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Export and Import Controls
REPORT OF THE MINISTER
OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
respecting operations under the
EXPORT AND IMPORT PERMITS ACT
for the year 2003
Export and Import Controls Bureau
Table of Contents
Introduction
Report:
- Import Control
- Textiles and Clothing
-
World Trade Organization and Agreement on Textiles and Clothing
- Bilateral Agreements
- Trade with NAFTA Countries
- Issuance
of Certificates and Permits
- Agricultural Products
- Poultry and Eggs
- Dairy Products
- Margarine
- Beef and Veal
- Wheat, Barley
and Their Product
- Steel Products
- Weapons and Munitions
- Export Control
- Offences
This
Report is submitted pursuant to section 27 of the Export
and Import Permits Act (hereinafter referred to as the Act),
Chapter E-19 of the 1985 Revised Statutes of Canada, as amended,
which provides:
"As soon as practicable after the 31st
day of December of each year the Minister shall prepare and lay
before Parliament a report of the operations under this Act for
that year."
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The authority to control the import and export of commodities and technologies
is derived from the Act. The Act finds its origin in the War Measures
Act and was passed as a Statutory Act of Parliament in 1947 and subsequently
amended on a number of occasions.
The Act provides that the Governor in Council may establish lists known
as the Import
Control List (ICL), the Export
Control List (ECL) and the Area
Control List (ACL). For each one of these lists, the Act
sets out criteria that govern the inclusion of goods or countries on the
respective lists and provides that the Governor in Council may revoke,
amend, vary or re-establish any of the lists. Control over the flow of
goods contained on these lists or to specific destinations is effected
through the issuance of import or export permits.
The Act delegates to the Minister of International Trade the authority
to grant or deny applications for these permits and thus confers on him
broad powers to control the flow of the goods contained in these lists.
The operations carried out under the Act can be grouped under the following
headings:
1. IMPORT CONTROL:
- Textiles and Clothing
- Agricultural Products
- Steel Products
- Weapons and Munitions
2. EXPORT CONTROL:
-
Strategic, military and atomic energy goods, materials and technology
as well as items controlled for non-proliferation purposes.
-
Miscellaneous goods including logs, softwood lumber, cedar bolts
and blocks, roe herring, peanut butter, sugar, sugar-containing products
and products of US origin.
-
Any goods to countries listed on the Area
Control List (ACL), which in 2003 were Myanmar (Burma).
3. OFFENCES:
The Act contains provisions pertaining to offences and penalties therefor.
Every person (including a corporation, any of its directors or officers)
found contravening any provision of the Act is liable to be prosecuted.
A prosecution may be instituted at any time within but not later than
three years after the time when the subject matter of the complaint arose.
1. IMPORT CONTROL
Section 5 of the Act provides that the Governor in Council may establish
a list of goods, called an Import
Control List (ICL), whose importation the Governor in Council
deems it necessary to control for any of the following purposes:
-
to ensure, in accordance with the needs of Canada, the best possible
supply and distribution of an article that is scarce in world markets
or is subject to governmental controls in the countries of origin
or to allocation by intergovernmental arrangement;
-
to restrict, for the purpose of supporting any action taken under
the Farm Products Marketing Act, the importation in any form
of a like article to one produced or marketed in Canada the quantities
of which are fixed or determined under that Act;
-
to restrict the importation into Canada of arms, ammunition, implements
or munitions of war, army, naval or air stores, or any articles deemed
capable of being converted thereinto or made useful in the production
thereof;
-
to implement any action taken under the Farm Income Protection
Act, the Fisheries Prices Support Act, the Agricultural
Products Cooperative Marketing Act, the Agricultural Products
Board Act or the Canadian Dairy Commission Act, with
the object or effect of supporting the price of the article;
-
to implement an inter-governmental arrangement or commitment;
-
to limit, pursuant to an enquiry by the Canadian International Trade
Tribunal, the importation of goods causing or threatening to cause
serious injury to domestic producers;
-
to place certain steel products on the Import Control List for the
purpose of collecting information on imports of such products; and;
-
to facilitate implementation of action taken under the Customs Tariff
to enforce Canada's rights under a trade agreement or respond to acts
of another country that would adversely affect trade in Canadian goods
or services.
