How is singapore involved in international trade

There is also a tiered system of additional registration fees, which serves as a de facto additional tax thus discouraging larger capacity motorcycle imports. Singapore also restricts the import and sale of non-medicinal chewing gum. Services barriers include sectors such as pay TV, audiovisual and media services, licensing of online news websites, legal services, banking, and cloud computing services for financial institutions.

SFA is under the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and oversees all food-related matters including food safety and security.

Although SFA largely follows internationally accepted, science-based regulatory standards, including OIE and Codex guidelines, the agency continues to implement a few stringent import protocols that negatively impact trade with the United States.

SFA currently only allows nine of the 41 antimicrobial washes i. This restriction is particularly trade inhibiting as one of the most widely used and internationally accepted PRTs in the U. As for U. A large part of these exports originates from U. Neighboring Malaysia is the second largest export market, accounting for 17 percent of total exports.

Hong Kong and Japan are also important export destinations, accounting for 8 percent and 7 percent of exports respectively. The United States and Japan are the largest suppliers of imports to Singapore, with both countries supplying 17 percent of imports. Malaysia remained one of the traditional sources of imports, accounting for 16 percent.

Major imports from Malaysia include consumer goods like foodstuffs and raw materials. China 5 percent , Thailand 5 percent , Taiwan 4.

Singapore's government considers the development of free trade as an important factor for the country's future economic growth. An aggrieved person can file an application with the High Court for the review of an executive decision, with the leave of the court.

The grounds for judicial review are illegality, irrationality, and procedural impropriety. Import Duties, Tariffs and Rates.

Where can information be found about import tariffs and other customs charges? Intoxicating liquors. Petroleum products and biodiesel blends. Preferential Tariffs All the FTAs that Singapore currently implements provide for preferential tariffs or the elimination of tariffs on goods see Question 2. For information on specific preferential tariffs, see Singapore Customs: Preferential Tariffs Table as of 20 January Non-Tariff Barriers to Imports.

Are there non-tariff barriers to imports into your jurisdiction? Controlled and Prohibited Goods There are licensing controls on the import of certain controlled and prohibited goods.

Controlled goods require import approval from the relevant competent authorities see Question 7. Controlled goods include:. Amusement machines. Articles of clothing intended as protection against attack, including bullet-proof vests. Batteries primary , alkaline, zinc-carbon and mercury oxide. Chemicals for example, poisons, toxins, pesticides. Tableware and kitchenware of porcelain or china and lead crystal. Medical devices, including therapeutic products, Chinese proprietary medicines, controlled drugs, oral dental gums, and raw materials.

Chewing gum. Rhinoceros horn, endangered species of wildlife and their by-products. Prohibited telecommunications equipment, including:. Obscene articles, publications, and video tapes or discs. Chewing tobacco, imitation tobacco products, shisha, smokeless cigars, and dissolvable tobacco. Country of Origin Markings There are origin marking requirements on certain goods imported into Singapore, including:.

Food packaging. Every package of imported prepacked food must bear a label, marked on or securely attached in a prominent and conspicuous position to the package, containing the name of the country of origin of the food Food Regulations Medical products. The Health Sciences Authority requires labels for all therapeutic products to contain the name and address of the manufacturer or the batch releaser.

Trade Remedies Regulatory Framework. What is the main legislation relating to trade remedies? What are the authorities responsible for investigating and deciding on trade remedies? Regulatory Framework Singapore's primary legislation that regulates anti-dumping, subsidies, countervailing measures and other safeguard measures is the Countervailing and Anti-Dumping Duties Act Cap. The MTI also has the power to impose provisional measures before making a final determination on whether a countervailable subsidy is being provided or whether the goods are being dumped.

Investigations and Enforcement. Are there any other notable features of your jurisdiction's trade remedy regime? Singapore applies the lesser duty rule and public interest test in trade remedy investigations. Lesser Duty Rule Typically, the amount of anti-dumping duties is equal to the dumping margin determined to exist with respect to the goods. However, the MTI has discretion to impose a lower anti-dumping duty if it determines that the duty will be sufficient to eliminate injury caused in any of the following three ways:.

