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(…) Non-automatic licensing is applied on products subject to tariffication under Article 164 of the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (aerated beverages, beer, stout, ale, porter, pasta, candles, solar water heaters, oxygen in cylinder, carbon dioxide in cylinder, acetylene in cylinder, chairs and other seats of wood and upholstered fabric, other furniture of wood and upholstered fabric, mops); imports of animals, poultry, livestock, and poultry products; plants and plant products; pesticides; drugs and antibiotics; firearms, fireworks, arms and ammunition; and chemicals controlled by the Montreal Protocol). For all other products, licences are granted on request. The import licensing regime is administered by the Ministry of Finance and the Economy.

Under the provisions of the Standards Act of 1987, and the Standards Regulations of 1998, standards formulation and development is mainly the responsibility of ABBS. The mandate to prepare a technical regulation or standard generally comes from the Standards Council, which is composed of representatives from several agencies, based on a request from the general public or business enterprise, or as a result of developments that could have a negative impact on health, safety, the environment, or trade. (…)

(…) Also, the export of wild birds or of any live or dead wildlife or parts, is prohibited in accordance with the CITES.

To operate in the FTPZ (Free Trade and Processing Zone), a licence is needed. Licence and registration are granted only to corporations, regardless of where they are incorporated, or a branch or unit of such corporation. The decision to grant a licence is based on considerations such as the level of investment; the project's capacity to generate employment; generation of foreign exchange; technological adaptability and transfer possibilities; and environmental impact. The licence fee ranges between US$10,000 and US$20,000 and does not depend on the size of the project. There is no information on the amount of the subsidy under the programme.

The Fisheries Act of 2006 is aimed at promoting sustainable development and the responsible management of fisheries and aquaculture activities. Under the provisions of the Act, all fishing vessels must be registered and have a valid fishing licence.

With a view to increasing tourists, the authorities are looking to develop niche markets such as medical tourism, nature excursions, sports tourism, and residential tourism via the Citizenship by Investment Initiative. In this regard, the authorities will offer tax credits to those who contribute to maintain and preserve natural and man-made historical sites. This implies that any business that contributes substantially to the maintenance or preservation of strategic natural or manmade historical sites will be able to reduce its corporate income tax liability; the business will also be able to access an annual tax credit of up to EC$250,000 on its assessable profits.

As a signatory to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, Antigua and Barbuda does not permit the importation or sale of living modified organisms (LMOs) unless approval has been obtained from the competent national authority. That approval must be based, in part, on the results of a risk assessment.