(a) Textiles and Clothing
(i)
World Trade Organization and Agreement on Textiles
and Clothing:
The Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) of the World
Trade Organization is an interim arrangement that took
effect on January 1, 1995 and expires on December 31, 2004. Its purpose
is to establish a framework for the phased elimination of quotas on
textiles and clothing. Quotas are being eliminated in four discreet
stages over the ten-year implementation period. Trade in products on
which quotas have been eliminated are thereafter governed by normal
WTO rules - i.e., they are “integrated’ into the provisions
of the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (GATT) under the WTO.
(1) ATC on the right track
The ATC sets out the rules for use and elimination of quotas and
the use of textile and clothing specific safeguards that WTO members
may apply to each other. Moreover, the ATC prescribes the level of
coefficients to be applied to the annual growth rates of quotas that
are not yet integrated.
(2) Effective January 1, 2003, the Government of
Canada extended duty free and quota free access to imports from 48
of the world's least developed countries (LDCs), with the exception
of supply-managed agricultural products (dairy, poultry and eggs).
This meant that for all eligible textiles and clothing imports from
these countries quotas were eliminated two years earlier than that
required by the ATC.
As scheduled in December 2001, following China’s accession
to the WTO, its bilateral restraint agreement was subsumed within
the ATC. On January 1, 2002, upon Chinese Taipei’s accession
to the WTO, its bilateral agreement was also subsumed within the ATC.
(3) Safeguard rules
The ATC allows for safeguard quotas on products not yet integrated
if these imports harm or threaten to harm Canadian production, but
no such measures have ever been implemented by Canada.
(4) No new quotas
Canada introduced no new import quotas in 2003. As of December 31,
2003, Canada applied quotas to 40 countries, 31 of which were WTO
members. Of the remaining 9 countries, Canada had bilateral arrangements
with 7, and 2 are subject to unilateral measures.
(ii) Bilateral agreements
All the quota agreements with non-WTO member countries were extended
to December 31, 2004, to coincide with the conclusion of the ATC.
(iii) Trade with
NAFTA countries:
Products must originate in North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
countries in order to qualify for NAFTA rates of duties. This is determined
through the use of NAFTA rules of origin for yarn, fabric and clothing.
For apparel and textiles that do not meet these rules of origin, NAFTA
introduced preferential access to the Canadian, US and Mexican markets
through the use of Tariff Preference Levels (TPLs). The four broad categories
of TPL and their corresponding volumes for access to the U.S. market
which have been fixed since 1999, are as follows:
-
Wool Apparel - 5,325,413 square metre equivalents (SMEs)
-
Cotton or Man-made Apparel - 88,326,463 SMEs
-
Cotton or Man-made Fibre Fabrics and Made-up Goods - 71,765,252
SMEs
-
Cotton or Man-made Fibre Spun Yarns - 11,813,664 kilograms
(A) TPL allocation
Canadian companies with apparel TPL allocations may export to their
partners in the North American free trade zone products manufactured
in Canada from fabrics and yarns imported from outside this zone up
to the limit of their allocations.
Because of the extensive use of TPLs for wool and non-wool apparel,
an allocation policy essentially based on the historical TPL usage of
exporters was developed for these categories of products.
The TPLs for fabrics are allocated on a historical-use basis to the
extent of utilization by exporters, and on a first-come, first-served
basis for those amounts not allocated directly to exporters. Spun yarn
TPL is allocated these TPLs on a first-come, first-served basis.
(B) TPL utilization in 2003
The 2003 TPL utilization rates for the four categories of Canadian
TPL exports were as follows:
-
wool apparel and made-up goods - 98% for the United States and
5% for Mexico;
-
cotton or man-made apparel and made-up goods - 82% for the United
States and 6% for Mexico;
-
cotton or man-made fabrics and made-up goods - 74% for the United
States and 35% for Mexico;
-
cotton or man-made spun yarns - 25% for the United States and 0%
for Mexico.
(TPL historical utilization statistics.)
As provided for in the NAFTA, the annual growth rates for the TPL volumes
for Canadian goods entering the United States were eliminated at the
end of 1999. No growth rates were provided for trade with Mexico.
(C) TPL transfer mechanism
In 1998, a mechanism was put in place to allow companies to transfer
a portion of their TPL allocations to other companies, without penalty.
The mechanism was implemented in two stages, with an implementation
date of October 1, 1998 for wool apparel and January 1, 1999 for non-wool
apparel. The transferable portion of the TPL allocation is 25%.
(D) TPL for “new entrants”
The method of allocating TPL is based primarily on historic utilization.
However, small TPL pools have been created for wool
and non-wool apparel for the use of new exporters.
