| An enterprise
permitted under the Foreign Investment Law has to be registered
as exporter importer upon business recuirement. with the Export
Import Registration Office, Directorate of Trade.
The Registration of
Exporters/Importers
The following persons or
enterprises can be registered at the Ministry of Trade as
exporters/importers:
- A citizen or an associate
citizen or a naturalized citizen of the Union of Myanmar
- Partnership firms
- Limited companies or joint
venture corporations, formed under the Myanmar Companies
Act 1958 or Special Company Act 1950
- Co-operative societies,
registered under the Union of Myanmar Co-operative Law,
1970
Registration Fee
The fee for registration as
exporter/importer is Ks 5,000 for one year and Ks 10,000 for
three years. The same fees are payable on renewal.
Goods which may be Exported
Myanmar products can be exported
with the exception of some selected items like teak, rice, etc.
under the export licence issued by Ministry of Trade.
Export Licence Fee
Generally there is no export
licence fee. However, if hardwoods are to be exported in log
form. the following service fees are payable to the Ministry of
Trade.
| Sr.
No. |
FOB
value of the Licence (Kyat) |
Service
Fee (Kyat) |
| 1 |
1
to 50,000 |
25,000 |
| 2 |
50,001
to 100,000 |
50,000 |
| 3 |
100,001
to 150,000 |
75,000 |
| 4 |
150,001
and Above |
100,000 |
Validity Period of Export
Licence
The validity period of export
licence is normally 6 months. If necessary, the period may be
extended by the Ministry of Trade.
Goods which may be Imported
All goods which are not
prohibited by the respective government department, can be
imported under the import licence issued by the Ministry of
Trade.
Import Licence Fee
Import licence fees are payable
on all imports from abroad, it includes those imports for which
import permits are not required, those imported by means of a
permit, an import licence or open general licence; imports
through the border and those imported for general trading
purposes by the State Economic Enterprises (SEEs), government
departments, co-operatives and private enterprises. Licence fees
must be paid according to the specified rate for import of goods
on consignment basis either by SEEs or private enterprises and
entrepreneurs.With a view to reducing the cost of living and to
being competitive under the market economy, the Ministry ofTrade
has issued an Import Licence Fees Order on June 28, 1991,
revising the licence fees payable on commodities imported from
abroad with effect from July 1, 1991.
The import licence fees payable
on the C.I.F (Yangon) value of goods imported from abroad ranges
from a minimum fee of K 250 to a maximum of K 50,000 as follows:
| C.I.F
value |
Import
Licence Fees |
| K
10,000 |
K
250 |
| K
10,001 - K 25,000 |
K
625 |
| K
25,001 - K 50,000 |
K
1,250 |
| K
50,001 - K 100,000 |
K
2,500 |
| K
100,001 - K 200,000 |
K
5,000 |
| K
200,001 - K 400,000 |
K
10,000 |
| K
400,001 - K 1,000,000 |
K
20,000 |
| K
1,000,001 - and above |
K
50,000 |
Licence fees must be paid
before the date prescribed in the import licence/permit. Those
import licence/permit for which licence fees have been paid
may be extended by another three months, if such extension is
necessary.
If amendment of any item mentioned
in the original import licence/permit is to be made, a fee of
500 Kyats for each item so revised or 2 per cent of the total
value of the licence or permit, whichever is less, must be
paid as correctional fees.
Exemption from licence fee has
been granted to organisations, companies and joint venture
corporations permitted by the Union of Myanmar Foreign
Investment Law on the import of such goods as machinery,
equipment, instruments, machinery components, spare parts and
materials used in the enterprise and imported as they are
actually required for use during the period of construction,
with foreign capital prescribed by the Union of Myanmar
Foreign Investment Commission. Such exemption also includes
raw materials and packing materials imported for the first 3
years commercial production in order to export finished goods
following the completion of construction.
Note: If it is beneficial to the
State and to the organisations, companies and joint venture
corporations in which investment is made, exemption from the
levy of import licence fee will be granted as may be
appropriate for a further period after the completion of the
said 3 years.
Although the enterprises permitted
under the Union of Myanmar Foreign Investment Law are granted
exemption from import licence fees they will be allowed to
import only after obtaining an Import Licence or Open General
Licence.
Exemption of import licence fee on
imported raw materials for the production of finished goods
for general trading within the Union of Myanmar, which is not
covered by the permit of the Union of Myanmar Foreign
Investment Commission will not be granted. With effect from
February 1993, the following items have been exempted from
licence fees:
a. fertilisers.
b. agricultural machinery and implements.
c. pesticides.
Validity Period of Import
Licence
The validity period of import
licence is normally 6 months. However, if requested, this
period may be extended by the Ministry of Trade.
Export Procedure
- Registered exporter must
obtain an export licence, in conformity with the rules and
regulations laid down by the Directorate of Trade. No fee
is charged for the issuance of an export licence.
- An irrevocable Letter of
Credit has to be opened at the Myanma Investment and
Commercial Bank by the buyer through a correspondent or
acceptable bank.
- The vessel the cargo is to
be shipped by has to be nominated by the buyer.
- Myanma Port Authority has to
be contacted for the shipment of cargo that is to be
shipped on F.O.B. basis.
- Preshipment inspection, if
required, will be conducted by Inspection and Agency
Services with respect to specification, weight, quality
and packing.
- Details of the cargo, such
as shipping bills, other shipping documents and customs
pass etc., must be presented to the Bank for transaction.
Import Procedure
- Registered importer is
required to open foreign exchange account at a Bank in
order to apply for an import licence from the Directorate
of Trade.
- In applying for an import
licence, the application shall have attached the sales
contract and/or proforma invoice mentioning detailed
specifications, mode of packing, and delivery phasing.
- Import licence fees payable
on the C.l.F. (Yangon ) value of the goods imported from
abroad is mentioned under Chapter IV.
- An irrevocable letter of
credit (L/C) has to be opened by the importer at the Bank.
- If the purchase is made on
F.O.B. basis, the importer has to secure insurance from
Myanma Insurance and freight booking from Myanma Five Star
Line.
- After receiving shipment
advice from the suppliers, the importer has to arrange for
the clearance of the goods.
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