RESTRICTEDWORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONWT/ACC/JOR/28
4 October 1999
(99-4102)
Working Party on the
Accession of JordanOriginal:  English
ACCESSION OF JORDAN
Communication from Jordan
Report on Import/Export Licensing - Proposal
The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has submitted the following Report on
Import/Export Licensing (Proposed) of 24 September 1999.
_______________
This report summarizes the proposed new regime for import and export licensing that Jordan
plans to adopt in its effort to conform to the WT O requirements.  Jordan is currently preparing the
following legal measures in order to reflect the proposed regime described below:
- Amendments to the Law on Imports and Exports No. 14 of 1992;
- Amendments to the Regulations on Imports and Exports No. 74 of 1993;
- Amendments to the Instructions on Imports No. 1 of 1999.
Sections I and II of this report discuss respectively the proposed new regime for import and
export licensing.
Import Licensing
Jordan is proposing to eliminate the current system of prior approvals and replace it with an
automatic and non-automatic import licensing regime in accordance with the WTO Import LicensingAgreement.  Import licenses will be issued by those ministries which were issuing prior approvals
(Line Authority-LA).  However, all LA should fo llow the principles described below in issuing
import licenses.
The following are general principles that will govern the new import licensing regime:
- All entities which have the right to trade for commercial and non-commercial purposes, as
described in the report on the right to trade, will be eligible to apply for, and obtain after
fulfilling necessary requirements, import licenses;
- The procedure and requirements for applying and obtaining import licenses will be the same
for all eligible entities regardless of the level of foreign ownership;
- The import licence applicant will have to apply at the LA in order to obtain import licenses.
Where necessary, LA will coordinate with other relevant ministries to secure approval of
licenses.  The applicant, however, will only have to approach a single authority;
- The reasons for refusal of the licence should be according to the WTO Import Licensing
Agreement.  In addition, reasons for refusal must be provided to the applicant in writing upon
his/her request;WT/ACC/JOR/28
Page 2
- Licence cancellation: LA will have the right to cancel an import licence and refund the fees in
any of the following cases:
- if importation of goods became prohibited;
- if importation of goods became restricted to a specific entity;
- if importation was not possible to emergent circumstances;
- if the licence was issued in violations of the import licensing legal regime;
- Cancellation of licenses is prohibited for transacted consignments unless in case of emergent
circumstances;
- LA will have the right to cancel import licenses in case of violations by the licensee of legal
requirements concerning health, safety, environment, national security, and public order and
moral;
- The import licence applicant will have the right to  appeal to the court within 60 days from the
date of notification of refusal or premature cancellation of import licence;
- Licenses are transferable only with the approval of the issuing LA;
- Licenses must be presented to customs along with customs declaration when importing goods
that require import licence;
- In case of loss of licence, licensee may apply for replacement.  The issuing LA will re-issue a
new licence within 1 week and charge a fee corresponding to the service rendered;
- LA, where applicable, shall maintain two lists:  list of goods subject to automatic import
licensing and list of goods subject to non-automatic import licensing;
- When amending the lists of goods subject to au tomatic/non-automatic licensing,  the LA shall
issue an instructions and shall publish the full lists every time they are amended;  newlicensing requirements (e.g. new items added to the list) shall take effect 30 days after the
publication of the amended lists;
- Notification to the WTO will be in accordance with Article 5 of the Import Licensing
Agreement.
The following principles will govern automatic import licenses:
- Automatic licenses will be required for administrative and statistical purposes;
- Requirements for applying for an automatic licence will be the following:
- Application;
- import card, special import card, or professional licence; natural persons importing
for non-commercial purposes do not have to submit any of these three documents but
instead must submit an identity card (Jordanian citizens) or residency permit
(foreigners);
- licence fee reflective of cost services rendered;
- Provisions of the WTO Import licensing agreement (Article 2.2(a)-2.2(b)) will govern
the issuance of automatic import licenses;
- Automatic licenses should be issued within a maximum of ten working days after
submission of all required documents;
- The licensee has the right to import unlimited number of shipments and quantity
during the period of validity of licence;
- Automatic licenses will be valid for one year with automatic renewal.  The same
provisions for obtaining a licence shall apply for renewal.
