Solomon Islands Member profile
No notifications submitted by Solomon Islands
Trade policy review
Latest Trade Policy Review (Report by the WTO Secretariat): WT/TPR/S/465
A. Import prohibitions and restrictions and import licensing
3.33.
Under the Customs and Excise Act, the Minister of Finance and Treasury can issue an order prohibiting exports of "any goods whatsoever" or to "any particular place".[88] The authorities indicate that this can be done by the Minister in consultation with other Ministers if the commodities are regulated under another law. The goods to be prohibited or restricted to be imported are set out in the Second Schedule to the Customs and Excise Act.
3.34.
Such import prohibitions include (i) counterfeit coins and currency; (ii) foods unfit for human consumption; (iii) indecent or obscene materials; (iv) bees, second-hand bee-keeping equipment and bee-derived products; (v) matches containing white or yellow phosphorus; (vi) merchandise marks not accompanied by an indication of the country in which the goods were produced; (vii) prepared opium and related utensils; (viii) goods bearing the Royal Arms of Great Britain in cases where the manufacturer does not have the authority to use them; (ix) fictitious stamps and instruments capable of making them; (x) knives which open automatically; (xi) solid hand-attached contraptions adapted to cause injury to persons; and (xii) certain second-hand clothing items (except those allowed, subject to import licence).[89]
3.35.
On 1 September 2023, the Government introduced a ban on the importation of single-use plastic products (plastic shopping bags; plastic straws; plastic cups, plates, and cutlery; polystyrofoam takeaway containers, plates, and cups; and polyethylene terephthalate water bottles that contain less than 1.5 litres). The manufacture and distribution of single-use plastic products and the sale and supply to retail outlets of single-use plastic products have been prohibited since 1 March 2024.[90]
3.36.
Section 40B of the Firearms and Ammunition (Amendment) Act prohibits the importation of imitation firearms.[91] Under the Dangerous Drugs Act, import prohibitions are maintained on raw opium, coca leaf, and Indian hemp and resins obtained from Indian hemp and their preparations, as well as seeds of opium, poppy, Indian hemp, and coca leaf (Part I, Articles 4 and 5) and prepared opium (Part II, Article 11).[92]
3.37.
An Environment Bill, if enacted, would give the Minister the authority to prohibit the import (and export) of hazardous waste through the issuance of an Order to be published in the Gazette.[93] Information was not available on the state of play of enactment of this Bill. Under Article 51 of the Pharmacy and Poisons Act, the Deputy Secretary (Health) of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services has the authority to prohibit the import of any drug, instrument, or appliance deemed likely to be injurious to people's health or well-being.[94] Information was not available on whether any such items have been prohibited.
3.38.
As set out in the Second Schedule to the Customs and Excise Act, absolute and ethyl alcohol may only be imported in quantities determined by the Comptroller of Customs for approved purposes, and used clothing, linen, jute sacks, and industrial rags may only be imported if the Comptroller of Customs is satisfied that the articles have been sterilized, disinfested, or disinfected.[95] Quantitative restrictions are also applied to imports of ozone-depleting substances.[96]
3.39.
Import licensing requirements apply to various products, seemingly for reasons of protection of public safety, health, or the environment. New import licensing requirements were introduced on refrigerant gases to implement Solomon Islands' commitments under the Montreal Protocol (in 2023[97]) and certain wildlife specimens, under the CITES Convention (in 2017[98]).
3.40.
Only licensed persons may import firearms and ammunition (the police), medicines and poisons, and refrigerant gases, and can trade in certain wildlife specimens.[99] Solomon Islands has yet to notify to the WTO its import licensing procedures and the questionnaire on import licensing.
3.41.
The Second Schedule to the Customs and Excise Act lists several of the goods subject to import licensing/authorization requirements[100]: · Arms and ammunition; · Cannabinoids; cannabis plant, flower, or resin; and tetrahydrocannabinols; · Stupefying or tear gas and appliances for firing or using such gas; · Tobacco extracts, essences, or other concentrations of tobacco, or any admixture thereof, tobacco stalks and tobacco stalk flour; · Electrical machinery, apparatus, and appliances designed to be connected to any electricity supply system; and · All fireworks other than distress, light, or sound signals and rockets and other pyrotechnics forming part of the safety equipment or stores of a vessel or aircraft.
3.42.
Under Part III of the Dangerous Drugs Act, import authorizations are required for dangerous drugs.[101] Imports of live fish require a licence under Article 59 of the Fisheries Management Act.[102] Other import permits or licences are required for SPS reasons are set out in Section 3.3.3.
3.43.
Information was not available as to whether the above-mentioned import licences are granted automatically or non-automatically.
B. Export prohibitions and restrictions
3.50.
Under the Customs and Excise Act, the Minister of Finance and Treasury can issue an order prohibiting exports of "any goods whatsoever" or to "any particular place".[104] The authorities indicate that this can be done by the Minister in consultation with other Ministers if the commodities are regulated under another law. The goods that are prohibited or restricted from being exported are set out in the Third Schedule to the Customs and Excise Act.
3.51.
Export of the following items are prohibited: baitfish, under the Third Schedule to the Customs and Excise Act[105], and certain narcotics (raw opium, coca leaf, and Indian hemp (and their seeds); prepared opium and utensils for their use), under the Dangerous Drugs Act, Parts I and II.[106] The export of certain high-value wood species is also prohibited (Section 4.1.4 ).
3.52.
Export licences are required for (i) oils, liquids, and spirits derived from any petroleum, shale, coal, peat, bitumen, or similar substance (except oil used for lubricating purposes or having a flash point above 200°F), under the Third Schedule to the Customs and Excise Act; certain birds, mammals, reptiles, plants and fish under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection and Management Act 1998[107]; (ii) certain CITES-protected wildlife specimens under the Wildlife Protection Management Act (Amendment) Act[108]; (iii) war relics under the Protection of Wrecks and War Relics Act[109]; (iv) gold under the Part VII of the Mines and Minerals Act[110]; (v) certain medicines under the Dangerous Drugs Act; (vi) firearms and ammunition under the Firearms and Ammunition Act; and (vii) live fish under the Fisheries Management Act.[111]
3.53.
Exporters of copra, cocoa, and palm oil must be licensed by the Commodities Export Marketing Authority (CEMA) to export these products. Licence fees are SBD 5,000 for cocoa and copra, and SBD 50,000 for exporters of palm oil, with licences being valid for 12 months. Licence fees are used to finance the CEMA's operations. In 2019, which is the latest available data, the CEMA's revenue from licences granted to exporters of copra was SBD 18,288, SBD 83,619 for cocoa, and SBD 50,000 for palm oil.[112] Gold traders must be licensed by the Director of Mines; they may only be citizens of Solomon Islands.[113] According to the authorities, exporters in the mining, marine, forestry, wildlife, and agriculture sectors need to be licensed and obtain permits certified by a responsible person before exporting. This also applies to exporters under CITES and the Conservation and Management Act.
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.