REPORT (2024) OF THE COMMITTEE ON IMPORT LICENSING
TO THE COUNCIL FOR TRADE IN GOODS

1.  The Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures (hereinafter "the Agreement") which entered into force on 1 January 1995, establishes disciplines on users of import licensing systems with the principal objective of ensuring that the procedures applied for granting import licences do not in themselves restrict trade. It aims to simplify, clarify and minimize the administrative requirements necessary to obtain import licences.

2.  The Committee on Import Licensing was established to afford Members the opportunity of consulting on any matter relating to the operation of the Agreement or the furtherance of its objectives. The Committee's Rules of Procedure, which were approved by the Council for Trade in Goods, are contained in document _G/L/147.

3.  All Members of the WTO are ipso facto members of the Committee. Observer governments in the General Council of the WTO have Observer status in the Committee. The International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and UNCTAD have regular observer status in the Committee.

4.  The focus of this report is on the period since the Committee's last annual report (_G/L/1512), namely 1 November 2023 – 4 November 2024 (hereinafter "the reporting period"). In 2024, the Committee held two formal meetings, on 21 May 2024 (_G/LIC/M/58), under the chairpersonship of Mr. Nat Tharnpanich (Thailand), and on 4 November 2024 (_G/LIC/M/59^[1]), under the chairpersonship of Ms Tyesha TURNER (Jamaica). Both meetings took place in hybrid mode with in-person and remote attendance. The Committee also held one informal meeting, which took place in hybrid mode, on 21 May 2024 under the chairpersonship of Mr. Nat Tharnpanich (Thailand). On 4 June 2024, through written procedures, the Committee elected Ms. Tyesha TURNER (Jamaica) by acclamation as Chairperson of the Committee for 2024. Pursuant to the Committee's Rules of Procedure, the officers shall hold office until the end of the first meeting of the following year.

5.  Pursuant to Articles 1.4(a) and/or 8.2(b) of the Agreement and procedures agreed by the Committee, all Members are required to notify their laws, regulations, and administrative procedures relevant to import licensing and to submit copies of any relevant publications or laws and regulations upon becoming a WTO Member. Any subsequent changes to these laws, regulations, and administrative procedures are also required to be published and notified. Pursuant to subparagraphs 1‑4 of Article 5, Members are also required to notify the institution of new import licensing procedures or changes in these procedures to the Committee within 60 days of publication.

6.  During the reporting period, the Committee reviewed 55 notifications under these three provisions (Annex I) from the following 15 Members: Argentina; Cabo Verde; European Union; The Gambia; Hong Kong, China; India; Jamaica; Korea, Republic of; Macao, China; Moldova, Republic of; Mongolia; Myanmar; Philippines; Seychelles; and Ukraine.[2]

7.  Article 5.5 of the Agreement allows Members to submit reverse notifications, where a Member considers that another Member has not notified the institution of a licensing procedure or changes in the procedures. However, no such reverse notifications have been received within the reporting period.

8.  Article 7.3 of the Agreement requires all Members to provide replies to the Questionnaire on Import Licensing Procedures[3] by 30 September each year. During the reporting period, the Committee reviewed 40 notifications (Annex II) from the following 34 Members: Albania; Australia; Barbados; Cabo Verde; Cambodia; Colombia; Costa Rica; Cuba; Dominican Republic; European Union; The Gambia; Guatemala; Honduras; Hong Kong, China; Jamaica; Japan; Kazakhstan; Korea, Republic of; Macao, China; Mauritius; Montenegro; Myanmar; Nicaragua; Panama; Philippines; Seychelles; Singapore; Switzerland-Liechtenstein; Chinese Taipei; Thailand; Türkiye; Ukraine; United Kingdom; and United States. These notifications can be found in document series _G/LIC/N/3/.

9.  The Committee has provided a regular forum for exchanging views on notifications submitted by Members. Written comments and questions concerning notifications submitted to the Committee and/or on import licensing procedures maintained by Members, and replies thereto, may be found in the document series _G/LIC/Q/-. During the review period, the United States posed questions to Indonesia (_G/LIC/Q/IDN/52 and _G/LIC/Q/IDN/53) and Honduras (_G/LIC/Q/HND/1); Japan posed questions to Indonesia(_G/LIC/Q/IDN/55). The following Members provided written responses to comments and questions: India (_G/LIC/Q/IND/30), Argentina (_G/LIC/Q/ARG/23), Indonesia (_G/LIC/Q/IDN/54; _G/LIC/Q/IDN/56), and Honduras (_G/LIC/Q/HND/2) to the questions from the United States; and Angola (_G/LIC/Q/AGO/2) to the questions from the European Union. At the Committee meetings, Members exchanged views on the issues raised.

10.  A number of specific trade concerns were raised by Members during the reporting period. Table 1 shows the specific trade concerns raised by Members during the formal meetings of the Committee.

Table 1 - List of trade concerns considered at the formal meetings of the Committee on Import Licensing on 21 May and 4 November 2024

11.  Between November 2023 and November 2024, the Secretariat organized and participated to several virtual and in-person activities focusing on import licensing procedures and notification obligations. On 25-27 September 2024, the Secretariat organised an Import Licensing and Notifications workshop for capital-based officials from developing and least-developed WTO country Members in Geneva. Upon request of Colombia and Dominican Republic, Member specific technical assistance workshops on import licensing and notifications were held in virtual format (for Colombia) and in virtual and in presence mode (for Dominican Republic) in May 2024. Interactive workshops were delivered to government officials as part of the RTPCs for Arab and Middle East countries and French-speaking Africa (in English and French). In addition, training sessions on import licensing were also presented during the Advanced Trade Policy Course (ATPC) in Geneva in 2024.

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