(iv) Issuance
of certificates and permits
(A) TPL
For the purposes of administrating the NAFTA TPL provisions, DFAIT
issues import and export certificates of eligibility pursuant to section
9.1 of the Export and Import Permits Act. The following numbers of applications
for certificates of eligibility were processed in 2003:
(a) Exports (certificates of eligibility)
certificates issued............ 65,569
certificates denied............. 1,182
certificates cancelled......... 1,509
(b) Imports (certificates of eligibility)
certificates issued........ 12,057
certificates denied...............75
certificates cancelled........ 378
(B) Non-TPL import permits
For the purposes of administering Canada’s import quotas - both
under the provisions of the ATC and pursuant to our bilateral and unilateral
restraint arrangements with non-WTO members and for monitoring imports
under the NAFTA, import permits are required for the importation of
virtually all textile and apparel products into Canada.
(a) Import permits (apparel)
permits issued.............. 444,281
permits denied .................5,218
permits cancelled........... 10,580
(b) Import permits (fabrics)
permits issued .............192,148
permits denied.................... 500
permits cancelled ............ 3,787
(b) Agricultural Products
Canada is a signatory to the WTO Agreement on Agriculture concluded
in December 1993. The Agreement obliged Canada to convert its existing
quantitative agricultural import controls to a system of tariff rate
quotas (TRQs). The TRQs came into effect in 1995.
Under these TRQs, imports are subject to low "within access commitment"
rates of duty up to a predetermined limit (i.e. until the import access
quantity has been reached), while imports over this limit are subject
to higher "over access commitment" rates of duty. For most
products, the privilege of importing at the within-access commitment
rates of duty is allocated to firms through the issuance of import allocations
(or "quota-shares"). Those with quota-shares will, upon application,
receive specific import permits giving access to the within-access commitment
rates of duty as long as they meet the terms and conditions of permit
issuance. These conditions are normally described in the Allocation
Method Orders. Imports in excess of access levels are permitted underGeneral
Import Permit No. 100 - Eligible Agricultural Goods,
which allows unrestricted imports at the higher rate of duty. Canada
continues to respect its access level commitments under the North American
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and where a NAFTA commitment exists, Canada
applies either the NAFTA or WTO commitment level for each commodity
- whichever is higher.
All tariff rate quotas (TRQs) are based on Customs Tariff item numbers.
Therefore, when the TRQs came into effect in 1995, the Import
Control List (ICL) was amended to replace references to
named products (e.g. "turkey and turkey products") with tariff
item numbers. However, for ease of understanding, the older product
description will continue to be used.
1) Poultry and eggs
Effective January 1, 1995, Canada's chicken, turkey, broiler hatching
egg and chick, shell egg and egg product quantitative restrictions
were converted to TRQs.
Four product groups were maintained on the ICL in order to support
supply management of poultry under the Farm Products Marketing Act
and to support action taken under the World Trade Organization Act.
These four product groups were:
-
chicken and chicken products;
-
turkey and turkey products;
-
broiler hatching eggs and chicks;
and
-
Chicken and Chicken Products
Chicken was placed on the ICL on October 22, 1979. Pursuant to the
NAFTA, the import access level for 2003 amounted to 69,761,925 kg
expressed in eviscerated equivalent weight. Within access commitment
permits were issued for 69,236,815 kg.
While the import access level is set at 7.5% of the previous year's
chicken production, provision is made to issue import permits supplementary
to the import access level to meet overall Canadian market needs.
During 2003, supplementary import permits were issued for 45,000 kg
(eviscerated equivalent) of chicken for market shortages. Supplementary
permits were issued for 25,637,021 kg of chicken for re-export. Supplementary
permits were also issued for 1,485,692 kg of chicken to compete with
imported chicken-containing products that are not on the ICL. Special
supplementary permits were also issued for 1,089,641 kg as part of
a course of action to address pressures on the non-ICL portion of
the TRQ.
Turkey and Turkey Products
Turkey was placed on the ICL on May 8, 1974. Pursuant to the FTA
and NAFTA, the access level is set annually at 3.5% of the domestic
production quota for that year or the WTO level,whichever is higher.
The import access level for 2003 was the WTO level, which was 5,588,000
kg, expressed in eviscerated weight. In 2003, within access commitment
permits were issued for 5,533,560 kg in eviscerated weight. Provision
is made for import permits supplementary to the import access level
to meet overall Canadian market needs. During 2003, no supplementary
import permits were issued for market shortages. Import permits totalling
1,422,959 kg for turkey for re-export were issued to companies competing
on world markets. Supplementary permits were issued for 103,624 kg
of turkey to compete with imported turkey-containing products that
are not on the ICL.
