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Côte d'Ivoire: Quick Documentary Guide to Trading Across Borders

Procedures and Regulations: Legal Framework

  • Decree No. 2014-556 of October 1, 2014 organizing the MIM.
  • Additional Act No. 04/96 of May 10, 1996 establishing a transitional preferential tariff regime for trade within WAEMU.
  • Additional Protocol No. III/2001 of December 19, 2001 establishing rules of origin for WAEMU products.
  • Regulation No. 13/2002/CM/UEMOA of September 19, 2002 determining the constituent elements of community added value.
  • Implementing Regulation No. 014/2002/COM/UEMOA of December 13, 2002, determining the procedures for requesting and issuing COs.
  • Decision No. 01/99/COM/UEMOA on the approval of industrial products for the benefit of the Community Preferential Tax (TPC).
  • Provisions of Articles 2, 32 4 and 10 of Protocol A/P1/1/03 relating to the definition of the notion of quotproducts originatingquot from ECOWAS Member States and which provides that quotthe Community origin of the products is certified by a CO specifying the original conditions provided for in this Protocol”.
  • Regulation C/REG.4/4/02 relating to the adoption of a CO of products originating in the community.
  • Order No. 2469 MFAEP.PI. of November 07, 1964, empowering the Department of Energy and Industrial Production to issue CO for all products of national industry.

The services offered by the State of Côte d'Ivoire: Useful links

The Single Window for Foreign Trade of Côte d'Ivoire

Launched on July 1, 2013 , the Single Window for Foreign Trade (GUCE) will gradually consolidate all information relating to foreign trade into a single transactional portal, to allow any individual wishing to trade to or from Côte d'Ivoire to to get a clear procedure, as well as adequate support, in order to carry out its online business operations.

https://guce.gouv.ci/

The GUCE brings together the following applications and web spaces:

An import document control area

https://guce.gouv.ci/ruling-center

A commercial information web portal

http://www.pwic.gouv.ci/

An interactive guide

http://guce.ci/traders-guide/

A tax calculator

https://guce.gouv.ci/tax-calculator

A space for research and help

https://guce.gouv.ci/aide/codification

Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur

General Information on Trading Across Borders

The organization of cross-border trade

Exchanges with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA)

The ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (SLEC or SLE ) is a tool which aims at the effective establishment of the free trade area. The ETLS mechanism ensures the free movement of goods originating from ECOWAS without the payment of customs duties and taxes having equivalent effect on importation into the ECOWAS region (this exemption does not include Value Added Tax (VAT) and excise duties if they are in force in one of the Member States).

To promote its economic integration, WAEMU has set up a similar community trade facilitation mechanism or free trade scheme (in parallel to that of ECOWAS) called Community Preferential Tax (TPC).

The TPC is open to any company located and carrying out its activities in one of the eight (8) WAEMU Member States, and which intends to export its products meeting the criteria of origin in the WAEMU space.

Products affected by the Community Preferential Tax (TPC)

Provided they are from the WAEMU region:

  • Agricultural and livestock products.
  • Products from sea, river or lake fishing.
  • mining products.
  • Craft items.
  • Approved industrial products (compliant with WAEMU rules of origin).

To travel duty-free in the region, a WAEMU certificate of origin (TPC) must accompany the product with each shipment, except for the products included in the exhaustive list below:

  • Agricultural and livestock products (a appropriate sanitary or phytosanitary certificate must be obtained in the country of origin for agricultural and livestock products).
  • Articles made by hand , with or without the aid of tools, instruments or devices operated directly by the manufacturer.

More information here:

http://uatwcm01.webbfontaine.ci:8080/web/tip/commerce-intra-regional1

Obtain Community Preferential Tax (TPC) Approval

Procedure for Granting Community Origin:

Within the framework of the Export procedure, the Ministry in charge of industry is responsible for issuing approval decisions for quot Recognition of Community Origin UEMOA » for companies wishing to join the WAEMU Trade Liberalization Scheme (WAEMU Preferential Tax Approval).

  • The granting of community origin is done through the following steps:

Step 1 - Constitution of a technical file by the requesting company (content of the technical file)

Step 2 - Submission of files to the General Directorate for Industrial Activity of the Ministry in charge of Industry

Step 3 - Admissibility study on the substance and form before transmission to the other members of the approval committee

Step 4 - Issuance of the decision of approval or recognition of Community origin

  • Issuance of Certificates of Origin

The company benefiting from the approval is issued, for each export, an approved product certificate of origin, from the General Directorate for Industrial Activity.

Contact information :

Ministry of Trade, Industry and Promotion of SMEs

Directorate General for Industrial Activity

Abidjan - Cocody 2 Plateaux Vallon

Tel: (+ 225) 22 41 17 23

Website: www.industrie.gouv.ci

Obtain SLEC Approval – Approval procedure in Côte d'Ivoire

The Ministry of Regional Integration and Ivorians Abroad is the focal point for any Ivorian company wishing to join the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (SLEC) - Cf. http://www.etls.ecowas.int/fr/le-contact-de-point-focal/

He deliver them decisions of Approval to the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (SLEC) to companies wishing to export and who request it.

Contact information :

Ministry of African Integration and Ivorians Abroad

Abidjan-Plateau, Administrative City, Tower C 22nd floor

01 BPV 225 Abidjan 01 / Email: info@integration.gouv.ci

Tel: (+225) 20 33 12 12 / Fax: (+225) 20 22 41 56

Website: www.integration.ci

The Ministry provides assistance to companies for the settlement of disputes during exports to ECOWAS.

Contact SLEC : Mr. DJE Kouamé Olivier

Tel: (+225) 04 01 20 46/ (+225) 09 21 32 34

Email: djekoli@yahoo.fr