The subject goods are, through the effects of dumping, causing material injury to the domestic industry in Singapore producing like goods. The subject goods are, through the effects of dumping, threatening to cause material injury to the domestic industry in Singapore producing like goods.

The subject goods are, through the effects of dumping, causing material retardation of the establishment of the domestic industry in Singapore. Public Interest The public interest is taken into consideration in trade remedy investigations at the following stages:.

Initiation, suspension, and termination of anti-dumping duty investigation. The Minister considers whether the initiation, suspension, or termination of the investigation is in the public interest.

Review of anti-dumping duty investigation. The Minister conducts a review if they determine that a review is in the public interest. Imposition of anti-dumping duties. When an affirmative final decision has been made, the Minister can take into account the public interest in determining whether to impose anti-dumping duties and the amount of these duties.

Is there a domestic right of appeal against the authority's decision? What is the applicable procedure? The appeal procedures for both countervailing duty investigations and anti-dumping investigations are similar. The following entities are considered interested parties:.

A producer, exporter, or importer of the subject goods. A trade or business association of which a majority of its members are producers, exporters, or importers of the subject goods. The government of a country in which the subject goods are produced or from which they are exported. A producer of the like goods in Singapore. A trade or business association of which a majority of its members produce the like goods in Singapore. An application for review must be filed within 30 days of the date of the notice of final determination.

The Anti-Dumping Tribunal can affirm the determination or remit the matter to the Minister for reconsideration.

Sanctions and Export Controls Regulatory Framework. What is the main legislation governing sanctions and export controls? What are the authorities responsible for enforcing sanctions and export controls? The main laws that regulate the export of goods from Singapore are:.

Other legislation issued by competent authorities. Generally, no goods can be exported from Singapore without a valid export permit from Singapore Customs. Aside from Singapore Customs, there are other authorities that enforce laws and regulations relating to the export of certain controlled goods see Question 7. A separate export licence is usually required for these controlled goods.

The primary authority responsible for enforcing Singapore's trade sanctions is Singapore Customs. Search vessels, aircraft, and vehicles.

Arrest without warrant any person where there is reasonable suspicion that the person has committed an offence under the RIEA including failure to comply with Singapore's trade sanctions and powers to search the person and seize articles as evidence.

Are certain categories of goods subject to non country-specific export controls? Controlled Goods A separate export licence is required for certain controlled goods. This licence is generally obtainable from the gobusiness licensing website. Arms and explosives. Ionising and non-ionising irradiating apparatus. Radioactive materials or devices containing radioactive materials. For the full list of controlled goods and the corresponding competent authorities, see Singapore Customs: Controlled and Prohibited Goods for Export.

Strategic Goods The export or transmission of any military or dual-use goods or technology from Singapore requires a strategic goods permit. There are several types of strategic goods permits. Two types of strategic goods export permits may be obtained for strategic goods:. Individual permit. This is a single use permit and the application must be made not less than five working days before every export, re-export, transhipment, or transit of strategic goods and related technology.

Bulk permit. This is valid for a period determined by Singapore Customs usually three years from the date of approval and there is no need to apply for individual permits if the goods fall within the scope of the bulk permit.

The processing of an application for a bulk permit takes about one month after completion of the site validation and on complete submission of supporting documents, varying depending on the nature of transactions and whether additional information is required.

The transmission of strategic goods software or technology requires an intangible transfer of technology ITT permit before transmitting the technology. There are two types of ITT permits:. This is valid for one year on approval. Singapore Customs requires the application to be made at least seven working days before the transmission of the strategic goods technology.

This is valid for a period determined by Singapore Customs usually three years from the date of approval. Are there specific restrictions on trade with certain jurisdictions, entities or persons? Singapore has enacted domestic regulations that implement trade sanctions imposed by UN Security Council resolutions.

Singapore currently implements trade sanctions against:. The Central African Republic. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The full list of specific trade sanctions can be found in the Seventh Schedule to the Regulation of Imports and Exports Regulations and subsidiary legislation under the United Nations Act.

The MAS has also enacted separate regulations to ensure that financial institutions comply with sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council resolutions on designated individuals and entities and with Singapore's Terrorism Suppression of Financing Act Cap.