Import licensing: 14 cases raised at the WTO
The WTO discussed 14 import licensing concerns on 15 October. Which countries and products are involved and what to check before shipping.
Published on 26 October 2026Updated on 26 October 2026
Luis Sanz FiguerasFounder de Exporta.ai
Photo: Jan van der Wolf · Pexels
The WTO Import Licensing Committee discussed fourteen trade concerns about import permits and procedures on 15 October 2026. India, Indonesia, Egypt, Angola, Thailand, Türkiye and the EU are among the countries named. For a small exporter, a permit can stop a shipment even when the tariff is zero. Check it before quoting.
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What happened at the WTO
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Import Licensing Committee met on 15 October 2026 and addressed 14 trade concerns. Two of them were raised for the first time.
An import licence is the administrative permit a country requires before a product can enter. It is separate from the tariff: you can face a 0% tariff and still be unable to clear the goods without that permit.
The committee also followed up on two earlier cases: the due diligence statements under the EU Deforestation Regulation, raised by Brazil, and Indonesia's import restrictions on electrical products, steel products and fabrics, raised by Japan.
Source: OMC – Comité de Licenças de Importação, 15 de outubro de 2026Data for 2026-10
Which countries and which products
India accounts for five cases: quality control orders for plywood, wooden doors and furniture; imports of pneumatic tyres; licensing for personal computers, tablets and other electronics; and the suspension of licences for refurbished medical devices.
Indonesia has four: the commodity balancing mechanism, licences for certain textile products, compulsory registration of steel importers and the restriction on air conditioners.
The rest are single cases: licensing for agricultural products in Angola, agricultural and processed products in Egypt, import procedures for wheat feed in Thailand, restrictions on two-wheelers in Türkiye and the due diligence requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation.
Source: OMC – Comité de Licenças de Importação, 15 de outubro de 2026Data for 2026-10
Trade concerns addressed on 15 October 2026, by country applying the measure
number of trade concerns · 2026-10| Country or bloc applying the measure | Concerns addressed (no.) | Products or procedures named |
|---|---|---|
| India | 5 | Plywood, tyres, electronics, refurbished medical devices, furniture |
| Indonesia | 4 | Commodities, textiles, steel importers, air conditioners |
| Angola | 1 | Agricultural products |
| Egypt | 1 | Agricultural and processed products |
| European Union | 1 | Deforestation due diligence |
| Thailand | 1 | Wheat feed |
| Türkiye | 1 | Two-wheelers |
Total: 14 concerns. The table follows the titles published by the WTO; the exact measure is checked in each country's rules.
Source: OMC – Comité de Licenças de Importação, 15 de outubro de 2026Data for 2026-10
Why the permit is the hard part to find
A September 2026 survey of participants in a WTO workshop gave these figures: 68% had trouble getting information from the responsible authorities, 72% had trouble getting up-to-date information and 48% had trouble identifying all the licensing procedures that exist. The survey reflects only those who took part, not all members.
If trade officials struggle to find the procedures, a small business struggles more. Since the June meeting the WTO has received 49 notifications; 21 members have never replied to the annual questionnaire and 11 have never submitted a notification. The WTO database helps, but it is not complete.
The committee's next meeting is tentatively scheduled for 22 April 2027.
Source: OMC – Comité de Licenças de Importação, 15 de outubro de 2026Data for 2026-10
How to check the permit before closing an order
- 01
Fix the tariff code
Permits and quality controls apply by product. With the wrong code, the check is worthless.
- 02
Ask the importer
Ask in writing which permit, registration or certificate the country requires for your product and who handles it.
- 03
Ask for the rule and check the date
Request the reference of the rule and confirm it is in force. Requirements change and an old version misleads.
- 04
Check the European Commission database
Access2Markets lists entry requirements for many markets for EU exporters.
- 05
Put the permit in the offer
State in the offer and the contract that the permit is a condition of delivery and who bears the cost of a delay.
How Exporta helps you
With Exporta you can read the market reports by country and product to see tariffs and barriers before quoting, and prepare the export documents (proforma invoice, packing list) with the data each destination asks for.
With Find customers you reach importers and distributors in your sector with the person who decides, and with the CRM you write to them from your own email. Xport, the Exporta assistant, helps you organise those steps.
Is an import licence the same as a tariff?
No. A tariff is a tax paid when the goods enter. A licence is a prior administrative permit. A product can have a zero tariff and still require a licence.
Who handles the licence, the exporter or the importer?
It depends on the country and the product. In many cases the importer does, but ask in writing before closing the order and reflect it in the contract.
What is a quality control order?
It is a country rule requiring certain products to meet technical standards before they are sold there. India applies several, such as those for plywood and furniture, and they are among the cases discussed.
Where can I see the licences a country declares?
The WTO publishes members' notifications, but not all members send them. They need to be checked against the destination country's rule and with the importer.
Check the requirements for your product in each market
Try Exporta for free and look up the tariffs and barriers for your tariff code before sending the quote.