The following principles will govern non-automatic import licenses:
- Non-Automatic licenses will be required to:
- regulate quantitative restrictions (e.g. quotas) in accordance with the Agreement on
Safeguards and Article XIX of the GATT 1994, or in accordance with Article XII andWT/ACC/JOR/28
Page 3
Article XVIII of the GATT 1994, the Understa nding of Restrictions for Balance-of-
Payments purposes;
- import goods that are likely to cause threat  to safety, environment, health, national
security, public order and moral; and
- import goods which are not efficient in terms of conservation of natural resources;
- Provisions of the WTO Import licensing agreement (Article 3.2-3.5) will govern the issuance
of non-automatic import licenses;
- Non-Automatic should be issued within a maximu m of thirty working days (for an individual
application) after submission of all required documents (or maximum of 60 days when all
applications are considered simultaneously);
- The requirements for obtaining non-automatic import licenses should be the following:
- Application;
- import card, special import card, or professional licence; natural persons importing
for non-commercial purposes do not have to submit any of these three documents but
instead must submit an identity card (Jordanian citizens) or residency permit
(foreigners);
- licence fee reflective of cost services rendered;
- In the case of importing a product that may cause a threat to safety, health,
environment, national security, and public order and moral, the importer must submit
documents demonstrating the qualification to import the specific product without
causing a threat to the aforementioned legitimate objectives.
- Non-Automatic licenses will be valid according to the terms specified in the licence in case of
quotas (e.g. fulfilling the quotas) but should not exceed one year; Otherwise, Non-Automatic
licenses will be valid for one year.  The licensee has the right to import unlimited number of
shipments during the period of validity of licence.
Application of the Regime
The following application of the proposed import licensing regime will be in effect as of the
date of accession to the WTO.  Jordan reserves the right to amend the application of this regime after
accession taking into account the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing and the principles discussed
above.
Jordan will require automatic import licenses on the following:- goods subject to the dictates of trade protocols between Jordan and other countries
provided that these goods originate in those countries.  Such requirement currently
applies to Syria for a specific list of items.  This licence will be issued by the Ministry
of Industry and Trade;
- Dairy Products (chapter 4) and fresh fruits and vegetables (chapter 7 and 8) imported
from counties with which Jordan has trade agreements;
- list of goods subject to automatic import licensing along with LA as provided in
Table 1 below.
Table 1 - List of Goods Subject  to Automatic Import Licensing
HS Code Item Line Authority
Ex 19.05.30 Biscuits Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT)
ex 22.01.10 Mineral water MIT
25.01 Table Salt MIT
10.06 Rice MITWT/ACC/JOR/28
Page 4
HS Code Item Line Authority
11.01 Wheat flour and other Wheat
productsMIT
17.01 Sugar MIT
10.01 Wheat MIT
10.03 Barley MIT
10.05 Corn MIT
Ex 97.05.00 Stuffed wild animals Ministry of Agriculture
20.02.90 Tomato Paste Ministry of Agriculture
15.09 Olive Oil Ministry of Agriculture
Jordan will require non-automatic import licenses on the list of goods subject to non-
automatic import licensing along with LA as shown in Table 2 below.  No quotas, however, are linked
in this case.  Non-Automatic licenses are required here to meet legitimate objectives such as
protection of health, safety, environment, national security, public order and moral, and conservation
of natural resources.
