Medicines (narcotics)/chemicals

I-INTRODUCTION

Imports of methanol (or methyl alcohol) as well as medicines (narcotics & psychotropic drugs) and chemical products (chemical drug precursors) covered by the 1961 United Nations Convention are controlled by the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene through the Directorate of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratories (DPML) – Cf. Order No. 2015-166 of 28 September 2015, on the organisation and attribution of the DPML.

Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene

Directorate of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratories (DPML)

Tel: (+225) 21 35 73 13 / (+225) 21 35 13 24

52, Boulevard de Marseille

BPv5 – Abidjan, Ivory Coast

Email: secretariat@dphm.ci

Website: www.dpml.ci

 

The regulations applicable to the import of Ethanol (or ethyl alcohol) are the same as those applicable to substances covered by the 1961 United Nations Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

 

II-AUTHORISATION TO IMPORT

Only health professionals and certain approved companies may be authorised to import:

  • Pharmaceutical laboratories.
  • Pharmaceutical Representation and Promotion Agencies – See the Approval Form for the Creation of a Pharmaceutical Products Representation and Promotion Agency.
  • Wholesalers – Distributors – See the Approval Form for the Creation of a Wholesaler-Distributor Establishment.
  • Approved Industrial Companies (contact the DPML).
  • Companies for the wholesale marketing of medico-surgical equipment and laboratory reagents – See the Approval Form for the creation of a wholesale marketing company for medico-surgical equipment.
  • Approved wholesale marketing companies of chemical products (contact the DPML).
  • Optics and eyewear companies.
  • Research organisations.
  • Medical organisations.
  • Charitable associations
  • Local authorities.
  • Development Partners.

 

The procedures to follow to apply for approval, as well as the lists of documents required on this occasion, are available on the website of the DPML – Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene of Côte d’Ivoire.

 

III-DOCUMENTS

  1. Import Declaration Form (IDF)

The Import Declaration Form (IDF) – see IDF example – is compulsory if the value of the goods exceeds Five hundred thousand (500,000) FCFA

The IDF is established online via the transactional site of the Guichet Unique du Commerce Extérieur (GUCE). It is necessary to be previously registered on the GUCE website as an importer or exporter or forwarder. The documents and information required:

  • Importer Code (or Occasional Importer Code).
  • Pro forma or final invoice.
  • Mode of transport.
  • Name of the importer’s bank (in Côte d’Ivoire) (for direct debit and exchange authorisation).
  • HS Codes of the products to be imported.

 

For the importation of Ethyl Alcohol (or Ethanol) as well as for Medicines (Narcotics & Psychotropic Drugs) and Chemicals (Chemical Precursors of Drugs) covered by the 1961 United Nations Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the validation of the Import Declaration Form (FDI) must be preceded by the following authorisations, endorsed and signed by the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene:

  • A Preliminary Import Authorisation (PIA) – see PIA procedure below.
  • An Official Import Authorisation (OIA) – see OIA Procedure below.

 

  1. Authorisations required for Importation

 

The following authorisations are required to obtain the Import Declaration Form (IDF):

Preliminary Import Authorisation (PIA)

The API can be obtained online via the GUCE. The application is made through the Foreign Trade Window (GUCE) portal by the importer or the authorised freight forwarder:

Start the Import Declaration Form (IDF) procedure on the GUCE website – see IDF procedure above.

 

The system automatically generates an application for a Preliminary Import Authorisation (API) addressed to the Directorate of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratories of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene. The necessary documents are the following:

 

  • Pro forma invoice.
  • List of products to be imported.
  • Valid Approval to Practice (or Provisional Approval to Practice or Ministerial Approval, Certificate of Compliance or Ministerial Agreement).

 

Exceptional cases: the importer must go to the Directorate of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratories of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene with the original documents to:

 

  • Submit the application file for a Preliminary Import Authorisation.
  • Pay the fee for obtaining the API, the cost of which is 5,000 FCFA / API – Cf. Order n°2001-284/MSP/PPM of 21 August 2001).
  • Verification and validation of the file by agents of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene and validation of the API.

Time limit for issuing the API: 72 hours

 

 

Official Import Authorisation (OIA)

 

 

An Official Import Authorisation (OIA) is required for the following products:

 

  • Ethanol (or ethyl alcohol).
  • Narcotics and psychotropic drugs.
  • Chemical drug precursors.

 

The application is made through the portal of the Foreign Trade Window (GUCE) by the importer or the mandated forwarder. The procedure is as follows:

 

  • Start the Import Declaration Form (IDF) procedure on the GUCE website – see IDF procedure above
  • The system automatically generates a request for Official Import Authorisation addressed to the Directorate of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratories of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene

 

The necessary documents are the following:

 

  • Pro forma invoice
  • List of products to be imported
  • Valid licence to operate (or provisional licence to operate or ministerial approval, certificate of conformity or ministerial agreement).

