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GUIDELINES CONCERNING APPLICATIONS TO EXPORT GOODS TO IRAQ UNDER RESOLUTION 661 (“TRADITIONAL 661 APPLICATIONS”)

 

·        Please note that the new procedures introduced by Security Council resolution 1409 (2002) apply only to the “oil-for-food” programme  (“986 applications”) and do not affect “Traditional 661 applications”.

·        Only submissions in hard copy (non-electronic) can be accepted for “traditional 661 applications”. 

 

These guidelines have been updated by the Office of the Iraq Programme in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolution 1409 (2002), which does not affect the procedures for "traditional 661 applications", but does affect the application form used under both resolutions 661 and 986:  Notification or Request to ship goods to Iraq.

 

The guidelines that follow refer to applications submitted to export goods to Iraq that do not involve payment from the United Nations Iraq Account (Iraq Escrow Account).  The “traditional 661 applications”, which follow the provisions of United Nations Security Council resolution 661 (1990),  involve other forms of payment, and should not be confused with the “oil-for-food” programme authorized by United Nations Security Council resolution 986 (1995), whereby payment comes from the Iraq Escrow Account.

 

Please download the application form (Microsoft Word) and the attachment (Excel).

 

To request  an extension for the approval letter,  please down load the Validity Extension Form.

 

The Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP) is unable to respond to inquiries from companies or their representatives, who should direct all inquiries or requests for further information to their Permanent Mission.


“Traditional 661 applications” cover most materials and supplies for essential civilian needs (for food and for medicine and health supplies, see below). To ship such goods to Iraq, applications must be submitted by suppliers through their Permanent Missions; United Nations agencies and programmes may also submit applications.  The applications will be processed by the Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP) and submitted to the Security Council 661 Sanctions Committee (also known as the 661 Committee) for approval.

Food

Food requires the approval of the 661 Committee, on what is called a “notification” basis.  Exporters, through their Permanent Missions, are required to follow the usual procedure, i.e., complete and submit a hard-copy (not electronic copy) of the application form (Microsoft Word) with the hard-copy of the new spreadsheet attachment (Excel) itemizing the list of goods to be shipped.

            Medicine and health supplies

Medicine and health supplies (interpreted to mean medicine or pharmaceuticals in their dispensable form, i.e., ready-to-use drugs but not cargoes of bulk drugs or raw materials for manufacturing medicines) are exempt from sanctions under the provisions of resolution 661 (1990) and, as such, may be exported freely to Iraq.  In actual practice, however, most exporters of medicine and health supplies complete the application form and submit it to the 661 Committee for approval (on a “notification” basis) through their Permanent Mission.  They will receive an approval letter from the Committee, enabling them to ship the goods to Iraq without encountering difficulties with customs authorities in their country or in countries of transit.

Cargoes of bulk drugs or raw materials for manufacturing medicines follow the normal procedure for “traditional 661 applications”: suppliers must submit a completed application form to the 661 Committee through their Permanent Mission, seeking approval.

Trade fairs

Suppliers or companies wishing to take part in trade fairs in Iraq should submit applications through their country’s Permanent Mission if they intend to take goods, promotional material and/or exhibition displays into Iraq.  The application should list all the goods they wish to ship to Iraq and clearly indicate, with an asterisk, on the Excel form attachment those goods which are  to be distributed at the trade fair (including all types of promotional materials, brochures and temporary displays), or those which would be exported after the conclusion of the trade fair. 

Submission of 661 applications

Traditional 661 applications for the export of goods to Iraq should be submitted in hard copy, and require the same application form by the oil-for-food programme.  However, given the nature of traditional 661 applications, no formal contract is required.  Each application will be assigned a Comm. number, which will stay with the application until the goods arrive in Iraq.  The application will remain on file in the offices of OIP.

Submitting missions are requested to take note of the following points when submitting applications to the Office of the Iraq Programme:

  • The application form, Excel form attachment and related documents must be in English or French; and everything must be submitted in hard-copy format.  Only one copy of the submission is required.
  • For reasons of legibility, missions should avoid submitting applications in reduced size; and it is suggested that the original be submitted in person or by mail, rather than via a fax which reduces legibility and may result in the non-registration and return of the application.

Following these guidelines will assist the Office of the Iraq Programme in accelerating the processing of applications and facilitate the clearance of legitimate consignments.   Be advised that illegible and incomplete applications are considered ineligible, and will be returned.

* * *

HOW TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION FORM AND THE ATTACHMENT

NOTE:  For "traditional 661 applications", you are required to complete only the first page of the application form and the spreadsheet attachment (Excel) with the list of goods.

