Ratified on December 30, 1999 Decision 2242/1999 QD-TTg provides an extensive list of prohibited imports and exports, applicable taxes and updates regulations on incomplete knockdown (IKD) car and motorcycle units.

The new Decision which took effect from April 1, 2000 is as follows:-

Goods for which exports are prohibited include: 

• weapons, munitions, explosives, military equipment

• addictive drugs

• toxic chemicals

• antiquities

• wild and valuable animals and plants subject to management by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

• wood, fire wood and charcoal subject to current stipulations.

Goods for which imports are prohibited include: 

·         the first three items above

·         fire crackers (except when they are used for maritime traffic safety or other reasons subject to a decision by the Premier)

·         toys that influence the personality development of children

·         cigarettes (except when they are imported and included in personal luggage within the allowable quantity)

·         second-hand consumption goods· 

Car  with left-hand steering wheels except for special vehicles used for special purposes such as cranes and excavators   certain kinds of second-hand goods such as combustion engines; motorcycles and motor tricycles, ambulances, buses    amphibole-derived products and materials containing amiant.

Goods for which licenses are required for import include:

• ceramic and granite floor tiles with a size less than or equal to 400mm x 400mm

• Portland cement; clinker

• coloured and transparent glass of more than or equal to the thickness of 1.5-2mm (excluding ribbed, multi-layered transparent, safety, or reinforced glass)

• news printing paper (code 4801), printing paper, and writing paper (code 4802)

• several kinds of construction steel

• refined vegetable liquid oil

• refined sugar, non-refined sugar

• completed motorcycle and motor tricycles and components for SKD (semi-knockdown) and IKD assembling

• engines and frames for assembling motorcycles and motor tricycles

• cars with 16 or less seats.

In the year 2000, the import management no longer covers goods such as electric fans, bicycles, fulfilled plastic packages, consumption goods made of porcelain, glass and ceramic.  The Ministry of Finance, however, shall coordinate with the Government Pricing Committee to consider higher import tax rates (or charges) for these goods.

The import quota for oil and petroleum for the year 2000 is eight million tonnes.

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