WT/TPR/S/285 • CONGO - 180 - ANNEX 2 CONGO WT/TPR/S/285 • CONGO - 181 - CONTENTS 1 ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 184 1.1 Main features of the economy .................................................................................. 184 1.2 Recent economic trends .......................................................................................... 187 1.3 Trade and investment performance ........................................................................... 189 1.4 Outlook ................................................................................................................. 193 2 TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES ......................................................................... 195 2.1 Overall framework .................................................................................................. 195 2.2 Trade policy objectives ............................................................................................ 202 2.3 Trade agreements and arrangements ........................................................................ 202 2.3.1 World Trade Organization ...................................................................................... 202 2.3.2 Relations with the European Union (EU) .................................................................. 203 2.3.3 Other agreements and arrangements ...................................................................... 203 2.4 Investment regime ................................................................................................. 203 3 TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE ...................................................... 208 3.1 Measures directly affecting imports ........................................................................... 208 3.1.1 Registration ........................................................................................................ 208 3.1.2 Customs procedures ............................................................................................. 209 3.1.3 Preshipment inspection and customs valuation ......................................................... 211 3.1.4 Rules of origin ..................................................................................................... 212 3.1.5 Customs levies .................................................................................................... 212 3.1.6 Internal taxes ..................................................................................................... 214 3.1.7 Tariff preferences ................................................................................................ 215 3.1.8 Duty and tax concessions ...................................................................................... 215 3.1.9 Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licensing ................................................... 215 3.1.10 Standards, technical regulations and accreditation .................................................. 216 3.1.11 Sanitary and phytosanitary measures ................................................................... 217 3.1.12 Packaging, marking and labelling requirements ...................................................... 217 3.1.13 Contingency measures ........................................................................................ 217 3.1.14 Other measures ................................................................................................. 218 3.2 Measures directly affecting exports ........................................................................... 218 3.2.1 Registration and customs procedures ...................................................................... 218 3.2.2 Export duties and taxes ........................................................................................ 218 3.2.3 Export prohibitions and controls ............................................................................. 219 3.2.4 Export subsidies and promotion ............................................................................. 219 3.3 Measures affecting production and trade .................................................................... 220 3.3.1 Incentives .......................................................................................................... 220 3.3.2 Competition and price control ................................................................................ 220 3.3.3 State trading, State-owned enterprises and privatization ........................................... 221 3.3.4 Government procurement ..................................................................................... 221 WT/TPR/S/285 • CONGO - 182 - 3.3.5 Protection of intellectual property rights .................................................................. 221 4 TRADE POLICIES BY SECTOR ................................................................................... 224 4.1 Agriculture, livestock, fishing and forestry .................................................................. 224 4.1.1 Overview ............................................................................................................ 224 4.1.2 Agricultural policy ................................................................................................ 224 4.1.3 Policy by subsector .............................................................................................. 226 4.2 Mining, energy and water ........................................................................................ 232 4.2.1 Mining products ................................................................................................... 232 4.2.2 Petroleum products and natural gas ....................................................................... 233 4.2.3 Electricity ........................................................................................................... 236 4.2.4 Water ................................................................................................................ 237 4.3 Manufacturing ........................................................................................................ 237 4.4 Services ................................................................................................................ 238 4.4.1 Overview ............................................................................................................ 238 4.4.2 Transportation ..................................................................................................... 238 4.4.3 Tourism .............................................................................................................. 242 4.4.4 Telecommunications and postal services ................................................................. 243 4.4.5 Financial services ................................................................................................. 244 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 247 5 APPENDIX TABLES .................................................................................................. 249 CHARTS Chart 1.1 Structure of trade in goods, 2007 and 2010 ......................................................... 191 Chart 1.2 Direction of trade in goods, 2007 and 2010 ......................................................... 192 TABLES Table 1.1 Selection of macroeconomic indicators, 2005-2011 ............................................... 185 Table 1.2 Balance of payments, 2007-2012 ....................................................................... 189 Table 1.3 Trend in foreign direct investment in the Congo, 2006-2010 ................................... 190 Table 1.4 Macroeconomic forecast following implementation of the National Development Programme (PND), for the period 2013-2017 ..................................................................... 194 Table 2.1 Principal trade-related laws and regulations of the Congo, March 2013 ..................... 197 Table 2.2 Investment Code – benefits under preferential regimes ......................................... 205 Table 2.3 Number of approvals granted and investments planned, 2006-2012 ........................ 205 Table 2.4 Number of approvals extended, 2008-2012.......................................................... 205 Table 3.1 Number of businesses formed, 2010-2012 ........................................................... 208 Table 3.2 Variable component of the ECTN tariff, 2011 ........................................................ 209 Table 3.3 Tax revenue by principal source, 2005-2013 ........................................................ 213 Table 3.4 Breakdown of losses attributable to exemptions, 2006-2012 .................................. 215 WT/TPR/S/285 • CONGO - 183 - Table 3.5 Import controls, 2012 ....................................................................................... 216 Table 3.6 Breakdown of applications by year and type lodged with the Directorate, 2006-2013 .................................................................................................................... 222 Table 4.1 Parafiscal taxes on fishing, 2013 ........................................................................ 229 Table 4.2 Trend in the production and export of forest woods, 2006-2007 and 2010-2012 ........ 232 Table 4.3 Power generation in the Congo in 2012 ..............................................................