The import license system is one of the non-tariff measures in international trade, which is widely used in countries around the world and has a significant impact on the flow and direction of international trade. Understanding the management requirements of the "Import License" is of positive significance for importing enterprises to apply for an "Import License" in accordance with relevant regulations and successfully complete customs clearance.

What is an import license

Import license refers to the license issued by the Ministry of Commerce and its authorized license-issuing agency for importing goods subject to quantitative restrictions or other restrictions in accordance with the law. Certificate column.

Scope of use of import license

(1) Quota management and export quota bidding management shall be implemented for imported goods with limited quantity stipulated by the state, and license management shall be implemented for other restricted imported goods.

(2) According to the Joint Announcement (2021) No. 49 of the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Commerce, the commodities subject to import license management in 2022 include ozone-depleting products and key used mechanical and electrical products.

Obtaining an import license

The Ministry of Commerce is responsible for issuing import licenses for key used mechanical and electrical products, and local licensing agencies are responsible for issuing import licenses for ozone-depleting substances. The import licenses applied by central enterprises in Beijing are issued by the Ministry of Commerce.

Let's take the import of old mechanical and electrical machinery as an example to see how to apply for an "Import License".

The end user of the old mechanical and electrical products shall apply to the Ministry of Commerce, and the application documents are as follows:

(1) Description of the use of the key used mechanical and electrical products applied for import;

(2) "Application Form for Import of Mechanical and Electrical Products";

(3) Business license (copy);

(4) The certification materials of the manufacturing years of the key used mechanical and electrical products applied for import;

(5) The applicant for the import unit shall provide a description of the equipment status;

(6) Other documents required by relevant laws and administrative regulations.

Application entry on the website of the Ministry of Commerce:

http://wtexp.mofcom.gov.cn/

Import License Administration Regulations

(1) Import license verification management

1. The import license is subject to online verification management, and the paper license and the electronic license data serve as the basis for customs supervision.

2. Manual endorsement is not allowed in the remarks column of the import license. If there is any alteration or handwritten content, it will be regarded as an invalid license.

3. Under normal circumstances, the import license is subject to the management of "one batch of one license", and the "non-batch one license" management is implemented, and the words "non-batch one license" are printed in the record column of the import license. "One batch of one license" means that the license can be used for one customs declaration within the validity period, and "non-batch one license" means that the license can be used for multiple customs declarations within the validity period, but no more than 12 times.

(2) Administration of the validity period of import licenses

The validity period of the import license is from the date of issuance to December 31 of the current year. The application for extension of the import license should be submitted within the validity period, and the license-issuing authority shall re-issue the import license after the original license is recovered and indicate in the remarks column " With the words "Extended Use" and the original license number, the import license can only be extended once, and the longest extension shall not exceed 3 months.

(3) Provisions on the Administration of Ozone-Depleting Import Licenses

1. To import ozone-depleting substances listed in the "List of Controlled Ozone-Depleting Substances for Import and Export of China" in any form, the importer should go through customs clearance procedures with the customs with the "Import License" of ODS issued by the Ministry of Commerce; A permit is not required to enter or exit from the special customs supervision area or bonded supervision site within the territory of China and other areas in China, or to enter or exit the above-mentioned special customs supervision area or bonded supervision site.

2. Ozone depletion import license implements "one license for one batch", each license can only be used once for customs declaration, valid in the current year, and may not be used across the year.

(4) Provisions on the Administration of Import Licenses for Key Used Mechanical and Electrical Products

1. When importing key used mechanical and electrical products subject to import license management, the importer shall hold an "import license" [the "commodity name" column should be marked with the word (old)] and an entry inspection declaration form (remark "Import record of used mechanical and electrical products") words) go through customs clearance procedures in accordance with customs regulations.

2. The key used mechanical and electrical products that enter the special customs supervision area and the bonded supervision site from abroad, and the key used mechanical and electrical products that enter the customs special supervision area and then leave the area outside the (domestic) area do not need to check the "import license".

(5) Provisions on the Administration of Licenses for Importing Bulk and Bulk Cargoes

The overflow quantity of imported bulk and bulk goods shall not exceed 5% of the import quantity in the import license. When the "non-one batch, one certificate" bulk and bulk goods are imported, they shall be deducted according to the actual import quantity. When the last batch of goods is imported, the overflow shall be The loading quantity shall be calculated according to the actual remaining quantity of the license and within 5% of the specified overfill upper limit.