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(…) During the review period, first registration tax rates on private cars increased by 5 to 15 percentage points in a bid to relieve traffic congestion (Table A3.2). For environmental reasons, electric vehicles and environment-friendly vehicles continue to benefit from exemptions and reductions from this tax, respectively (section 3.4.1.2). The first registration tax accounted for about 2.9% of total tax revenue in fiscal year 2013/14.

(…) Non-tariff border measures are few, and import prohibitions and licensing are maintained mostly on the grounds of health, safety and environmental protection, and for the administration of excise duties. (…)

Non-tariff measures are few, and import prohibitions and licensing are applied mostly on safety, health, and environmental grounds or to comply with international obligations. (…)

The authorities state that HKC imposes import prohibitions for reasons of public health, security, environmental protection, and compliance with international obligations. Prohibited imports include ozone-depleting substances, rough diamonds from countries outside the Kimberley Process, hazardous waste, and (more recently) certain radio-communications apparatus.

The application of import licensing in HKC is mainly for reasons of health, safety, environmental protection, public security, compliance with international obligations, and administration of excise duties collection (Table 3.4). (…)

Table 3.4 Import licensing schemes, 2013
Goods: Non-pesticide hazardous chemicals
Licensing authority: Environmental Protection Department
Rationale: To protect human health and the environment in accordance with, inter alia, the principles of the Stockholm Convention and the Rotterdam Convention
(…)

Applicants who wish to release a GMO into the environment or import a GMO for release into the environment must submit a specified application form and a risk-assessment report on the possible adverse biosafety effect of the GMO. Results of risk assessments conducted by foreign institutions are accepted. The approval procedure requires no longer than 270 days, unless additional information or supporting documents are required, but may be extended with written notice from the AFCD. Since this ordinance became effective in 2011, there has been no applications for release of GMOs into the environment.

Provisions pertaining to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are laid down in the Genetically Modified Organisms (Control of Release) Ordinance (Chapter 607), which entered into force in March 2011. No GMOs are allowed to be released into the environment, unless the GMOs are pharmaceutical products for use by human beings or certain criteria have been met. Release of GMOs into the environment requires authorization from the AFCD. Two varieties of GM papaya (i.e. the variety with the unique identifier code CUH-CP551-8 and the variety with the transformation event code Huanong 1) and any GMO that is contained in a veterinary vaccine are exempted from the requirement. Imports of GMOs intended for release into the environment require prior approval from the AFCD; exports of GMOs for the same purpose are prohibited in general.

(…) The authorities note that these technical requirements are imposed for safety, health, and environmental protection reasons (Table A3.3).

St. Kitts and Nevis introduced legislation to regulate Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in 2012. Act No. 14 of 2012, known as the Biosafety Act, 2012 regulates the registration and licensing of GMOs. There are licences for intentional introduction of GMOs in the environment, for domestic use, for contained use, for imports, and for exports. A Biosafety Board was established to implement the provisions of the Act, but as at February 2014 was not yet functioning.