Basic information
Outline of the system
Decree-Law 68/2005, of 31 October 2005, which describes Cape Verde’s Licensing Regime, was revised to bring it in conformity with the WTO “Agreement on Procedures on the Matter of Importation Licensing”.
The revised legislation takes the following operation in consideration:
- Imports that are totally exempt from licensing
Under the revised regime, the following are exempt from any kind of licensing:
- Importation of goods without commercial value, under the terms that will be defined in ordinance of the government member responsible for the area of foreign trade;
- Active and passive improvement operations, of temporary importation, reimportation in the state, reexportation and transit;
- Importations of goods subject to the special customs regimes in the modalities of franc stores, bonded warehouses, franc deposit and special customs storage;
- Industrialized goods, destined for consumption in the area of congresses, fairs and international expositions and assimilated events;
- Importation of goods destined for the provisionment of ships and aircrafts, under the terms of the applicable legislation;
- Goods apprehended, abandoned, found at sea or stranded by it or salvaged from shipwreck and sold at auction;
- Importation of goods without expenditure of currency, property of air and maritime navigation companies and destined for their exclusive use.
Export operations in Cape Verde are exempt from licensing, under the terms of Article 9 of law No. 92/IV/93 of 15 December 1993.
Product coverage
There are three licensing systems in Cape Verde:
- For imports subject to automatic license;
- For imports subject to non-automatic license;
- For imports exempt from licensing.
The goods exempt from licensing consist of :
(a) Goods without commercial value, under the terms that will be defined in ordinance of the government member responsible for the area of foreign trade.
(b) Goods involved in active and passive improvement operations, of temporary importation, reimportation in the state, reexportation and transit.
(c) Goods subject to the special customs regimes in the modalities of franc stores, bonded warehouses, franc deposit and special customs storage.
(d) Industrialized goods destined for consumption in the area of congresses, fairs and international expositions and assimilated events.
(e) Goods destined for the provisionment of ships and aircrafts, under the terms of the applicable legislation.
(f) Goods apprehended, abandoned, found at sea or stranded by it or salvaged from shipwreck and sold at auction.
(g) Goods that do not require expenditure of currency, property of air and maritime navigation companies and destined for their exclusive use.
Nature of licensing
Automatic
If Automatic, administrative purpose
Non-Automatic
If Non-Automatic, description of the notified Non-Automatic Licensing regime
Products under restriction as to the quantity or value of imports
Questions for products under restriction as to the quantity or value of imports
The system applies to products originating from which country?
The systems applies equally to all goods, regardless of the country or countries where they originate.
Expected duration of licensing procedure
Legal requirements
Is the licensing statutorily required?
The previous licensing legislation, Decree-Law 51/2003 of 24 November 2003 was replaced by Decree-Law 68/2005 of 31 October 2005. The new legislation is in conformity with the WTO Agreement on Import Licensing Procedures.
Does the legislation leave designation of products to be subject to licensing to administrative discretion?
Is it possible for the government to abolish the system without legislative approval?
The licensing system can only be altered by law.