Seychelles Member profile
Status of notification in the reporting periods
2010-2012
2012-2014
2014-2016
2016-2018
2018-2020
2020-2022
2022-2024
2024-2026
Notification information
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Seychelles
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08/02/2021
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2018-2020, 2020-2022
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Seychelles
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10/01/2018
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2016-2018
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Types of restrictions
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 HS chapters notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 WTO justifications notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
Top 10 Non-WTO commitments notified
All biennial periods and all notifications
QR details
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Trade policy review
Latest Trade Policy Review (Report by the WTO Secretariat): WT/TPR/S/433/Rev.1
A. Import prohibitions and restrictions and import licensing
3.47.
Seychelles maintains import prohibitions and restrictions for certain goods mostly based on national security, health, and environmental considerations. These measures mirror to a large extent those in place at the time of Seychelles' accession to the WTO (with few exceptions), and are listed in the Customs Management (Prohibited and Restricted Goods) Regulations, 2019 (and their amendments).[168] These regulations repealed and replaced those of 2014, and were issued primarily to update the HS codes of the goods subject to import controls following the migration from the HS07 to the HS17 version.
3.48.
The list of import prohibitions and restrictions currently in force and its related legislation have been notified to the WTO. The most recent notification in this regard was submitted in 2021 when Seychelles submitted its biennial notification on quantitative restrictions.[169] The same year, Seychelles also submitted its replies to the annual questionnaire on import licensing procedures providing a comprehensive description of these procedures for each restricted good.[170]
3.49.
The list of import prohibitions comprises 13 product categories (Table 3.2), including toxic chemicals, counterfeit currencies, and arms. Based on environmental reasons, Seychelles introduced during the review period a prohibition on the imports of: (i) non-biodegradable plastic bags and utensils (with some exemptions based on their intended use) (June 2017); (ii) non‑biodegradable plastic straws (June 2019); and (iii) balloons (September 2021).[171] Seychelles no longer prohibits the import of certain military goods (e.g. military uniforms and armoured vehicles) but instead requires a permit for their importation (see below).
3.50.
Additionally, Seychelles controls the imports of a selected number of products through a system of (non‑automatic) licences or permits – as they are referred to under its national legislation. This system is implemented based on health, public safety, national security, environmental, conservation, and socio-economic considerations. The list of goods subject to an import licence comprises nearly 50 product categories (Table A3.5) and includes endangered species, plastic items, fertilizers, and alcoholic beverages, as well as agricultural, tobacco, and pharmaceutical products. This list remains broadly the same as the one in place at the time of Seychelles' accession to the WTO, with few additions. During the review period, Seychelles introduced a licence requirement to import certain military equipment (previously prohibited) (2019), popsicles with alcoholic content (2019), biodegradable plastic straws (2019), and hand sanitizers (2020).[172] For the latter, the measure intends to ensure quality standards and prevent the imports of counterfeit products.
3.51.
Anyone willing to import restricted goods either for personal consumption[173] or commercial purposes must submit the corresponding import permit, in addition to the other standard import requirements (Section 3.1.1). Permits are granted by the relevant ministries and agencies through the Import and Export Permit Unit of the MFNPT. The Unit acts as a one-stop shop for processing and dispatching these applications but the decision to grant or reject an application is the responsibility of the relevant ministry or agency. Currently, 13 government institutions are involved in the approval of a licence. Import licences are in general granted for a period of one year renewable.
B. Export prohibitions and restrictions
3.58.
Seychelles does not apply any export prohibitions but requires a licence or permit – as referred to in its national legislation – to export certain products based mainly on health and environmental considerations (Table 3.3). The current regime has been implemented since autumn 2014 through the Customs Management (Export Permit) Regulations, 2014 and is in line with Seychelles' accession commitments, under which Seychelles was going to require an export permit only for a limited number of goods instead of for all goods, as it used to.
3.59.
The list of products subject to an export permit includes chemical products, live plants and animals, fish and fishery products, and motor vehicles, and it has not changed since it was established in 2014.
3.60.
In addition to the products listed in these regulations, Seychelles requires a permit to export the Coco-de-Mer nut – one of its distinctive and native products.[177] This permit is reserved for domestic exporters.
3.61.
Seychelles has notified to the WTO most of the products requiring a permit, with few exceptions (e.g. live animals and animal products).[178]
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.