Improving transparency focus of discussions at import licensing committee meeting

Transparency

Import licensing refers to administrative procedures requiring the submission of an application or other documentation to relevant authorities as a prior condition for importing goods into a country or customs territory. Members are required to publish all rules and information concerning import licensing procedures to enable traders to understand them and ensure that these remain neutral and no more administratively burdensome than necessary.

The Chair of the Committee, Tiago Serras Rodrigues of Portugal, noted that the Committee has worked over the years on improving transparency in licensing procedures and that it was important the Committee continue this work. The Chair said that in September he consulted with members on how to further advance work on transparency issues.

In these consultations, several delegations emphasized the importance of improving the timeliness and coverage of notifications, the Chair said, as members' low response rates to the annual questionnaire on import licensing procedures remain a major concern. A recurring theme was the need to provide more targeted support to members struggling with notifications. Members also agreed that sharing experiences and best practices could help improve compliance rates, with some citing engagement with the private sector as important in highlighting the practical value of notifications.

Members took the floor to share their views on how to advance the transparency work of the Committee. The Chair noted members' strong interest in advancing work on transparency issues and said he would continue consultations with interested delegations.

Notifications

The Chair informed members that since the last Committee meeting in May 2025, a total of 45 notifications were received under various provisions of the Agreement on Import Licensing. Thirty-three of the notifications were reviewed by the Committee, while the other 12 will be taken up at the next Committee meeting, as they were submitted after the close of the meeting agenda.

Specifically, 26 notifications of the annual questionnaire were submitted under Article 7.3 of the Agreement since the last Committee meeting, the Chair said. Article 7.3 mandates members to complete the questionnaire on import licensing procedures promptly and in full. 

The Chair noted that 21 WTO members have yet to submit a single reply to the annual questionnaire since joining the WTO, and 13 members have never submitted any notification under the Agreement.

The Chair noted that the overall notification rate under Article 7.3 remains very low, with an average of 38 notifications per year during the 2014-2025 period (29.5%). In contrast, the notification of legislation on licensing procedures and the sources under Articles 1.4(a) and 8.2(b), which must be submitted at least once, has a high notification rate (85.4%).

The Chair strongly encouraged all members to submit their import licensing notifications if they have not yet done so, noting that transparency is one of the key pillars of the rules-based multilateral trading system.

Specific trade concerns

The Committee addressed 11 trade concerns at the 10 October meeting covering the import licensing regimes of various products. All but one of the concerns were raised at the Committee's previous meeting in May:

• Egypt's import licensing requirements for certain agricultural and processed products, raised by the European Union;
• India's quality control for plywood and wooden flush door shutters, raised by Indonesia;
• India's importation of pneumatic tyres, raised by Indonesia, Chinese Taipei and Thailand;
• India's import licensing measures on personal computers, tablets and other electronic products, raised by Japan;
• India's amended import policy for imports of gold potassium cyanide, raised by Indonesia;
• Indonesia's commodity balancing mechanism, raised by the European Union and Japan;
• Indonesia's import licensing regime for certain textile products, raised by Japan;
• Indonesia's compulsory registration by importers of steel products, raised by Japan;
• Indonesia's import restriction on air conditioners, raised by Japan;
• Indonesia's importer registration requests for agricultural, food and drink products, raised by the United Kingdom;
• Türkiye's import restrictions on two wheelers, raised by India.

Next meeting

The Chair said the next Committee meeting is tentatively scheduled for 26 May 2026.