WTO
Import Licensing Committee Pushes Transparency, Digitalization, and Better Notification
Compliance in Global Trade Procedures
Public and private sector representatives
joined the Committee on Import Licensing's second experience-sharing session on
4 June, focusing on improving WTO members' transparency and notification compliance.
Speakers from Cambodia, the European Union, Myanmar, Thailand and the United States
shared practices on notifications, public-private cooperation, access to information
and digitalization of licensing procedures. The Committee also reviewed recent notifications,
addressed 12 specific trade concerns and heard an EU presentation on its Electronic
System for Agricultural Non-Customs Formalities during its regular session.
Key Highlights
·
WTO members and private sector representatives participated in the second
experience-sharing session of the WTO Committee on Import Licensing on 4 June
2026.
·
Discussions focused on improving transparency, notification compliance,
digitalization, and public-private cooperation in import licensing
procedures.
·
Representatives from Cambodia, European Union, Myanmar,
Thailand, and United States shared best practices.
Transparency and Digitalization in Focus
·
Speakers emphasized providing traders with clear, accessible, and up-to-date
information on licensing requirements.
·
Greater transparency can:
o Reduce uncertainty for businesses.
o Improve compliance with regulations.
o Lower trade costs.
·
Members highlighted the benefits of:
o National Single Window systems.
o Electronic licensing platforms.
o Data-sharing mechanisms among government
agencies.
·
Digital tools are most effective when supported by clear regulations and
practical guidance.
WTO Notification Compliance
·
Committee Chair Tiago Serras Rodrigues reported
that 55 notifications were submitted since October 2025.
·
23 annual questionnaire notifications were submitted under Article 7.3 of the
Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.
·
Concerns remain regarding compliance:
o 21 WTO members have never submitted the
annual questionnaire.
o 13 members have never submitted any notification
under the Agreement.
·
Positive development:
o First-time notifications were submitted
by Comoros and Timor-Leste, the WTO's newest members.
Specific Trade Concerns Discussed
The Committee reviewed 12 trade concerns,
including:
Concerns Related to India
·
Quality control requirements for plywood and wooden flush door shutters (raised
by Indonesia).
·
Importation of pneumatic tyres (raised by the EU, Indonesia, and Thailand).
·
Import licensing measures on personal computers, tablets, and other electronic
products (raised by Japan).
·
Suspension of imports of refurbished medical devices (raised by the United
States).
·
Furniture Quality Control Order (raised by Indonesia).
Other Concerns
·
Egypt's import licensing requirements for agricultural and processed products.
·
Indonesia's commodity balancing mechanism.
·
Indonesia's textile import licensing regime.
·
Indonesia's compulsory registration requirements for steel importers.
·
Indonesia's restrictions on air conditioner imports.
·
Mexico's steel mills cancellation issue.
·
Thailand's wheat feed import procedures.
EU Presentation on ELAN System
·
The European Union presented its Electronic System for Agricultural
Non-Customs Formalities (ELAN).
·
The system aims to streamline agricultural import procedures through digital
processing and improved regulatory coordination.
Way Forward
·
Members were encouraged to improve notification compliance and seek assistance
from the WTO Secretariat where necessary.
·
The next meeting of the Committee on Import Licensing is tentatively scheduled
for 15 October 2026.
[ABS News Service/06.06.2026]
The Committee's second experience-sharing
session explored how greater transparency, improved notification practices, digital
tools and public-private engagement can support more predictable import licensing
procedures.
Speakers highlighted the importance
of providing traders with clear, accessible and up-to-date information on licensing
requirements, noting that transparency can reduce uncertainty, facilitate compliance
and lower trade costs.
The discussion also underscored
the role of inter-agency coordination and digitalization in improving licensing
procedures. Examples included national single windows, electronic licensing systems
and data-sharing arrangements that can enhance transparency and reduce administrative
burdens. Speakers noted that digital tools are most effective when supported by
clear rules and practical guidance for traders.
Participants also highlighted
the importance of transparency obligations under the Agreement on Import Licensing
Procedures. They noted that timely notifications and readily available information
on applicable procedures can help traders navigate licensing requirements and support
the effective implementation of import licensing systems.
The Chair, Mr Tiago Serras Rodrigues (Portugal), informed members that since the
last Committee meeting in October 2025, a total of 55 notifications were received
under various provisions of the Agreement on Import Licensing.
Specifically, 23 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 said the figures show
a familiar pattern - 21 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. These figures have changed marginally over the past five years,
with only a handful of members notifying legislation or the questionnaire for the
first time, he noted.
On the positive side, the Chair
welcomed first-time notifications from the WTO's newest members, Comoros and Timor-Leste.
The Chair encouraged those members
that have not submitted notifications to consider ways to begin engaging with their
notification obligations, including reaching out to the WTO Secretariat for support
where appropriate.
The Committee addressed 12 trade
concerns at the 4 June meeting, covering the import licensing regimes of various
products. Three of these concerns were raised for the first time, while the others
were raised at the Committee's previous
meeting in October 2025 or at earlier meetings:
·
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 the European Union,
Indonesia and Thailand;
·
India's import licensing measures on personal computers, tablets and
other electronic products, raised by Japan;
·
India's import licensing suspension for refurbished medical devices,
raised by the United States;
·
India's furniture quality control order, raised by Indonesia
·
Indonesia's commodity balancing mechanism, raised by Australia, Japan,
New Zealand, and the United Kingdom;
·
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;
·
Mexico's steel mills cancellation, raised by Indonesia;
·
Thailand's import procedures for wheat feed, raised by the European
Union.
The Committee also heard a presentation by the European Union on the implementation and transitional
application of the European Union's Electronic System for Agricultural Non-Customs
Formalities (ELAN).
The Chair said the next Committee
meeting is tentatively scheduled for 15 October 2026.