Forest products

I-INTRODUCTION

Notwithstanding the provisions of Decree No. 93-313 of March 11, 1993, the exercise of the Profession of Exporter of Timber Products is subject to obtaining an Approval issued by the Ministry of Water and Forests (MINEF) as specified in Law No. 2014-427 of July 14, 2014 on the Forestry Code.

This Approval of Exporters of Timber Products is issued by an Interministerial Commission of Approval of Exporters of Timber Products (CIAEPL).The Approval is valid for a period of one (1) calendar year.

It is reminded that the export of logs is strictly prohibited (Natural forest wood and plantation wood) – Cf. Law n°2014-427 of July 14, 2014.

Assamela (Afromosia elata) and Oak Wood (pterocarpus spp) classified in Appendix 1 of CITES are strictly prohibited from export (protected species) – Cf. Decree No. 2013-508 of July 25, 2013 and Order 628/ MINEF/DGEF/DPIF of June 28, 2013 – in any form.

Cedrela (Cedrela odorata) is an exotic species classified in Annex 2 of CITES, but its export in processed form is done upon presentation of a Certificate of Origin issued by the Directorate of Wildlife (MINEF).

The export, transport and exploitation of non-timber forest products – [See List of exploited secondary forest products] – are also subject to control by the Ministry of Water and Forests.

It should also be noted that the import or export of any goods whatsoever requires the prior obtaining of an Importer/Exporter Code (professional or occasional) – see Legal regimes for imports and exports.

 

Ministry of Water and Forests (MINEF)

Abidjan – Plateau

Cité Administrative, Tower D 19th floor

01 BP 12243 Abidjan – Côte d’Ivoire

Tel: (+225) 20 21 94 06 / (+225) 20 21 05 12

Email: info@eauxetforets.gouv.ci / support@cicg.gouv.ci

Website: www.eauxetforets.gouv.ci

 

General Directorate of Water and Forests

Directorate of Production and Forest Industry (DPIF)

Abidjan – Plateau

Cité Administrative, Tower C, 8th floor

 

 

II-EXPORT APPROVAL

The Approval of Exporter of Timber Products is issued by an Interministerial Commission of Approval of Exporters of Timber Products (CIAEPL) at the beginning of each year and gives the right to export Timber Products out of Côte d’Ivoire according to the forestry regulations in force – Cf. Law n°2014-427 of July 14, 2014.

Any natural or legal person is entitled to export non-timber forest products [Cf. List]. However, this person must obtain an Export Certificate for Non-Timber Forest Products from the Directorate of Production and Forest Industry (DPIF) of the Ministry of Water and Forests.

 

III-ISSUANCE PROCEDURE

Procedure for the Issuance of the Authorization to Exercise the Profession of Wood or Timber Products Exporter

Applications for approval are to be submitted to the Directorate of Production and Forest Industry (DPIF) of the Ministry of Water and Forests.

The Commission meets once (1) to twice (2) a year (between December and March).

The deadline for issuing the permit is 15 days.

The period of validity of the Approval is one (1) calendar year.

The list of companies that have obtained the authorization is published annually.

 

 

Documents to be provided for the acquisition of the Authorization

The file must consist of the following documents:

  • An application on plain paper (name / company name / address / activities carried out, manager’s ID) addressed to the President of the Interministerial Commission for the Approval of Exporters of Wood Products (CIAEPL).
  • A certified identification card as filed with the General Directorate of Taxes.
  • A Bank Guarantee of ten (10) million FCFA (Banks and approved Insurances).
  • A Certificate of Payment of the amount of the DUS paid during the previous fiscal year.
  • A Certificate of Tax Regularity, issued by the Direction des Grandes Entreprises or the Regional Directorates of the Direction Générale des Impôts, relating to the payment of taxes on profits and salaries for the past fiscal year.
  • A legalized commitment to respect the forestry regulations in force.
  • A certificate issued by the customs declarants or authorized forwarding agents signifying their agreement to work with the applicant for the current year.
  • A Certificate of Non-Royalty issued by the Directorate of Financial Affairs and Heritage (DAFP) of the Ministry of Water and Forests stating that the applicant is in good standing with the Régie de Recette et d’Avances Spéciales des Eaux et forêts.
  • A valid Importer/Exporter Code issued by the Ministry of Commerce.
  • A certificate issued by the Direction de la Production et de l’Industrie Forestière (DPIF) stating that the applicant is in good standing with the forestry administration, whose application must be accompanied by the certificate of available quota issued by the sub-directors of inspection of the ports of embarkation of the products and by the Service Économie Forestière (Forest Economy Department) for the transfer of export quotas intended for the land route.
  • A colored flap folder.

 

IV-DOCUMENTS

  1. Export Certificate and Exchange Commitment

The Export Certificate and the Exchange Commitment are documents required to validate the Customs Export Declaration.

The Export Certificate – see Example AE – and the Exchange Commitment – see Example EC – are established online via the Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur (GUCE) transactional website. To access the site, you must first be registered as an importer, exporter or forwarder. The information to be provided is as follows:

  • Professional Exporter Code (or Occasional Exporter Code).
  • Name and address of the Declarant.
  • Invoice information (name of receiver, HS code of the goods, quantity, amount invoiced, etc.).
  • Name of the bank (in Ivory Coast) involved in the transaction.
  • The invoice.

TO NOTE

Beyond a value exceeding ten (10) million CFA francs, exports to countries outside the WAEMU are subject to direct debit with an approved intermediary – Cf. Art. 13, WAEMU Regulation 09/2010/CM. The exporter is then required to establish an Exchange Commitment and an Export Certificate. These documents are necessary to validate the Customs Export Declaration.