Broiler Hatching Eggs and Chicks
Broiler hatching eggs and chicks for chicken production were placed
on the ICL on May 8, 1989. Pursuant to the FTA and NAFTA, the combined
import access level for broiler hatching eggs and chicks is 21.1%
of the estimated domestic production of broiler hatching eggs for
the calendar year to which the allocation applies. The combined annual
import access level is divided into separate levels, of 17.4% for
broiler hatching eggs and 3.7% for egg-equivalent chicks.
In 2003, the combined import access level was set at 141,122,575
eggs. That same year, within access commitment permits were issued
for 88,559,750 hatching eggs and 16,543,725 egg-equivalent chicks,
for a combined total of 105,098,475. Provision is made to issue import
permits supplementary to the import access level to meet overall Canadian
market needs.
During 2003, no supplementary import permits were issued for market
shortages. Supplementary permits were issued for 3,566,520 eggs for
the subsequent re-export of chicks.
Eggs and Egg Products
Eggs and egg products were placed on the ICL on May 9, 1974. Pursuant
to the NAFTA, the import access level for shell eggs is calculated
at 1.647% of the previous year's domestic production. For 2003, this
amounted to 8,563,330 dozen eggs. Within access commitment import
permits were issued for 8,540,669 dozen eggs.
Pursuant to the NAFTA, the import access levels for egg powder and
liquid, frozen or further processed egg products is calculated at
0.627% and 0.714% of the previous year's domestic production respectively.
For 2003 this amounted to 492,259 kg and 2,134,593 kg respectively.
Within access commitment permit issuance totalled 368,535 kg for egg
powder and 2,035,398 kg for liquid, frozen or further processed eggs.
In 1996 an allocation for eggs for breaking purposes only was introduced.
This resulted from an increase in the import access quantity available
for allocation, due to Canada's WTO access commitment, which is higher
than Canada's NAFTA commitment. The allocation is equal to the difference
between the WTO and NAFTA commitment levels. The 2003 import access
level for eggs for breaking purposes only was 5,834,342 dozen eggs.
During 2003, within access commitment permits were issued for 5,754,450
dozen eggs.
While the basic access levels are fixed each year, provision is made
to issue import permits for eggs or egg products supplementary to
the import access level to meet overall Canadian market needs.
With regard to shell eggs, supplementary permits were issued to import
217,800 dozen to cover market shortages.
For powdered eggs, no supplementary import permits were issued for
market shortages.
In 2003, supplementary permits for 556,078 kg of liquid, frozen and
further processed egg products were issued for market shortages.
For eggs for breaking purposes, supplementary permits for market
shortages were issued to import 2,524,398 dozen eggs.
Companies requiring imported eggs or egg products for re-export may
be issued import permits to compete on world markets. However, under
this arrangement, no import permits for shell eggs were authorized
in 2003.
For powdered eggs, 26,764 kg in supplementary import permits were
issued for re-export.
For liquid, frozen and further processed egg products, import permits
for 5,449,751 kg were issued for re-export.
For eggs for breaking purposes, import permits for 108,000 dozen
were issued for re-export.
Import permits are required for importing inedible egg products into
Canada, although importation is subject to surveillance only. Permits
were issued for 423,274 kg of this type of product in 2003.
2) Dairy products
Quantitative restrictions in ten categories of dairy products were
converted to TRQs to support supply management of industrial milk
under the Canadian Dairy Commission Act and action taken
under the World Trade Organization Act. These products are:
- butter (implemented on August 1, 1995);
- cheese of all types other than imitation cheese (implemented
on January 1, 1995);
- buttermilk in dry, liquid or other form (implemented on January
1, 1995);
- fluid milk (implemented on January 1, 1995);
- skimmed milk in dry, liquid or other form (implemented on January
1, 1995);
- dry whole milk (implemented on January 1, 1995);
- animal feeds containing more than 50% non-fat milk solids (implemented
on January 1, 1995);
- dry whey (implemented on August 1, 1995);
- evaporated and condensed milks (implemented on January 1, 1995);
- heavy cream (implemented on August 1, 1995);
- products consisting of natural milk constituents (implemented
on January 1, 1995);
- ice cream and ice cream novelties in retail packaging (implemented
on January 1, 1995); and
- yoghurt (implemented on January 1, 1995).