 

Exceptional cases: the importer must go to the Directorate of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratories of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene with the original documents to:

 

  • Submit the Official Import Authorisation (OIA) application form and fill in the OIA application form.
  • Pay the fee for obtaining the API, the cost of which is 2,000 FCFA / API – Cf. Order n°2001-284/MSP/PPM of 21 August 2001
  • Verification and validation of the file by agents of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene and validation of the API.

 

Time limit for issuing the AOI: 72h

 

  1. Cargo Tracking Form (CTS)

 

Webb Fontaine checks the shipping documents and delivers the Final Classification and Value Report by email to the receiver or freight forwarder within 5 working days of submission of the documents.

 

The freight forwarder completes Form D41 (Sampling Permit: this is an authorisation given by the importer or freight forwarder to Customs to take a sample of the goods for the purpose of quality control or to visually assess the apparent condition of the goods) and physically deposits it, together with the transport documents (see List above), at the Risk Analysis, Intelligence and Value Division (DARRV) of Customs for verification

 

The exporter, the foreign forwarder and the importer must be registered in the BSC, via the website of the Office Ivoirien des Chargeurs (OIC).

 

At embarkation

 

BSC registration (see General Import Procedures tab). The necessary documents are the following:

 

  • Final Invoice (or Valued Inventory for personal effects).
  • B/L (or Bill of Lading).
  • Packing List.
  • Freight Invoice (except for imports from the European Union).
  • Certificate of Origin (except for imports from the European Union).
  • Customs Export Declaration of the country of shipment.
  • The Certificate of Local Insurance in Côte d’Ivoire.
  • The Import Declaration Form (IDF) or its number.

 

  1. Attestation of Value

As soon as the goods are shipped and all the transport documents for the goods are available (Final Commercial Invoice, Ocean Bill of Lading or Air Waybill, Packing List, Freight Invoice, copy of the FDI and all other available certificates), the freight forwarder must initiate an application for an Attestation of Value.

 

All goods with an FOB value greater than or equal to one (1) million CFA francs must obtain a Final Classification and Value Report (FCVR) from the Directorate of Risk Analysis, Intelligence and Value (DARRV) of the Customs via the electronic platform of the GUCE – Cf. Customs Circular n°2007 of 29 March 2019.

 

The authorised forwarder downloads and fills in the Notice of Deposit (ND).

 

He attaches the documents accompanying the goods (see list above) to the deposit notice and uploads the entire file online on the GUCE platform.

 

After examining the file, the DARRV issues the Certificate of Verification (AV).

 

Goods with an FOB value of less than one (1) million CFA francs and certain other products are exempted from the RFCV procedure – see the list of goods not subject to RFCV on the website www.douane.ci – (see the tab General Import Procedures).

 

  1. Customs declaration

On arrival

Customs declaration by a forwarder appointed by the Importer and approved by Customs – See List of forwarders approved by Customs. The documents to be given to the forwarder to make the Customs Declaration:

 

  • Original Bill of Lading (B/L) for sea shipments, Air Waybill (AWB) for air shipments.
  • Original Supplier Invoice.
  • Certificate of Insurance.
  • Import Declaration Form (IDF) – via the GUCE website.
  • Freight Invoice.
  • Final Verification Value Classification Report if the FOB value is equal to or greater than one (1) million FCFA, or the Attestation of Value (AV) if the FOB value is less than one (1) million FCFA, or if the products are excluded from the RFCV – (see List of goods not subject to the RFCV on the websites www.douane.ci and www.webbfontaine.ci).
  • The Packing List.
  • The Customs receipt if the method of payment of duties and taxes is cash.
  • Cargo Tracking Form (CTS) issued by the ICO.
  • The UEMOA, ECOWAS Certificate of Origin if required.

 

  1. Authorisation for Removal from the DPML

 

Once the customs declaration has been made, an Authorisation for Removal (AR) [see AR example] must be submitted to the DPML for the goods declared.

 

The deadline for obtaining this document is 48 hours after submission (every morning from 7.30 to 10.30). The necessary documents are as follows:

 

  • The Customs Import Declaration.
  • The originals of the Preliminary Import Authorisation (API) and the Official Import Authorisation (AOI).
  • Final Invoice.
  • The RFCV.

Cost: 5,000 FCFA (Cf. Order 2001-284/MSP/PPM of 21 August 2001)

Delivery time: 24 to 48 hours.

 

Period of validity of the DPML’s Authorisation for Removal :

  • 3 weeks for products arriving by land.
  • 2 weeks for products arriving by air.
  • 1 month for products arriving by sea.