MoC: over 10,000 commodities lines compulsory for export/import licences

The Ministry of Commerce made over 10,000 commodities lines mandatory for export/import licences.
The MoC released this directive dated 31 March, in the exercise of the power conferred by Section 4 (C) and Section 13 (B) of the Export and Import Law.
According to Notification 84/2022 dated 12 October, under the Customs Tariff of Myanmar 2022, 1,556 commodities lines with 10 digits HS Code for export and 8,774 for import are required to be applied for export/import licences on the Myanmar TradeNet 2.0 portal.
Only after traders of those items have received a licence first in line with the export/import regulations through the non-automatic licencing process, the shipment by air, sea and road will be given the green light.
This directive came into effect starting on 1 April. It is an amendment of directive 51/2020 dated 8 July 2020. Similarly, directive 32/2022 dated 2 May 2022 was cancelled with this amendment incorporated.
Those who have sought export and import licence and permits on TradeNet 2.0 platform through TradeNet 2.0 system are mandatory to withdraw licences within set periods and they will be fined for late withdrawal, the Trade Department under the Ministry of Commerce released Notification 5/2023 dated 27 February.
The licence applicants need to make payment and withdraw the licence within seven days of approval by the department. Those who fail to do so will be cancelled automatically, according to the Export/Import Notification 4/2022.
However, the timeline for striking off from the system will be changed to three months instead of seven days.
In addition to licence fees, fines are to be paid K45,000 for eight to 14 days, K90,000 for 15 to 30 days, K180,000 for two months and K360,000 for third months.
During the auto cancellation period for licence/permit processing, the applicants will have their licence temporarily suspended for six months if they fail five times in three months, Notification (20/2020).
Exporters and importers are therefore suggested to withdraw their licences within seven days. Auto cancellation of licence seeking process and temporary suspension of licence commenced from 1 March, the Trade Department stated. — NN/EM