Import licensing agreement wto

Sufficient information must be published to allow traders to know the basis on which licences will or will not be granted, and governments with a trade interest have the right to request detailed information from a Member about how licences have been distributed and the trade in the products concerned.

If the licences are administering import quotas, information must be published regarding the size or value of the quotas and the duration of their application. If the quotas are allocated among supplying countries, all interested supplying Members must be informed, and the requirement for publication again applies. Any importer that fulfils the legal and administrative requirements must be eligible to apply and be considered for a licence, and any potential importer refused a licence may request justification for such refusal, and shall enjoy also a right of appeal and review.

If quotas are allocated on a first come first served basis, applications must be considered within 30 days. If they are considered simultaneously, the maximum period is 60 days. Other provisions call for import licences to be of reasonable duration so as to allow for imports from distant sources. Opportunities should also be given to importers new to a Member's market, and especially to importers who import their products from developing countries.

The Agreement includes particularly detailed requirements for notification and review of each Member's licensing laws regulations , institutions, and measures. For example, any new or modified import licensing procedure must be notified within 60 days of publication.

A Member may choose to report to the Committee any import licensing measure taken by another Member that has not been appropriately notified. Members must also complete their replies to the annual questionnaire before 30 September each year. The Committee on Import Licensing oversees the Agreement and reviews its implementation.

Problems viewing this page? If so, please contact [email protected] giving details of the operating system and web browser you are using. Import licensing The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures says import licensing should be simple, transparent and predictable so as not to become an obstacle to trade.

New publication Import Licensing Procedures — Sectoral review. Work in the Committee on Import Licensing Search Documents Online These links open a new window: allow a moment for the results to appear. Share Import Licensing Procedures Database The import licensing platform provides easy access to information on WTO members' import licensing procedures. Import Licensing Procedures Database. The Agreements can be accessed on the WTO website. For help in navigating this website, select " Help " in the navigation bar at the top of the screen after opening the website.

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