The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced in its latest newsletter no. 6/2022 that it will be cracking down on imports arriving without the necessary licences in place.
Since issuing the notification 93/2015 on the Myanmar Export and Import Procedures, it has been a requirement that import licences are required to be obtained for goods prior to arriving at the port in Myanmar. There have been some exceptions to this, and it was possible to receive a licence “valid for prior approval” after the arrival of the goods in port.
In the latest newsletter the MOC requires that all goods now have import licences prior to be loaded on vessels and that starting from 20 April 2022 import licences will no longer be granted for goods which have already arrived in port.
Businesses should be mindful of the tightening regulations to avoid potential losses. It is also important to remain vigilant as the list of goods which require licences is being constantly updated with more goods being added to the list regularly.