Liberia Member profile
No notifications submitted by Liberia
Trade policy review
Latest Trade Policy Review (Report by the WTO Secretariat): WT/TPR/S/441/Rev.1
A. Import prohibitions and restrictions and import licensing
3.39.
Since its accession, Liberia has not submitted any notification to the WTO under the Import Licensing Agreement. The authorities state that they intend to submit the relevant notification soon.
3.40.
The Foreign Trade Law 2016 contains provisions on the import licensing regime.[107] The MoCI is responsible for the issuance of import licences.
3.41.
The amended LR Code (Section 1214) stipulates that the Customs Department may impose import prohibitions and restrictions on grounds of, inter alia, public morality; public policy or public security; the protection of the health and life of humans, animals, or plants; and environment protection. In accordance with the LR Code, Liberia prohibits the imports of: · goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in any foreign country by convict, forced, or indentured labour under penal sanctions (Section 1817); · right-hand drive vehicles of any category (Section 2202); and · used motor vehicles more than 15 years old designed for transport of both passenger and goods. However, these vehicles may still be imported if the "overage" duty is paid (Section 3.1.4). This import ban does not cover earth‑moving machinery; heavy‑duty trucks used in logging, and transportation of heavy equipment; industrial vehicles and tankers; special purpose motor vehicles; and other trucks above 10 tonnes (Section 2202).
3.42.
The following chemicals are prohibited from importation: aldrin; chlordan; dioxins; endris; furans; heptachlor; dieldrun; mirex; toxaphene; polychlorinate; DDT; hexachlorabenzene; and methyl bromide.[108] The authorities state that ozone-depleting substances are also prohibited from importation.
3.43.
The authorities state that the following products are also banned from importation into and exportation from Liberia: leopard skin; animal horn; wild cat skin; charcoal; bush meat; ivory and products thereof; python skin; shark fin; and turtles.
3.44.
The following products require permits from relevant ministries or agencies before the MoCI issues an Import Notification Form: · Soil from foreign land – banned from entering except for scientific reasons; · All plants and plant products including processed; · All live animals and animal products including processed; · All human consumables: food (including rice and flour), alcohol, soft drinks, and tobacco/cigarettes; · All agro-chemicals and veterinary drugs; · All wildlife species (flora and fauna) including timber, log, plywood, and plant‑packing materials; · Chewing stick; · Chain sawn wood; · Bird feathers except for scientific reasons; · All non-timber forest products; · Hazardous substances and chemicals; · Petroleum and petroleum products; · Cement; · Medicines and pharmaceutical products and biological substances; · Explosives; · Fireworks and combustible liquid or gas preparations; · Military tanks and weapons; · Arms and ammunition; and · Building materials (including lime, steel rods, plywood, PVC pipes, zinc, and ceramic flooring blocks).
3.45.
In December 2020, Liberia decided through an EO to replace Import Permit Declarations (IPD) by Import Notification Forms (INFs). That is, importers do not need to submit any IPDs to the MoCI. Rather, they need to submit an INF as "an administrative document to collect trade statistical data and monitor the inflow and outflow of good and facilitate trade".[109] This reflects a move from a non‑automatic to an automatic import licensing regime.
B. Export prohibitions and restrictions
3.54.
Liberia banned the exportation of unprocessed natural rubber from 2008 to 2017, with a view to curbing the decline in the local rubber industry.
3.55.
According to a document called Restricted Exports issued in 2014 by the MoCI, a permit/certificate is required for the exportation of a number of products (Table 3.7). Then a licence is issued by MoCI upon presentation of permits/certificates.
WTO's environmental database (EDB)
The EDB contains environment-related measures that may qualify as QRs and therefore should be notified under the QR Decision.