Butter
The access level for butter was 3,274,000 kg for the quota year
from August 1, 2002 to July 31, 2003, of which 2,000,000 kg was reserved
for imports from New Zealand. The entire TRQ was allocated to the
Canadian
Dairy Commission and the total access level was utilized.
Supplementary import permits for butter and butteroil for re-export
were issued for 18,154,013 kg.
Cheese
The access level for cheese has been fixed since 1979 at 45,000,000
lbs or 20,411,866 kg. Under the provisions of a December 1995 Agreement
between Canada and the European Union, 66% of the TRQ is allocated
to cheese imports from the European Union and 34% to imports from
non-EU sources. Within access commitment import permits were issued
for 20,411,866 kg of cheese, and permits for re-export were issued
for 4,547,528 kg. Other supplementary import permits totaled 1,048,259
kg.
Buttermilk
The access level for buttermilk is 908,000 kg. The TRQ, all of which
was used, is reserved exclusively for imports from New Zealand. Supplementary
import permits were issued for 623 kg of buttermilk product.
Fluid Milk
The fluid milk access level was 64,500 tonnes, which represents
estimated annual cross-border purchases by Canadian consumers. The
goods are imported under General
Import Permit No. 1 - Dairy Products for Personal Use.
On January 26, 2000 General Import Permit No. 1 was amended. The $20
limit in value for each importation of fluid milk imports for personal
use was removed. Supplementary import permits for re-export totaled
12,883,910 kg.
Skimmed and Whole Milk Powder and Animal Feed
The access level for these commodities is zero. Supplementary import
permits for re-export were issued for 2,156,759 kg of skimmed milk
powder, and 21,347,915 kg of whole milk powder. Supplementary permits
for other purposes were issued for 37,527 kg of skimmed milk powder
and 23,903 kg of whole milk powder.
Dry Whey
The access level for dry whey is 3,198,000 kg, all of which was used.
Supplementary import permits were issued for 14,099,114 kg of dry
whey.
Evaporated and Condensed Milk
The access level for evaporated and condensed
milk was 11,700 kg. The TRQ, all of which was used, is reserved exclusively
for imports from Australia. Supplementary import permits for purposes
other than re-export were issued for 2,713 kg, and supplementary import
permits for re-export were issued for 407,678 kg.
Heavy Cream
The heavy cream access level is 394,000 kg for sterilized cream having
a minimum of 23% butterfat and sold in cans having a volume not exceeding
200 ml. The quota year was August 1, 2002 to July 31, 2003. Import
permits were issued for 394,000 kg. Supplementary import permits were
issued for re-export for 205,148 kg, and for other purposes for 16,677
kg.
Products Consisting of Natural Milk Constituents
The access level for these products is 4,345,000 kg; permits were
issued to import 4,345,000 kg. Supplementary import permits for re-export
were issued for 1,311,997 kg.
Ice Cream and Yoghurt
The access level was 484,000 kg for ice cream and 332,000 kg for
yoghurt. Within access commitment import permit issuance in 2003 totaled
442,862 kg for ice cream and 332,000 kg for yoghurt. In 2003, supplementary
permits were issued for 6,317 kg of ice cream for re-export. Supplementary
import permits for yoghurt for other purposes totaled 45,848 kg.
3) Margarine
The TRQ for margarine was introduced on January 1, 1995. The import
access level for 2003 was 7,558,000 kg. Within access commitment permit
issuance totalled 3,026,633 kg.
4) Beef and veal
The restrictions on imports of non-NAFTA beef and veal imposed under
the Meat Import Act were converted to a TRQ on January 1, 1995. The
restrictions apply to all imports of fresh, chilled and frozen beef
and veal imported from non-NAFTA countries (also excluding Chile);
the TRQ level is fixed at 76,409 tonnes. For 2003, 35,000 tonnes were
reserved for imports from Australia and 29,600 were reserved for imports
from New Zealand. The balance of the TRQ (11,809 tonnes) was reserved
for imports from all countries, including Australia and New Zealand,
once their country-specific reserves were fully used.
For 2003, 75% of the import access quantity, or 57,307 tonnes, was
allocated to processors and retailer-processors on the basis of the
amount of non-NAFTA beef and veal they processed in their own facilities
in the period from January 1, 2002 to April 30, 2003. The balance
of the import access level, or 19,102 tonnes, was allocated to distributors
on the basis of their sales of non-NAFTA beef and veal in the same
period.
