Doing Business in Haiti: 2018 Country Commercial Guide for U.S. Companies INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHT, U.S. & FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE AND U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES. Table of Contents Doing Business in Haiti _____________________________________________ 5 Market Overview ________________________________________________________ 5 Market Challenges ______________________________________________________ 8 Market Opportunities ____________________________________________________ 9 Market Entry Strategy __________________________________________________ 11 Political Environment ______________________________________________ 11 Political Environment ___________________________________________________ 11 Selling U.S. Products & Services ____________________________________ 12 Using an Agent to Sell U.S. Products and Services __________________________ 12 Establishing an Office __________________________________________________ 12 Franchising ___________________________________________________________ 13 Direct Marketing _______________________________________________________ 13 Haiti Country Commercial Guide, June 2018 2 Joint Ventures/Licensing ________________________________________________ 13 Selling to the Government _______________________________________________ 13 Distribution & Sales Channels ___________________________________________ 14 Express Delivery ______________________________________________________ 15 Selling Factors & Techniques ____________________________________________ 15 E-Commerce __________________________________________________________ 15 Overview ___________________________________________________________________ 15 Online Payment ______________________________________________________________ 16 E-Commerce Intellectual Property Rights _________________________________________ 16 Mobile E-Commerce __________________________________________________________ 16 Digital Marketing _____________________________________________________________ 16 Social Media ________________________________________________________________ 17 Trade Promotion & Advertising __________________________________________ 17 Pricing _______________________________________________________________ 18 Sales Service/Customer Support _________________________________________ 18 Protecting Intellectual Property __________________________________________ 19 Due Diligence _________________________________________________________ 19 Local Professional Services _____________________________________________ 20 Principal Business Associations _________________________________________ 20 Limitations on Selling US Products and Services ___________________________ 26 Web Resources _______________________________________________________ 27 Leading Sectors for U.S. Exports & Investments _______________________ 28 Energy _______________________________________________________________ 28 Overview ___________________________________________________________________ 28 Leading Sub-Sectors __________________________________________________________ 30 Opportunities _______________________________________________________________ 31 Web Resources _____________________________________________________________ 32 Agricultural Sector _____________________________________________________ 33 Overview ___________________________________________________________________ 33 Leading Sub-Sectors __________________________________________________________ 36 Opportunities _______________________________________________________________ 36 Web Resources _____________________________________________________________ 37 Construction __________________________________________________________ 39 Overview ___________________________________________________________________ 39 Leading Sub-Sectors __________________________________________________________ 40 Opportunities _______________________________________________________________ 40 Web Resources _____________________________________________________________ 41 Mining and Minerals ____________________________________________________ 42 Haiti Country Commercial Guide, June 2018 3 Overview ___________________________________________________________________ 42 Leading Sub-Sectors __________________________________________________________ 43 Opportunities _______________________________________________________________ 43 Telecommunications ___________________________________________________ 43 Overview ___________________________________________________________________ 43 Opportunities _______________________________________________________________ 46 Web Resources _____________________________________________________________ 46 Travel and Tourism ____________________________________________________ 47 Overview ___________________________________________________________________ 47 Leading Sub-Sectors __________________________________________________________ 48 Opportunities _______________________________________________________________ 48 Web Resources _____________________________________________________________ 49 Customs, Regulations & Standards __________________________________ 49 Trade Barriers _________________________________________________________ 49 Import Tariff __________________________________________________________ 50 Import Requirements & Documentation ___________________________________ 57 Labeling/Marking Requirements __________________________________________ 57 U.S. Export Controls ___________________________________________________ 58 Temporary Entry _______________________________________________________ 58 Prohibited & Restricted Imports __________________________________________ 58 Customs Regulations __________________________________________________ 60 Standards for Trade ____________________________________________________ 60 Overview ___________________________________________________________________ 60 Standards __________________________________________________________________ 61 Testing, inspection and certification ______________________________________________ 62 Publication of technical regulations _______________________________________________ 62 Contact Information ___________________________________________________________ 62 Trade Agreements _____________________________________________________ 63 Current Preference Highlights _________________________________________________ 65 Licensing Requirements for Professional Services __________________________ 68 Web Resources _______________________________________________________ 68 Investment Climate Statement ______________________________________ 69 Executive Summary ____________________________________________________ 69 1. Openness To, and Restrictions Upon, Foreign Investment _____________ 71 2. Bilateral Investment Agreements and Taxation Treaties _______________ 75 3. Legal Regime __________________________________________________ 76 Transparency of the Regulatory System ____________________________________ 76 Haiti Country Commercial Guide, June 2018 4 Legal System and Judicial Independence ___________________________________ 77 Laws and Regulations on Foreign Direct Investment __________________________ 78 Competition and Anti-Trust Laws _________________________________________ 79 Expropriation and Compensation _________________________________________ 80 Dispute Settlement _____________________________________________________ 80 Bankruptcy Regulations _________________________________________________ 81 4. Industrial Policies _______________________________________________ 82 5. Protection of Property Rights _____________________________________ 86 6. Financial Sector ________________________________________________ 88 7. State-Owned Enterprises _________________________________________ 91 8. Responsible Business Conduct ___________________________________ 93 9. Corruption _____________________________________________________ 93 10. Political and Security Environment _______________________________ 96 11. Labor Policies and Practices ____________________________________ 97 12. OPIC and Other Investment Insurance Programs ____________________ 99 13. Foreign Direct Investment and Foreign Portfolio Investment Statistics __ 99 14. Contact for More Information ___________________________________ 101 Business Travel _________________________________________________ 101 Business Customs ____________________________________________________ 101 Travel Advisory ______________________________________________________ 102 Visa Requirements ____________________________________________________ 102 Currency ____________________________________________________________ 103 Telecommunications/Electric ___________________________________________ 103 Transportation _______________________________________________________ 103 Language ___________________________________________________________ 103 Health ______________________________________________________________ 104 Local Time, Business Hours and Holidays ________________________________ 104 Temporary Entry of Materials or Personal Belongings ______________________ 104 Travel Related Web Resources __________________________________________ 105 Haiti Country Commercial Guide, June 2018 5 Doing Business in Haiti Market Overview Haiti is one of the most open economies in the Caribbean with a number of sectors that are seeking foreign direct investment. Although the business climate is challenging, Haiti's legislation encourages foreign direct investment