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Haiti Is Committed To Trade:
The United States is the
main commercial partner of Haiti. It accounts for about 60%
of the flows of exports and imports in the Haitian economy.
Primarily Haiti exports coffee, mangoes, sisal and essential
oils, while it imports petroleum products, foods, beverages
and fats. For the fiscal year of 1992-93, exports (FOB) and
imports (CIF) total respectively US$88.30 million and
US$181.50 million.
The Haitian
Government is committed to a free-market system. It
guarantees to all persons and corporations involved in
business in the country the following rights and privileges:
Free disposal of their properties; Freedom to hire and fire
in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code;
Freedom to engage in commercial and industrial
activities within the limitations of the Constitution and
the Commercial Regulations Code;
Protection of trademarks, patents, labels, and all
other forms of intellectual property rights;
Minimal intervention by the State in the market:
Government regulated prices are reduced for five products
and services including: oil, energy, telecommunications,
transportation, and the minimum wage.
Furthermore, Haiti has
signed treaties and conventions with many industrialized
countries, in order to reciprocally protect foreign
investments: with the United States in 1953 and 1983;
France in 1973 and 1984; Germany in
1975, and Canada in 1980. The Haitian government since, has
complied fully with all national and international laws
regarding import and export, and also has been making all
the necessary arrangements to encourage the shipment of
goods from and to Haiti.
Requirements For Foreigner to Import to or Export from
Haiti:
In order to
start a cargo business in Haiti and start shipping goods and
services to and from Haiti, foreigners need four basic
documents: Residence Visa: an applicant presents his/her
request in person or by mail to a Haitian diplomatic or
consular mission abroad which transmits it to the Ministry
of Interior via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The applicant will be notified of
acceptance or denial of his/her request within two or three
months. If the applicant is introducing his/her request in
Haiti, he/she must contact directly the Ministry of
Interior; Work Permit issued by the Ministry of Social Works
following submission by the applicant of his/her passport,
residence visa, job offer and a receipt from the Tax Office
(Direction Générale des Impôts); License from the Tax
Office (Direction Générale des Impôts); Registration
Certificate from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
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US Laws
regarding Import and Export:
Tariff:
A general term
for any listing of rates, charges, etc. the tariffs most
frequently encountered in foreign trade are: tariffs of the
international transportation companies operating on sea, on
land, and in the air; tariffs of the international cable,
radio, and telephone companies; and the customs tariffs of
the various countries, which list goods that are duty free
and those subject to import duty, giving the rate of duty in
each case. There are various classes of customs duties.
For those who are interested in
import and export business between
Haiti and the
US, you need to be aware of the following requirements:
Duty Free: A
port designated by the government of a country for duty-free
entry of any non-prohibited goods. Merchandise may be
stored, displayed, used for manufacturing, within the zone
and re-exported without duties being paid. Duties are
imposed on the merchandise (or items manufactured from the
merchandise) only when the goods pass from the zone into an
area of the country subject to the Customs Authority.
Qualified export-oriented firms are during their whole life
exempt from: Duties on import of materials, equipments, and
accessories needed in the process of production; The
Consular Fee; The Taxe sur le Chiffre d'Affaires (T.C.A.),
and other internal duties but not storage charges and
handling fees.
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The 807th
Article of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the USA:
The 807/HTSUS program takes its root in the principle of the
international division of work. It provides that a product
assembled off-shore with U.S. origin components _
such a way that the physical identity of these components is
not modified _ is subject to custom duties only
on its value added abroad.
Haiti
Laws regarding Import and Export:
Haiti has a
fair system of taxation. The fiscal year runs from October
through September. The principal taxes and fees are the
following:
Taxes on
Income, Profits and Capital Gains:
By decree of
October 2, 1988, the progressive system of tax brackets applicable to
income, profits and capital gains received by individuals
and artificial persons was extensively revised. The top
bracket being reduced from 50% to 35% and the number of
brackets reduced to five, as indicated in the following
table. As a business involved in cargo shipping, a
relatively similar tax rate will apply to your business.
Industrial license fee: Businesses working for the import and export market under the
provisions of the Industrial Investment code are required to
pay an occupational license fee consisting only of a fixed
charge of Gdes 7,500.00.
Business License: The business license is an authorization issued to an individual
or a company to enable them to engage in certain business,
industries or professions within the
territory of Haiti. Industrial or business licenses are paid annually (maximum
fee: Gdes 2,500). If you shipping company is not exempt
under the Industrial Investment Code pay a business license
fee equal, respectively, to 1.5 or 2.5 times the charge for
the occupational license.
When a business is involved
in import and export and is shipping goods and services
between Haiti and the US, there are several incentives it
can take advantage of. The business might consider applying
for a Tax Holiday in Haiti.
Criteria
for Entitlement to Investment Incentives:
A firm, to be qualified for Tax Holidays, has to meet one
of the following criteria:
1) Intensive and efficient exploitation of available local
resources;
2) Creation of new jobs and improvement of the professional
qualification level;
3) Introduction or extension of new technology more appropriate to
local conditions;
4) Creation and/or intensification of backward or forward linkages
in the industrial sector;
5) Export-oriented production;
6) Utilization of local inputs at a rate equal or superior to 35%
of the production costs;
7) Preparation, modification, assembly or finishing of products
imported in bulk, or loose parts, provided that the final
products will be re-exported.
On the other hand, the US
offers even greater incentive for Cargo shipping.
The General System of
Preferences is
offered by most of the industrialized nations in favor of
the developing countries. Each country has developed its own
scheme. The United States provides a system whereby products
designated in over 2,500 tariff positions under the
Harmonized Tariff Schedules may be imported in duty free or
with tariff reductions if: 1) the
exporter country is a beneficiary country; 2) the products
are shipped directly to the U.S.;and 3) their value added in
the country of origin is greater than or equal to 35% of its
"appraised value".