On May 16, 1997, a supplementary permit policy was introduced to
allow firms to import in excess of their quota shares. Under the policy,
permits were normally issued if the price of non-NAFTA beef and veal
entering Canada is not less than the price of similar goods entering
the United States. This policy was changed in 2003 to one where applications
for supplementary imports are normally refused. Supplementary permits
issued in 2003 totalled 55,567,454 kg. Import permits totalling 118,648,989
kg (including supplementary permits) were issued in 2003.
5) Wheat, barley
and their products
The restrictions imposed on imports of wheat, barley and their products
under the Canadian Wheat Board Act were converted to TRQs on August
1, 1995. These TRQs are administered by Revenue Canada on a first-come-first-served
basis and have a July 31 year-end. Importers may cite General
Import Permit No. 20 - Wheat and Wheat Products, Barley and Barley
Products to import goods at the lower rate of duty.
Once the access levels are filled, importers must cite General
Import Permit No. 100 - Eligible Agricultural Goods
on Customs entry documents to import goods at the higher rate of duty.
The following annual (August 1 to July 31) TRQ levels for wheat, barley,
wheat products and barley products apply:
Wheat: .........................226,883 tonnes
Wheat products: ...........123,557 tonnes
Barley: ..........................399,000 tonnes
Barley products:.............. 19,131 tonnes
Imports in the period from August 1, 2002 to July 31, 2003, were
176,472 tonnes, 165,293 tonnes, 268,555 tonnes, and 19,005 tonnes
in these four product categories respectively.
(c) Steel Products
Carbon steel products (semi-finished steel, plate, sheet and strip
steel, wire rods, wire and wire products, railway-type products, bars,
structural shapes and units, and pipes and tubes) were initially placed
on the ICL effective September 1, 1986 following a report by the Canadian
Import Tribunal recommending the collection of information on goods
of this type entering Canada. Speciality steel products (stainless flat-rolled
products, stainless steel bars, wire and wire products, alloy tool steel,
mold steel and high speed steel) were added to the ICL effective June
1, 1987 pursuant to an amendment to the Act providing for import monitoring
of steel products under certain conditions. The current mandate for
the steel monitoring program extends until August 31, 2005.
The purpose of placing carbon and speciality steel on the ICL was to
provide a more timely and precise information system and to gain a better
appreciation of the complexities of the international steel trade given
the production capacity, market conditions and export patterns of the
major steel producing countries.
The program is global in nature. There are no quantitative restrictions,
and permits are issued on request.
In 2003 a total of 210,036 permits were issued to allow for the importation
of 7.0 million tonnes of steel with a reported value of $5.9 billion.
(d) Weapons and Munitions
Pursuant to items 70 to 73 and 91 of the ICL, an import permit is required
to import into Canada all small- and large-calibre weapons, ammunition,
bombs, pyrotechnics, tanks and self-propelled guns. As well, all components
and parts specifically designed for these items also require import
permits.
Canadian manufacturers approved by the Attorney General of the province
are permitted to import prohibited weapons under strictly controlled
conditions.
Issuance of Import Permits
Section 14 of the Act stipulates that:
“No person shall import or attempt to import any goods included
in an Import Control List except under the authority of and in accordance
with an import permit issued under this Act.”
Section 8(1) authorizes the Minister to:
"...issue to any resident of Canada applying therefor a permit
to import goods included in an Import Control List, in such quantity
and of such quality, by such persons, from such places or persons
and subject to such other terms and conditions as are described
in the permit or in the regulations."
Authority is provided under section 12 of the Act for the making
of regulations prescribing the information and undertakings to be
furnished by applicants for permits, the procedure to be followed
in applying for and issuing permits, and the requirements for carrying
out the purposes and provisions of the Act.
Section 5 of the Import Permit Regulations (C.R.C., c. 605) provides
for the issuance of general permits authorizing the import of specific
goods up to specified limits or subject to specified conditions.
The following is a statistical summary of applications for import
permits processed in 2003:
permits issued ................. 882,681
permits denied .................... 7,676
permits cancelled .............. 24,935
Import certificates and delivery verification certificates
The issuance of import certificates and delivery verification certificates
is provided for under section 9 of the Act and under the Import Certificate
Regulations (C.R.C., c. 603). Import certificates enable an importer
to describe goods in detail and to certify that he/she will not assist
in their disposal or diversion during transit. Such assurances may
be required by the country of export before permitting the shipment
of certain goods, most notably munitions and strategic goods. An import
certificate is not an import permit and does not entitle the holder
to import the goods described on the certificate into Canada. Delivery
verification certificates may be issued following arrival of the goods
in Canada to enable an exporter of goods to Canada to comply with
requirements of the exporting country.