Table 2 - List of Goods Subject to Non-Automatic Import Licensing
HS Code Item Justification Line Authority
Ex 40.12 Used automobile tires Safety MIT
Ex 85 Used electronic equipment Health  MIT
04.02 Milk for industrial use Health MIT
Chapter 1 Live animals Health Ministry of Agriculture
0511.10 Frozen animal semen Health Ministry of Agriculture
Chapter 2 Fresh chilled and frozen
meatHealth Ministry of Agriculture
Chapter 31 Fertilizers  Environment Ministry of Agriculture
38.8 Insecticides, fungicides,
herbicides, disinfectorsHealth and
EnvironmentMinistry of Agriculture
 12.09 Seed and fruits, used for
sewingPlant Health Ministry of Agriculture
30.03
30.04Veterinary medicines Animal Health Ministry of Agriculture
Chapter 93 All kinds of arms and
ammunitionNational security Ministry of Interior, Public
Security Department (PSD)
36.01
36.02
36.0336.04All kinds of explosives National security PSD
82.11 Pen knives and similar
articlesNational security
Public orderPSD
95.01 Children automobile toys
operated with fuelSafety PSD
95.03.90 Remote control and toy
airplanesSafety PSD
95.04.10 Electrical and electronic
video games machinesPublic moral PSD
85.43 Self-defense electrical
equipmentNational security
Public orderPSDWT/ACC/JOR/28
Page 5
HS Code Item Justification Line Authority
Ex 28.34.299 Ammonium Nitrates National security
Public orderPSD
28.44 Radio-active materials
and uraniumNational security
HealthSafety
EnvironmentMinistry of Energy & Mineral
Resources
85.25.1085.25.20Wireless transmitters and
receiversNational security
SafetyHealthTelecommunications
Regulatory Commission (TRC)
85.31 Wireless alarm
equipmentNational security
HealthTRC
85.43.209
85.26.92All kinds of remote
control equipment
(except those fortelevision and video)National security
Safety
HealthTRC
85.26.91
85.26.10Radar apparatus National security
Safety
HealthTRC
85.25.10
85.25.20Transmission and
reception stationsNational security
Safety
Health
EnvironmentTRC
85.25.201 Cellular telephone
systemsNational security
Safety
Health
EnvironmentTRC
85.17.11 Cordless telephones National security
HealthTRC
8518.10 Cordless microphones National security
HealthTRC
85.17 Electrical equipment for
line telephony and
telegraphySafety
EnvironmentTRC
85.43.899 Decoders National security
HealthTRC
85.29.101
85.43.891Satellites National security
Safety
HealthTRC
90.09 Colored photocopying
machinesNational security Central Bank of Jordan
29.41
30.02
30.03
30.04Medicaments, antibiotics,
human blood, vaccinesHealth Ministry of Health (MOH)
21.06.90 Food preparations used
by athletesHealth MOH
28.27.51 Bromides of potassium Health MOH
33.02 Food colorings Health MOH
68.11 Sheets and pipes of
asbestosHealth MOHWT/ACC/JOR/28
Page 6
HS Code Item Justification Line Authority
04.02
21.06.901901.10
1901.90Milk and foods for
childrenHealth MOH
21.05 Ice cream and other
edible iceHealth MOH
84.70.90 Postage franking
machinesNational security Ministry of Post and
Communications
29.03.4 Halogenated derivatives
of hydrocarbonsSafety
EnvironmentPublic Corporation for
Protection of the Environment
29.03.4 Frion gas Safety
EnvironmentPublic Corporation for
Protection of the Environment
84.30.4 Boring machinery for
waterConservation of
Natural
ResourcesMinistry of Water & Irrigation
Chapters 61 and
62Military clothing National security General Command of the
Armed Forces
Export Licensing
A similar regime to import licensing will govern export licensing.  The existing regime for
prior approvals of exports will be eliminated and replaced with automatic export licensing.  The
following items will be subjec t to automatic export licensing:
Table 3 - List of Goods Subject to Automatic Export Licensing
HS Code Item Line Authority
10.01 Wheat MIT
11.01 Wheat flour and other wheat products (semolina,
bran, broken wheat)MIT
17.01 Sugar MIT
19.02.111
19.02.191Macaroni and vermicelli MIT
10.06.10
10.06.20Rice (ordinary brand) MIT
25.15 Marble slabs Natural Resources
Authority (NRA)
25.17.41 Broken marble NRA
Chapter 26 Mineral ores NRA
Ex Chapter 25 The argillaceous material extracted from the Dead
SeaNRA
28.44 Radioactive materials and sources, and exhausted
uraniumNRA
15.09 Olive Oil Ministry of Agriculture
Chapters 7 and 8 Fresh fruit and vegetables destined to protocol trade
countriesMinistry of Agriculture
On the date of accession, Jordan will also maintain automatic export licence requirements on
all products exported to Iraq and Syria.
__________