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To a lesser degree than in the past review, the OECS-WTO Members continue to rely on taxes on foreign trade, mainly tariffs, customs service charges, excise taxes and environmental charges. In 2012, taxes collected on international trade represented some 33% of tax revenue in the OECS-WTO Members as a whole. (…)

Table 3.15 Federal subsidy programmes (non-agriculture), 2013-14
(US$ million)
Programmes Type of subsidy Expenditure
FY2013 FY2014
(...)
Energy Supply – Renewable Energy Resources Grants, cooperative agreements, cooperative research and development agreements (CRADAs), and other forms of subsidy 725.9 735.3
(...)

(...) Levies are collected on certain agricultural products (Section 4); and an environmental levy on certain goods. A fuel levy and the road accident fund (RAF) levy are also in place.

Switzerland applies a number of prohibitions and restrictions on imports, mainly for reasons of security, health, protection of intellectual property, and protection of the environment. (...)

China administers both a voluntary certification system and a compulsory product certification system. The China National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA), under AQSIQ (General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine), manages both systems. Certification and accreditation are regulated by: (...) the Measures for the Administration of Organic Product Certification; and the Measures for the Administration of Energy-saving and Low-carbon-emission Product Certification.

At present, products that require import approval or are prohibited include: certain marine products, certain medicines and chemical products, propellant powders, nuclear goods, weapons, wild animals and plants, substances that deplete the ozone layer, specified hazardous wastes, certain chemical weapons production materials, alcohol, rough diamonds, cultural property illegally removed from Iraq, all goods from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and weapons and other items from the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and Eritrea, and Charcoal from Somalia, and chemical weapons and other items related to chemical weapons programme and cultural property illegally moved from Syrian Arab Republic, as per United Nations Security Council Resolution. Licences to import are issued free of cost. Japan amended the Customs Law in March 2015; the amendment added the products designated under Article 2, paragraph 15 of the Law on Securing Quality, Efficacy and Safety of Products including Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices to the list of items subject to import prohibition. In a 2016 amendment of the Customs Law, Japan added goods produced through the use of unlawfully obtained trade secrets (as stipulated by the Unfair Competition Prevention Act) to the list of items subject to import prohibition.

The CO2 tax on fossil fuels is an incentive fee that supplements voluntary and other CO2-related measures. Its purpose is to reduce the use of fossil fuels and thus lower CO2 emissions. The CO2 tax has been levied since 1 January 2008 on fossil fuels (heating oil, natural gas, coal, petroleum coke, and other fossil combustibles) that are used to generate heat, produce electricity in thermal plants or operate combined heat and power (CHP) plants. The tax rate has been SwF 36 per tonne of CO2 since 1 January 2010. The tax on extra-light heating oil, for example, is SwF 95.50 per 1,000 litres at 15°C, and that on natural gas is SwF 92.10 per 1,000 kg. Energy -intensive companies may be exempted from the CO2 tax if they commit to legally binding CO2 reduction targets. The Customs Administration is responsible for enforcement of the CO2 Ordinance, with the exception of the provisions on tax exemption and tax revenue distribution, for which the Federal Office for the Environment is responsible. In particular, the Customs Administration is charged with levying and reimbursing the CO2 tax.

Under the revised GPA, Israel made a number of market access commitments that enhance the opportunities for foreign companies to compete in its government procurement market. (…) Nine government enterprises and other entities have been added to Israel's list of GPA covered entities (e.g. Environmental Services Company Ltd. (...) Israel's covered procurement includes a number of additional service sectors, such as financial services, commercial courier services, and education services.

Table 3.8 Exports subject to certain conditions
15. HS Code: Respective headings
- Item/goods: Nuclear substances, radioactive materials and any other substance or item covered by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority Ordinance, 2001 (III of 2001)
- Condition/procedure/formalities: (i) As per procedure notified by the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority; (...)

Table 3.1 Registration requirements for importers and their products, 2017
Product Authority Period/duration Legal basis
(...)
Plastic bags and biodegradable bags MIC Annual Resolution No. 353 of 27 March 2017
Incandescent and fluorescent lamps MIC Annual Decree No. 7.103/17 of 27 April 2017
(...)
Products for recycling and non hazardous waste SEAM Once Resolution No. 374/07 of 13 April 2007
Ozone depleting substances (ODS) SEAM Annual Decree No. 12.685/08 of 11 August 2008; Resolution SEAM No. 255/15 of 1 July 2015
Tyres SEAM Once Resolution No. 627/16 of 21 October 2016
(...)
Note: DINAPI – National Intellectual Property Directorate; DIMABEL – Armaments Directorate; INAN – National Food and Nutrition Institute; MAG – Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock; MIC – Ministry of Industry and Trade; MSPBS – Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare; SEAM – Environment Secretariat; SENACSA – National Animal Quality and Health Service; SENAVE – National Plant and Seed Quality and Health Service; SENAD – National Anti Drug Secretariat.
Source: WTO Secretariat, on the basis of information provided by the Paraguayan authorities.