In 2003, the Department issued 2,554 import certificates and 274
delivery verification certificates.
2. EXPORT CONTROL
Section 3 of the Act provides that the Governor in Council may establish
a list of goods, to be called an Export
Control List (ECL), including therein any article the export
of which the Governor in Council deems it necessary to control for any
of the following purposes:
-
to ensure that arms, ammunition, implements or munitions of war,
naval, army or air stores or any articles deemed capable of being
converted thereinto or made useful in the production thereof or otherwise
having a strategic nature or value will not be made available to any
destination where their use might be detrimental to the security of
Canada;
-
to ensure that any action taken to promote the further processing
in Canada of a natural resource that is produced in Canada is not
rendered ineffective by reason of the unrestricted exportation of
that natural resource;
-
to limit or keep under surveillance the export of any raw or processed
material that is produced in Canada in circumstances of surplus supply
and depressed prices and that is not a produce of agriculture;
-
to implement an intergovernmental arrangement or commitment;
-
to ensure that there is an adequate supply and distribution of the
article in Canada for defence or other needs; or
-
to ensure the orderly export marketing of any goods that are subject
to a limitation imposed by any country or customs territory on the
quantity of the goods that, on importation into that country or customs
territory in any given period, is eligible for the benefit provided
for goods imported within that limitation.
The Export Control List (ECL) comprises eight groups, as follows:
Groups 1 and 2 encompass Canada's multilateral strategic commitments
under the Wassenaar Arrangement.
Groups 3, 4, 6 and 7 represent our multilateral commitments under the
various non-proliferation regimes designed to control the proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological and nuclear weapons)
as well as their delivery systems. Group 5 comprises various non-strategic
goods controlled for other purposes, as provided in the Act. It also includes
goods of US origin. This provision is intended to prohibit the diversion
of US origin goods through Canada. Group 8 reflects commitments under
the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic
Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
Softwood Lumber
Effective April 1, 2001 the Department of Foreign Affairs and International
Trade introduced a national softwood lumber monitoring program. The
objective of this monitoring program is to collect data respecting softwood
lumber exports to the United States for all Canadian provinces and territories.
The Governor in Council authorized this program by placing softwood
lumber on the Export Control list (ECL), item 5105, which has the effect
of requiring permits issued by the Minister of International Trade for
exports to the United States. Export permits are issued under the authority
of section 7(1) of the Export and Import Permits Act, while fees are
levied under the authority of section 9(1) of the Financial Administration
Act. Any person who holds a permit to export softwood lumber to the
United States is required to keep records relating to its issuance for
60 months after the date of issuance of the permit.
From January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003, exports of softwood lumber
totaled 19.04 billion board feet.
The following is a statistical summary of softwood lumber permit applications
processed in 2003:
permits issued ............... 39,694
permits routed ................. 2,111
permits rejected .................. 105
permits cancelled ................. 612
Agri-food Products
As part of its implementation of the WTO agreements, the United States
imposed TRQs on imports of peanut butter, certain sugar-containing products
and refined sugar from Canada. The U.S. Government administers these TRQs
on a first-come, first-served basis. In order to ensure orderly exportation
under the TRQ system, Canada placed these products on the Export Control
List. Exports of peanut butter, certain sugar-containing products and
refined sugar to the United States require an export permit issued through
EICB if exporters wish to take advantage of the in-quota US tariff rate.
There are no quantitative restrictions on the exportation of these products
from Canada to other destinations.
1. Peanut butter
Peanut butter was placed on the ECL on January 1, 1995. The Canada-specific
TRQ that the United States provides is 14,500 tonnes. During 2003 the
quota was 98% utilized.
2. Sugar-containing products
Sugar-containing products were placed on the ECL on February 1, 1995.
Under WTO rules, the United States imposed a TRQ on imports from all
sources of certain sugar-containing products (SCP) falling under Chapters
17, 18, 19 and 21 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
at a level of 64,773 tonnes. The quota year for sugar-containing products
is from October 1 to September 30.
In September 1997, Canada and the United States exchanged letters of
understanding under which Canada obtained a country-specific reserve
of 59,250 tonnes within the US SCP TRQ. The understanding also provides
that only goods that are "product of Canada" may be included
in Canada's country-specific reserve. In 2002-2003, Canada's country
reserve was fully utilized.
