Madagascar flag Madagascar: Buying and Selling

International convention and customs procedures of Madagascar

International Conventions
Member of the World Trade Organization (WTO)
Party to the Kyoto Protocol
Party to the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
Party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal
Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer
Party to the International Coffee Agreement
International Economic Cooperation
Madagascar is a member of the WTO, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and the South African Development Community (SADC)
Non Tariff Barriers
Madagascar does not have significant formal non-tariff barriers to trade. As of 2018 Madagascar had 11 non-tariff measures in force (WTO). However, such measures do not impact Madagascar’s foreign trade consistently according to the US Market Intelligence Unit.
According to the 2018 World Bank Logistics Performance Index - which measures countries’ trade logistics efficiency - Madagascar was ranked 128th out of 160 countries.
Customs Duties and Taxes on Imports
Tariffs and duty rates are constantly revised and are subject to change without notice. Although they have been lowered recently, tax and customs duty rates are still relatively high, ranging from 5% to 20% on CIF value of goods. According to data by the World Bank, the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) weighted average tariff for Madagascar is 8.90%.
Some capital goods and products used for further processing from sectors in agricultural and textile, as well as those associated in health security, renewable energy, and sports equipment are exempt from customs duties.
You can consult the applied tariffs on the Malagasy Customs website.
Customs Classification
Madagascar is a member of the World Customs Organisation and does comply with the harmonised customs system.
Import Procedures

The following documents are required to import goods in Madagascar:

  • bordereau de suivi des cargaisons (BSC) (cargo tracking note). The BCS needs to be electronically submitted either by the exporter or forwarding agent before the goods have been shipped.
  • commercial invoice
  • bill of lading/airway bill
  • packing list
  • certificate of origin
  • original and copy of the certificate of tax registration for the first operation
  • certificate of insurance
  • according to the category of goods or services being brought into the country, further authorisations from supervising departments might be requested.

All perishable foods must be labelled in French or English before the sale of the product, with the following information:

  • origin of the product
  • sell-by or use-by date
  • list of ingredients
  • recommended storage method
  • name and registration number (as applicable) of the manufacturer
  • intended use of the product (as applicable).
Importing Samples
Since 2013, Madagascar adopted the ATA Carnet System, which enables companies to move goods and samples in or out of the country for up to a year without paying duties or taxes.
 

To go further, check out our service Import controls and Export controls.

 
For Further Information
Madagascar Customs
Ministry of Commerce
Business Portal for Africa

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Latest Update: March 2024

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