The
Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI):
The CBI is a preferential system established by the U.S. in
favor of the Caribbean and Central American countries. It
provides duty free entry into the U.S. for approximately
3,500 products. The following products are excluded:
1) Textiles, except those made from linen or silk, or qualified as
craft work
2) Watches and parts. 3 Petroleum and its byproducts. 4)
Prepared or canned tuna. 5) Sugar, molasses and syrup. 6)
Beef. 7) Spirits. 8) Footwear
Requirements:
The product
must come from an eligible country and be shipped directly
to the U.S. The value-added in the beneficiary country for
the exported product must be at least 35% of the value
determined for custom purposes. The value of materials
originating from other CBI beneficiary nations may be
included in the above-mentioned 35% figure. Materials of
U.S.
origin may be included up to a maximum of 15% of the value
determined for customs purposes.
If you are interested in import and export and shipping cargo from
Haiti, you
should seriously consider taking full advantage of the Tax
advantages.
Requirements For an Import and Export Cargo Company In
Haiti:
First
Stage:
The shipping company applicant must submit a formal request
to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry with documents
(five copies) regarding:
1) The nature and the form of the company; location; bylaws,
constitution, power of the signer(s), and bank references;
2) The list and origin of raw materials including technology
choices;
3) Working patents and granting justification; the norms and
specifications to be followed; provisions for quality
control; energy sources to be used;
4) Detailed list of equipment and materials for production,
handling, transport and maintenance that will be used, their
origin and comparative costs;
5) A comprehensive five year business plan.
Upon receipt of that request the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
will issue a deposit certificate in favor of the applicant.
Second Stage:
The request of the shipping company applicant is transmitted to an
advisory commission for review and sends its comments to the
appropriate institutions.
Third Stage:
The Ministry of
Commerce and Industry notifies the shipping company
applicant of its decision in 40-90 days. The decision notice
is then published in the Government's official gazette;
Le Moniteur as well as two highly circulated newspapers
in Port-au-Prince.
Ports to Facilitate Cargo
Shipping:
There are only two ways
Cargo can get to Haiti: by sea or by air. Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haitian are the two major ports. Other ports include Miragoâne
and St. Marc. The major ports and harbors that facilitate
shipping in Haiti are
found in Cap-Haitian, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes,
Miragoane, Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc.
Port-au-Prince leading commercial port, followed by
Cap-Haitian, which handled most cruise ship traffic. Lesser
ports include Miragoâne, Les Cayes, Fort
Liberté, Gonaïves, and Jérémie. There are a total of 13 airports in
Haiti, four with paved
runways and nine with unpaved runways. One international
airport at Port-au-Prince. Eleven other airfields of varying
quality.
Roads to Facilitate Cargo
Shipping:
The highway
system that is available for cargo transportation in Haiti
includes 4,050 km (2,515.5 miles) of roads; 950 km (590
miles) paved; 950 km (590 miles) otherwise improved; 2150 km
(1,335 miles) unimproved. In
addition, over 3,700 kilometers of roads in 1989, 17 percent
paved, 27 percent gravel or otherwise improved, and 56
percent unimproved dirt roads. Two paved highways linked
northern and southern regions. There are no railroads
available for cargo or passenger service. The only rail line
was used at one point for transporting sugarcane.
There are several air cargo
services currently serving Haiti. All major cities in Haiti,
including , Port-au-Prince, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc,
Cap-Haitian, Gonaives, Jacmel, Jeremie, Les Cayes have the
capacity to receive or send cargo overseas in a matter of
hours by some of the international air cargo services.
Mission Aviation
Fellowship (MAF) provides bi-weekly passenger and charter
flight services (Cessna - 6 Seats) to Pignon. Carib-Intair
and Tropical Air flight services can provide charter flights
(17 seats). Improvements are underway at the Pignon airport,
which will permit a regular schedule of flights by
Carib-Intair and Tropical Air flight services. More
importantly, these improvements will permit Missionary
Flights International (MFI) to provide passenger and cargo
flight service (DC3 planes) between
West Palm Beach, Florida,
Cap-Haitian, Pignon and Port-au-Prince. MFI has been
delivering much needed supplies directly into Pignon. A
Customs' House has also been constructed at the airport to
facilitate the delivery of passengers and goods.
North Star Airlines offers
affordable air cargo service from JFK International Airport,
New York, to Port au Prince,
Haiti. Departures on Wednesday and Friday using all
cargo B727-F aircraft. 23 years of experience to
Haiti. All types of cargo
and packaging accepted.
Lynx Air International
offers a fast way to ship parcels to Cap-Haitian. Clients
can be assured that their high priority parcel will arrive
at its destination on the next available Lynx flight. They
assure clients of being able to receive an emergency item at
a very reasonable cost. Under special circumstances, C.O.D.
express shipping may be approved.
Click here
for a complete list of air cargo services serving Haiti.
Haiti Shipping
Line transports containerized goods from anywhere in the
world to the northern part of
Haiti. Haiti
Shipping Line is also the sole carrier handling all the
Northern Haiti exports of Coffee,
Cocoa, and
Orange peels to North America and Europe.
Maersk Sealand in
Haiti is
always pleased and ready to offer you intelligent, reliable
and seamless global transportation solutions. It is one of
the largest liner shipping companies in the world, serving
customers globally.
Click here
for a complete list of ocean cargo services serving Haiti.
There are also a large number of
companies specializing in money and food transfer to
Haiti. There are
multitudes of reasons people sends money to Haiti, like to
help out a family member or send a birthday gift.
Click here
for a complete list of
Money and Food Transfer
services serving Haiti. |
