WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR - 306 - ANNEX 4 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR - 307 - CONTENTS 1 ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................... 310 1.1 Main features ......................................................................................................... 310 1.2 Recent Economic Trends .......................................................................................... 311 1.3 Trade and investment trend ..................................................................................... 312 1.4 Outlook ................................................................................................................. 315 2 TRADE AND INVESTMENT REGIMES ......................................................................... 316 2.1 Overview ............................................................................................................... 316 2.2 Trade policy objectives ............................................................................................ 319 2.3 Trade agreements and arrangements ........................................................................ 319 2.3.1 World Trade Organisation ...................................................................................... 319 2.3.2 Relations with the European Union (EU) .................................................................. 320 2.3.3 Other agreements and arrangements ...................................................................... 320 2.4 Investment Regime ................................................................................................ 321 2.4.1 Settlement of investment-related disputes ............................................................... 324 3 TRADE POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY MEASURE ...................................................... 325 3.1 Measures directly affecting imports ........................................................................... 325 3.1.1 Registration ........................................................................................................ 325 3.1.2 Preshipment inspection ......................................................................................... 326 3.1.3 Customs procedures ............................................................................................. 327 3.1.4 Rules of origin ..................................................................................................... 328 3.1.5 Customs levies .................................................................................................... 328 3.1.6 Internal taxes ..................................................................................................... 330 3.1.7 Tariff preferences ................................................................................................ 331 3.1.8 Duty and tax concessions ...................................................................................... 331 3.1.9 Prohibitions, quantitative restrictions and licences .................................................... 332 3.1.10 Standards, technical regulations and accreditation .................................................. 333 3.1.11 Packaging, marking and labelling requirements ...................................................... 333 3.1.12 Sanitary and phytosanitary measures ................................................................... 334 3.1.13 Contingency measures ........................................................................................ 334 3.1.14 Other measures ................................................................................................. 334 3.2 Measures directly affecting exports ........................................................................... 335 3.2.1 Registration and customs procedures ...................................................................... 335 3.2.2 Export duties and taxes ........................................................................................ 335 3.2.3 Export prohibitions and controls ............................................................................. 336 3.2.4 Export subsidies and promotion ............................................................................. 336 3.3 Measures affecting production and trade .................................................................... 336 3.3.1 Incentives .......................................................................................................... 336 WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR - 308 - 3.3.2 Competition and price control ................................................................................ 336 3.3.3 State trading, State-owned enterprises and privatization ........................................... 337 3.3.4 Government procurement ..................................................................................... 337 3.3.5 Protection of intellectual property rights .................................................................. 338 4 TRADE POLICY BY SECTOR ...................................................................................... 340 4.1 Agriculture, livestock farming, forestry and fisheries .................................................... 340 4.1.1 Overview ............................................................................................................ 340 4.1.2 Agricultural policies .............................................................................................. 342 4.1.3 Policy by subsector .............................................................................................. 342 4.1.4 Forestry ............................................................................................................. 348 4.2 Mining and Energy .................................................................................................. 350 4.2.1 Mining products ................................................................................................... 351 4.2.2 Petroleum products .............................................................................................. 353 4.3 Manufacturing sector .............................................................................................. 356 4.4 Services ................................................................................................................ 357 4.4.1 Transport services ............................................................................................... 358 4.4.2 Telecommunications services ................................................................................. 361 4.4.3 Postal services .................................................................................................... 363 4.4.4 Financial services ................................................................................................. 363 4.4.5 Professional and business services ......................................................................... 364 4.4.6 Tourism .............................................................................................................. 366 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 367 CHARTS Chart 1.1 Structure of trade in goods, 2005 and 2011 ......................................................... 313 Chart 1.2 Direction of trade in goods, 2005 and 2011 ......................................................... 314 Chart 4.1 Main budget items 2012, by chapter ................................................................... 341 Chart 4.2 Diamond exports and prices, 2005-2011 ............................................................. 351 Chart 4.3 Air transport, 2003-2011 .................................................................................. 358 TABLES Table 1.1 Basic economic indicators, 2005-2012 ................................................................. 310 Table 1.2 Balance of payments, 2005-2011 ....................................................................... 312 Table 2.1 Principal trade-related laws and regulations, March 2013 ....................................... 317 Table 2.2 Number of authorizations granted and investments planned, 2006-2012 .................. 322 Table 2.3 Formalities and fees associated with business start-ups ......................................... 323 WT/TPR/S/285 • CAR - 309 - Table 3.1 Number of registrations for engaging in import-export trade, 2008-2012 ................. 325 Table 3.2 Fiscal revenue by main source, 2007-2012 .......................................................... 329 Table 3.3 Breakdown of revenue losses owing to exemptions, 2009-2012 .............................. 331 Table 3.4 Import controls, 2012 ....................................................................................... 333 Table 3.5 Number of applications, by year and by type of title, filed with the SNL from the Central African Republic, 2006-2012 ................................................................................. 338 Table 4.1 Production of food crops, 2000, 2005-2010 .......................................................... 340 Table 4.2 Palm oil production and trade indicators, 2000, 2005-2010 .................................... 346 Table 4.3 Production and export of timber, 2000, 2005, 2008-2011 ...................................... 348 Table 4.4 Electricity rates since February 2006 ................................................................... 355 Table 4.5 Mobile