  •       The submitting Mission should enter its name and unique mission reference number (identical to that entered in Box 3 of the hard-copy of the application form);

  •            Complete details of goods to be shipped in nos. 1-8 of the form (no. 2 is optional);

  •           Ensure that there are no empty cells in the form;

  •       On the application form, do not complete the top section (TO BE COMPLETED BY OIP);

  •       Submitting Missions complete only boxes 1 – 16 (if applicable) under the section (TO BE COMPLETED BY PROSPECTIVE COUNTRY OR INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION)

Box  1:   Name of the submitting Mission, International Organization, UN agencies and programmes representing the supplier

Box  2:   Signature of certifying official and official seal (not to obscure the mission reference number in Box 4, below)

Box 3:   Date of submission of application - day/month/year (DD/MM/YY)

Box 4:   The Mission Reference No. should be assigned by the submitting Mission as its internal, unique Mission Reference No., i.e., unique to each application.  The same reference number must not be assigned to different applications.  (This reference No. should be indicated on top-left of the Excel form attachment)

Box 5:   Give a general description of the goods to be shipped, for example, “Office Supplies”, “Houseware”, “Furniture”, “Clothing”, etc.   If applicable, designate “FOC” for free samples or free-of-charge goods; or “0” for replacement or warranty goods.  (On the Excel form attachment under headings No. 1-8 (No. 2 is optional), briefly but precisely describe the goods, including “FOC” or “0”, if applicable)   **Each item of goods is one line-item, and should occupy only one line.

Box 6:   On the Excel form attachment, you will have already itemized the details of each item to be shipped.  Each item of goods is one line-item and should occupy one line only.  In Box 6, indicate the total line-items, or goods.

Box 7:   The total value must be expressed in numeric form, and should reflect the total costs involved; be identical to the contract value and to the grand total value of all line items on the Excel form attachment.  For replacement or warranty goods, the numeric symbol for zero (“0”) should be entered.

Box 8:   The currency should be that specified in the contract, and should be abbreviated, using a standard ISO (International Standards Organization) code.  Thus, UK pounds sterling should be abbreviated as GBP, rather than STD.

Box 9:  The name, address, country and contact (phone/fax/e-mail) of the exporter should be entered on the application form. This name must be identical to that stipulated on the associated contract. Should the name of the exporter change, the Mission must submit to OIP an addendum to the contract, signed by the relevant parties, for approval.

Box 10:   Country of origin of the goods, if different from applicant state: The application should be submitted by the Mission representing the supplier, as specified in the contract/purchase order. If goods are to be shipped by an associated company based in a different country, Box 10 should simply indicate that the country of origin is different from that of the applicant state.  The application should not be submitted by the Mission representing the sister company.

Box 11: The name, address and contact (phone/fax/e-mail) of the entity in Iraq to receive the goods (the receiving company) should not differ from those specified in the contract.

Box 12: There are four official entry points for goods entering Iraq: Umm Qasr Port (Persian Gulf); Trebil (Jordanian border); Zakho (Turkish border); and Al-Walid (Syrian border). Only one border point or port of entry may be used per application. Should the point of entry change, following submission of the application, the Mission must notify the Secretariat for an addendum to the approval letter.  For “traditional 661 applications”, provide means of transportation, for example: truck, boat/ocean vessel.

Box 13: The name, address and contact (phone/fax/e-mail) of the entity in Iraq which will be the end-user of the goods must be entered if different from the receiving company stated in box 11.

Box 14: Indication of intended end-use and end-use location of the goods must be entered.  You may refer to the end-user requirements for precise guidelines. The absence of this information, particularly for industrial equipment, may result in the imposition of a block or hold on the application by the Sanctions Committee

Box 15: An "X" must be placed in the box to the right entitled "By other arrangement” in accordance with resolution 661 (1990).  Payment is not from the United Nations Iraq Escrow Account (oil-for-food programme, 986 applications).     **Be aware that barter is unacceptable.

Box 16: To facilitate review, submitting Missions may provide additional details (in particular with regard to trade fairs or exhibitions), such as dates, venue and whether goods (including all types of promotional materials, samples, brochures, temporary displays) are to be exported from Iraq after the end of the trade fair/exhibition, or are to be distributed at the trade fair as samples.

Please indicate if the goods are identical goods previously submitted, and if so provide the Comm. Number.

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Produced for media and public information – not an official United Nations Document
For further information please contact Hasmik Egian, OIP - NY, 1.212.963.4341