 

  1. Waybills

Waybills for timber products

The transport of Timber Forest Products by land must be accompanied by a Bordereau de Route pour l’Exportation de Produits Forestiers (BREPF)

  • Order No. 2011-623] & [Cf. Order No. 2011-478] which identifies the nature of the product, the origin of the product, the exporter, the exporter code, the forwarder, the carrier and the destination of the product.

The cost of a Bordereau de Route pour l’Exportation de Produits Forestiers (BREPF) is 20,000 FCFA – 06 sheets – and is available at the Direction des Affaires Financières et du Patrimoine of MINEF. Any export of forest products by land to their final destination must be accompanied by :

  • A valid Exporter’s Permit for Forest Products.
  • The original copy of the Road Permit for the Export of Forest Products (BREPF).
  • Customs Export Declaration (D6).
  • The Product Routing Sheet (established by the Directorate of Production and Forest Industries (DPIF).
  • Valid Quota transfer for the export of fresh sawn timber.

 

For timber and non-timber products passing in transit through Côte d’Ivoire, the truck must be accompanied by a Transit Certificate [CF. copy] and a Secondary Product Authorization.

The Transit Certificate can be obtained upon simple request accompanied by a copy of the transit declaration to the DPIF in Abidjan or by Email: dpif2012@yahoo.fr, with a copy to cneyapifranck@yahoo.fr. and augoutch@hotmail.com (GUCE Focal Point).

Transit certificate delivery time: 24 hours.

 

 

Carnet de Circulation des Produits Forestiers Secondaires non Ligneux

The circulation of non-timber products within the country is carried out with a Carnet de Circulation des Produits Secondaires Forestiers.

These Carnets (of 10 sheets) are on sale at the DAF of the Ministry of Water and Forests at the price of 15,000 FCFA/Carnet.

They are sold by the DAF of the Ministry of Water and Forests, but they can also be obtained in all the forestry cantonnements in each region.

They are only issued to those who have a Secondary Product Exploitation Permit – see Procedure http://www.eauxetforets.gouv.ci/index.php/minef/documentations/procedures-d-exploitations/80-criteres-et-conditions-pour-l-exploitation-des-autres-produits-secondaires.

 

  1. Inspection of Forest Products at the Port of Abidjan or San Pedro

All Timber Products are directed to the Port Autonome of Abidjan or San Pedro.

Upon arrival of the wood yard, the Inspector of the Ministry of Water and Forests receives and registers the Specification Form – [Cf. Specification Form] -, carries out a Physical Control of the goods on the specifications (wood species, length, width, cubage…) and the quantities.

This act is free of charge, however, in case of request for work outside the legal hours, the sum of 250 FCFA/m3 will be charged for the Additional Work (AW).

 

  1. Phytosanitary certificate

An application for a Phytosanitary Certificate [Cf. Certificate application form] must be sent to the Phytosanitary Inspection of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan (Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development/ Sub-Directorate of Phytosanitary Inspection) to carry out a Phytosanitary Inspection.

The information required to complete the certificate application is as follows: name and address of the exporter and consignee, brand, number and nature of the packages, botanical name of the goods, weight, volume, port and country of destination.

The inspector of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development inspects the merchandise and approves the specification sheet if the merchandise complies with the phytosanitary criteria in force – see the Phytosanitary Control Scheme for Wood Exports.

The fee for the Phytosanitary Inspection of wood is 200 FCFA / m3 – Cf. Inter-ministerial Order n°2016-005 of December 30, 2016 and Decree n°2016-296 of.

The Phytosanitary Certificate will be issued after loading of the goods 72h after presentation of the following documents:

  • Bill of lading.
  • Application for Phytosanitary Certificate.
  • Specification sheet.

 

 

  1. Customs declaration

List of documents to be given to the forwarder to make the export declaration to Customs:

  • The Exporter Code.
  • The Original Invoice.
  • The Export Certificate, via the GUCE (can be done by the forwarder).
  • The Exchange Commitment, via the GUCE (can be done by the forwarder).
  • Certificate of Origin (EUR1 or UEMOA/ECOWAS or Form A) (see procedure).
  • The Approval of Exporter of Wood Products.
  • The Specification Form issued by the General Directorate of Water and Forests with the mention “Good to ship” of the Phytosanitary Service.
  • The amount of Single Exit Duty (SED): for timber and wood products, Côte d’Ivoire applies mercurial values (ad valorem taxes varying from 1 to 44% depending on the species on timber and certain wood products for export), – Cf. Decree No. 90-444 of 29 May 1990, [Decree No. 94-377 of 1 July 1994], [Circular No. 749 of 02 August 1994] and [Circular No. 1689/MPMB/DGD of 29 December 2014].

 

 

  1. Export Certificate for non-timber forest products

This Certificate is mandatory to validate the Customs Declaration for export. The list of Export Certificate Application documents is as follows:

  • An Application for Export Certificate with the name of the product, the quantity and the destination.
  • A copy of the Customs Export Declaration.
  • The Importer and Exporter Code Sheet.

The application is to be submitted to the Directorate of Production and Forest Industry (DPIF) of MINEF. The Certificate is free of charge and is issued within 24 hours.

 

V-LIST OF PRODUCTS

SH Code

Designation

44-03

wood and timber products

44-07

wood and timber products

44-08

wood and timber products

44-09

wood and timber products

44-12

wood and timber products