Côte d'ivoire Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in côte d'ivoire, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Prohibited and Restricted Imports
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Côte d’Ivoire maintains several prohibitions and restrictions on imported goods to protect public health, safety, the environment, and domestic industries. Importers should confirm the latest regulations with the Ivoirian Customs Office and relevant ministries before shipping.

Prohibited Imports

Certain goods are strictly prohibited from import into Côte d’Ivoire under specific decrees and regulations:

  • Sugar: The importation of sugar is prohibited under Decree No. 2008-164 of April 28, 2008, which seeks to protect domestic sugar production.
  • Bakery flour: The importation of bakery flour is restricted under Decree No. 2008-141 of April 28, 2008, in support of local milling operations.
  • Analog television sets: Imports of analog television sets and those not compliant with national digital broadcasting and compression standards are banned under Decree No. 2014-604 of October 16, 2014, in alignment with Côte d’Ivoire’s transition to digital broadcasting.
  • Plastic bags: The production, importation, commercialization, possession, and use of ordinary plastic bags—biodegradable or not—are banned under Decree No. 2013-327 of May 22, 2013, as amended by Decree No. 2014-844 of December 17, 2014, to support environmental protection efforts.

Restricted Imports

Several product categories may be imported only with prior authorization or licensing from the relevant ministry or authority:

  • Textile products: Certain textile items require prior authorization from the Ministry of Commerce, Department of External Trade.
  • Petroleum products: All imports of crude and refined petroleum products must be approved by the Ministry of Mines, Petroleum, and Energy.
  • Livestock and animal products: Imports of live animals, hides, skins, and other animal-origin products require sanitary and veterinary clearance from the Ministry of Animal and Fisheries Resources.
  • Alcoholic beverages: Beverages containing more than 20 percent alcohol must obtain an import license from the Ministry of Commerce’s Department of External Trade.
  • Pharmaceutical, medical, and cosmetic products: All pharmaceutical and medical products, as well as beauty and health-care items, must be registered or approved by the Direction de la Pharmacie, du Médicament et des Laboratoires (DPML) prior to importation.

Importers and exporters are encouraged to review the most recent customs circulars and ministerial decrees through the Ivoirian Customs Ministry (Direction Générale des Douanes) or relevant ministry websites, as additional measures or product-specific restrictions may periodically be introduced.

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Global Business Navigator Chatbot Beta

Welcome to the Global Business Navigator, an artificial intelligence (AI) Chatbot from the International Trade Administration (ITA). This tool, currently in beta version testing, is designed to provide general information on the exporting process and the resources available to assist new and experienced U.S. exporters. The Chatbot, developed using Microsoft’s Azure AI services, is trained on ITA’s export-related content and aims to quickly get users the information they need. The Chatbot is intended to make the benefits of exporting more accessible by understanding non-expert language, idiomatic expressions, and foreign languages.

Limitations

As a beta product, the Chatbot is currently being tested and its responses may occasionally produce inaccurate or incomplete information. The Chatbot is trained to decline out of scope or inappropriate requests. The Chatbot’s knowledge is limited to the public information on the Export Solutions web pages of Trade.gov, which covers a wide range of topics on exporting. While it cannot provide responses specific to a company’s product or a specific foreign market, its reference pages will guide you to other relevant government resources and market research. Always double-check the Chatbot’s responses using the provided references or by visiting the Export Solutions web pages on Trade.gov. Do not use its responses as legal or professional advice. Inaccurate advice from the Chatbot would not be a defense to violating any export rules or regulations.

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The Chatbot does not collect information about users and does not use the contents of users’ chat history to learn new information. All feedback is anonymous. Please do not enter personally identifiable information (PII), sensitive, or proprietary information into the Chatbot. Your conversations will not be connected to other interactions or accounts with ITA. Conversations with the Chatbot may be reviewed to help ITA improve the tool and address harmful, illegal, or otherwise inappropriate questions.

Translation

The Chatbot supports a wide range of languages. Because the Chatbot is trained in English and responses are translated, you should verify the translation. For example, the Chatbot may have difficulty with acronyms, abbreviations, and nuances in a language other than English.

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