Complaint

Complaint number
NTB-000-952  
NTB Type
1.7. Discriminatory or flawed government procurement policies  
Complaint
Disrimination and denial of Market Access for salt in Burundi.

There was a survey carried by Ministry incharge of Public Health in 2018 in relation to the consumption of salt, that the result revealed that only 52% of Burundians consume adequately iodized salt. On the basis of this survey the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism has taken measures to authorize and license four trading companies as importers of adequately iodized packaged with an iodization rate of between 30 and 60ppm and provided with a certificate of conformity from Standards Bureau of the importing country. The companies authorized and approved by Ministry to import salt in Burundi are the followings;
1. Ubuntu Investment company
2. Geprotus
3. Gitega Business Centre
4. Burundi Import (BIMPO)

No other company or individual is authorized to import and market food salt without the authorization of the Minister in-charge of trade. The issue is the government of Burundi is discriminating other companies to import salt in Burundi. This is against EAC rules and procedures, if the issue is standard of salt there is mutual recognition concerning standard in EAC as per SQMT Act 2016.
 
Status note
During the RMC meeting held on 1 September 2020, Burundi reported that an official letter of the Ministry of Trade informing that the measure reducing the number of companies importing cooking salt has been removed. Now the economic operators in the salt trade are authorized and encouraged to do so in strict compliance with the law. The letter specifies however that the imported cooking salt must be a finished product, crushed, cleaned, dried and packaged, adequately iodized and provided with a certificate of conformity from the office of Standard of the import country.  
Progress update note
1. On 10 August 2020, Burundi Focal Point reported that the import and marketing of salt are liberalized. An official response was being processed and will be communicated to the Secretariat as soon as possible.
2. During the RMC meeting held on 1 September 2020, Burundi reported that an official letter of the Ministry of Trade informing that the measure reducing the number of companies importing cooking salt has been removed. Now the economic operators in the salt trade are authorized and encouraged to do so in strict compliance with the low. The letter specifies however that the imported cooking salt must be a finished product, crushed, cleaned, dried and packaged, adequately iodized and provided with a certificate of conformity from the office of Standard of the import country.  
Policy or regulatory NTB
Yes 
Location
Burundi: Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism (Government institution)  
Reporting Country or Region
Tanzania  
Country specific trade issue
No  
Date of incident
2020-03-20  
Status
Resolved  
Date of resolution
2020-09-01  
Product Description


 
Total value
0  
Date reported
2020-04-09 13:59  
Modified
2020-09-01 14:33