Import License and Quotas (Course)

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Syllabus of the Online Subject: Import Licenses, Tariff-rate Quotas (TRQ) and Prohibitions (Non-tariff Measures)

  1. Tariff-rate Quotas (TRQ)
  2. Import licenses
  3. Other prohibitions or import restrictions

The objectives of the subject “Import licenses, quotas and prohibitions (Non-tariff Measures)” are the following:

  1. To understand Tariff-rate Quotas and import licensing (non-automatic) concepts
  2. To study what types of Tariff-rate Quotas and licenses exist and how they can affect an exporter
  3. To analyse other types of prohibitions or import restrictions

Example of the Online Subject - Import licenses, Tariff-rate quotas (TRQ) and prohibitions (Non-tariff Measures):
Import license, Tariff-rate quotas (Master Trade)


The eLearning Subject “Import licenses, quotas and prohibitions (Non-tariff Measures)” is part of the following Online Higher Education Programs taught by EENI Business School & HA University:
  1. Courses: Non-tariff Measures, Foreign Trade Management
  2. Diploma in International Trade
  3. Masters: International Business, Foreign Trade and Global Marketing, International Transport
  4. Doctorate in International Trade

Online Continuing education (Courses, Certificates, Diplomas

Learning materials in: Master in International Business in English Study Master Doctorate Business in Spanish Licencias de importación Study, Master in International Business in French licenses d'importation, contingents Masters Foreign Trade in Portuguese Licenças de importação

Area of Knowledge: Foreign trade.





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Description of the Online Subject - Import licenses, quotas and prohibitions

When a government wishes to restrain the quantity of products to be imported, it implements this type of non-tariff technical measures of control and / or prohibitions. These measures are usually implemented through import licenses (not-automatic), quotas or prohibitions.

The World Trade Organisation (GATT, Agreement on Safeguards) prohibits, except in exceptional cases, this type of non-tariff measures.

The granting of a import license is not automatic, it may be discretionary or through a requirement by which certain criteria are met.

Licenses can be based on:

  1. Economic reasons
  2. Without specific ex ante criteria (discretionary license)
  3. Specific use
  4. Licensing linked with local production
  5. Political, religious-moral, cultural reasons

Tariff-rate quotas (TRQ) / Contingents

Import licenses for non-economic reasons are generally implemented through quotas (contingents).

A quota (tariff) is a restriction on the importation of a series of goods imposed by a Government. They are usually based on quantities or the establishment of a maximum value.

A contingent (quota) can be of indefinite duration (permanent contingent, which can be allocated by countries or global) or temporary.

  1. Customs and World Trade Organisation
  2. Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement)
  3. Technical barriers to foreign trade (TBT Agreement)
  4. Pre-shipment Inspection (Agreement on Preshipment Inspection)
  5. Anti-dumping Measures and safeguards (Agreement on Safeguards)

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