs authorities with a pro 
forma invoice, transport documents, specifications, cu stoms declaration, certification of origin and 
import licence.  
 
12.  An administrative fee of HRK 125. 00 is charged for each import licence. 
 13.  There is no deposit or advance payment re quirement regarding the issuance of licence. 
 Conditions of licensing
 
 
14.  In most cases the import licence is valid till the end of calendar year during which it has been 
granted.  The validity of a licence could be extended upon request of the licence holder.  15.  There are no penalties for the non-utilization of a license or a portion of a licence. 
 
16.  Licences are not transferable to other importers.  17.  There are no other conditions rela ted to the issuance of a licence.  
 Other procedural requirements
 
 
18.  No other administrative procedures are required.  19.  The foreign exchange necessary to pay for licensed imports is made available to licence 
holders on the same basis as to importers  of goods not requiring import licences. 
 
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