3. Refined sugar
Refined sugar was placed on the ECL on October 1, 1995. Under WTO rules,
the United States established a global TRQ for refined sugar of 60,000
tonnes (raw equivalent). The quota year for refined sugar is from October
1 to September 30.
In September 1997, Canada and the United States exchanged letters of
understanding under which Canada obtained a country-specific reserve
of 10,300 tonnes, raw equivalent (i.e. 9,579 tonnes refined sugar),
within the US refined sugar TRQ. The understanding also provides that
only goods that are "product of Canada" may be included in
Canada's country specific reserve. In 2002-2003, Canada's country reserve
was fully utilized.
The following is a statistical summary of applications for export permits
processed in 2003 for peanut butter, sugar containing products and refined
sugar:
permits issued ............. 6,757
permits rejected ............... 54
permits cancelled ............ 271
Area Control List
Section 4 of the Act provides for the control of "any goods to any
country included in an Area Control List" (ACL). Angola was removed
from the ACL in 2003 leaving only one country, Myanmar (Burma), on the
ACL at year's end.
Automatic Firearms
Country Control List
The Act provides for the establishment of an Automatic Firearms Country
Control List (AFCCL). Only countries on this list are eligible to receive
automatic firearms as defined in ECL Item 5500.
They are:
Australia |
Norway |
Belgium |
|
Botswana |
Saudi Arabia |
Denmark |
Spain |
France |
Sweden |
Germany |
|
Greece |
United Kingdom |
Italy |
United States |
Netherlands |
|
New Zealand |
|
Issuance of Export Permits
An export permit is required before any item included in the ECL may
be exported from Canada to any destination, with the exception (in most
cases) of the United States. This requirement enables Canada to meet international
commitments, such as its commitment to prevent the proliferation of missile
technology and biological, chemical and nuclear weapons. Nuclear material
and equipment, logs, automatic firearms, pulpwood, roe herring and red
cedar bolts and blocks are among the goods requiring permits for export
to the United States. Permits are also required to export any goods to
countries on the ACL, unless exempted.
In 2003, 7,176 individual permits were issued, up from 5,605 in 2001.
24 permits were denied, 377 applications were withdrawn, and 12 permits
were cancelled.
General Export Permits
(GEPs)
The Act provides for the issuance of general permits authorizing the
export of certain designated goods to all destinations or to specified
destinations. GEPs are intended to facilitate exports by enabling exporters
to export selected goods without applying for individual permits. They
also provide a means of identifying goods for which exports to countries
on the ACL are restricted. The GEPs in effect during 2000 included:
GEP EX. 1: |
Goods with a value of less than $100, household articles,
personal effects, business equipment required for temporary use outside
Canada and personal automobiles |
GEP EX. 3: |
Consumable stores supplied to vessels and aircraft
|
GEP EX. 5: |
Forest products |
GEP EX.12: |
US origin goods |
GEP EX.18: |
Personal computers |
GEP EX.26: |
Industrial chemicals |
GEP EX.27: |
Nuclear-related dual use goods |
GEP EX.29: |
Eligible industrial goods |
GEP EX.30: |
Certain industrial goods to eligible countries and
territories |
GEP EX.31: |
Peanut butter |
GEP EX 37: |
Chemicals and Precursors to the United States |
GEP EX 38: |
CWC Toxic Chemical and Precursor Mixtures |
GEP EX 40: |
Certain Industrial Chemicals |
3. OFFENCES
Penalties are listed in section 19 of the Act as llows:
"(1) Every person who contravenes any provision of this Act
or the regulations is guilty of:
(a) an offence punishable on
summary conviction and liable to a fine not exceeding twenty-five
thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve
months, or to both; or
(b) an indictable offence and liable to a fine in an amount that
is in the discretion of the court or to imprisonment for a term
not exceeding ten years, or to both.
(2) A prosecution under paragraph (1)(a) may be instituted at any
time within but not later than three years from the time when the
subject matter of the complaint arose."
Section 25 of the Act delegates responsibility for the enforcement
of the Act to all officers as defined in the Customs Act (section 2(1)).
The Department of International Trade entrusts the enforcement of the
Act to Canada Border Services Agency, and to the Royal Canadian Mounted
Police.
Status
of Export Controls Investigations for 2003
Voluntary compliance continued to be a key element in Canada's export
control system in 2003. Canada Customs and Revenue Agency issued 233
warning letters and made 236 detentions; queries were made in another
193 cases, and background information checks requested in 199 instances,
and 81 cases were referred for investigation. Seizures were made in
31 cases.
|