Import Licensing Procedures – New Portal
Four years of work by the WTO Secretariat bore fruit with the launch on 9 October 2020 of the new import licensing database. The new platform gathers together import licensing information, analysis and reporting and streamlines notification procedures for WTO members. At a meeting of the Committee on Import Licensing, members commended the work done by WTO staff to provide a one-stop shop for members and interested parties seeking to access information on import licensing procedures.
The new database is a comprehensive information centre containing all members’ legislation, procedures and product information relating to import licensing. Offering a user-friendly interface, the platform will allow members and the business community to find import licensing information more efficiently and to make better use of the information contained in members’ notifications.
With the technical support of the WTO’s Information Technology Solutions Division (ITSD), staff at the Market Access Division designed the structure of the new platform, reviewed and analyzed all import licensing notifications submitted by members since 1995 and uploaded profiles of 134 members. They also verified over 2,500 pieces of legislation to make sure all links lead to the relevant information and to ensure accuracy regarding more than 1,000 products and procedures.
It will also promote compliance with WTO members’ transparency obligations. This will be especially helpful for developing countries which have capacity constraints. Many members emphasized that the database is a powerful example of how WTO members can improve transparency in a way that also assists importers and exporters.