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Investment (Amendment) Proclamation No. 375-2003

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OF THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA 10 Year_No . 8 ADDIS ABABA - 28 October , 2003 CONTENTS Proclamation No. 373/2003 Investment ( Amendment ) Proclamation .. Page 2432 PROCLAMATION NO . 375/2003 A PROCLAMATION TO AMEND THE INVESTMENT RE - ENACTMENT PROCLAMATION NO . 280/2002 WHEREAS , the system of administration of investment needs to be transparent and efficient ; WHEREAS , to this end , it has become necessary to amend the existing law on investments ; NOW , THEREFORE , in accordance with Article 55 ( 1 ) of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia , it is hereby proclaimed as follows : This Proclamation may be cited as the “ Investment ( Amendment ) Proclamation No. 375/2003 . " ! The Ethiopian Investment Authority , which has been re estabilshed under Proclamation No. 280/2002 , is hereby renamed as the Ethiopian Investment Commission . 3. Amendment The Investment Proclamation No. 280/2002 , is hereby amended as follows : 1 ) Article 2 Sub - Articles ( 8 ) and ( 9 ) of the Proclamation are deleted and replaced by the following new Sub - Articles ( 8 ) and ( 9 ) . “ 8. “ Expansion / upgrading " means increasing in value , by more than 25 % , the full production of service capacity of an existing enterprise , be it in variety , volume , or both . Unit Price The African Law Archive 28 October , 2003- ~ Page 2433 “ 9. “ Appropriate Investment Organ " means the Ethiopian Investment Commission , ( hereinafter referred to as the Commission " ) , or the executive organ of a region empowered to issue investment permits . ” 2 ) . The following new Sub - Article ( 14 ) is added under Article 2 of the Proclamation . “ 14. “ Transfer of technology ” means the transfer of systematic knowledge for the manufacture of a product , for the application of im provement of a process or for the rendering of service , including management and marketing technologies , but shall not extend to transactions involving the mere sale or lease of goods . " 3 ) The following new item ( c ) is added under Article 5 Sub - Article ( 1 ) of the Proclamation . Air transport services using aircraft with a seating capacity of more than 20 passengers . " 4 ) Article 12 Sub - Article ( 2 ) of the Proclamation is deleted and replaced by the following new Sub Article ( 2 ) . “ 2. Notwithstanding the provision of Sub - Article ( 1 ) of this Article , a foreign investor intending to buy an existing enterprise in order to operate it as it stands or to buy shares of an existing enterprise shall obtain prior approval from the Ministry of Trade and Industry , " 5 ) The following new Sub - Article ( 3 ) is added under Article 12 of the Proclamation and the previous Sub Article ( 3 ) is renumbered as Sub - Article ( 4 ) . * 3 . Upon receipt of an application made in accordance with sub - Article ( 2 ) of this Ar ticle , the Ministry of Trade and Industry shall , after examining the matter in light of the relevant laws within two working days : ( a ) register the share transfer or replace the business license upon receipt of the appropriate fee , where the application is found acceptable ; or ( b ) notify to the investor its decision and the reason thereof in writing , where the application is found unacceptable , ” ' 6 ) Article 13 of the Proclamation is deleted and replaced by the following new Articles 13,14 and 15 . Accordingly , Articles 14-38 of the Proclamation are renumbered as Articles 16-40 , respectively . " 13. Application for Investment Permit by a Domestic Investor 1 ) An application for investment permit by a domestic investor shall be made in a form designed for such purpose and submitted together with the following documents : ( a ) Where the application is signed by an agent , a photocopy of his power of attorney ; ( b ) Where the investment is to be made by an individual person , a photocopy of his identity card , or a photocopy of the certificate evidencing his domestic investor status and his recent two pass port size photographs ; The African Law Archive – No. 8 28 October , 2003 -- Page 2434 ( c ) Where the investment is to be made by a business organization , photocopies of its memorandum of association and Articles of association ; or where the business or ganization is to be newly established , in additon , it shall submit photocopies of the shareholders ' idntifty cards or photocopies of certificates evidencing there domestic investor status ; ( d ) Where the investment is to be made by a public enterprise , a photocopy of the Regulation under which it is established or a photocopy of its memorandum of association and Articles of association ; and ( e ) Where the investment is to be made by a cooperative society , a photocopy of its Ar ticles of association . 2 ) The application form and documents stipulated under Sub - Article ( 1 ) of this Article shall be made : ( a ) in two copies , where they are to be submitted to the Commission ; or ( b ) in one copy , where they are to be sabmitted to Regional Investment Organs ” . “ 14. Application for Investment Permit by a foreign Investor Application for Investment Permit by a Foreign investor shall be made in a form designed for such purpose and submitted to the commission together with the following documents in two copies : ( a ) where the application is signed by an agent , a photocopy of his power of attorney ; ( b ) where the investment is to be made by an individual person , a photocopy of the pages of a valid passport showing his identity and his recent two passport size photographs ; ( c ) where the investment is to be made by a business organization incorporated in Ethiopia , photocopies of its memorandum of association and Articles of association ; or where it is to be newly established , in addition , it shall submit photocopies of the pages of a valid passport of each shareholder showing his identity ; ( d ) where the investment is to be made by a branch of a foreign business organization in Ethiopia , photocopies of its memborandum of association and Articles of association or a similar document of the parent company ; and ( e ) where it is a joint investrnent by domestic and foreign investors , in addition to the documents provided under ( c ) above , photocopies of identity cards or photocopies of certificates evidencing the domestic investor status of the domestic investors , as the case may be . ” “ 15 Application for Investment Permit for Expansion or Upgrading 1 ) An application for investment permit to ex pand or upgrade an existing enterprise shall be made in a form designed for such purpose and submitted together with the following documents : a ) where the application is signed by an agent , a photocompy of his power of attorney ; b ) where the investment is made by a business organization , photocopies of its mernorandum of association and Articles of association ; and c ) photocopy of a valid business license of the existing enterprise . The African Law Archive 2 ) The application form and documents " stipulated under Sub - Article ( 1 ) of this Article shall be made : in two copies , where they are to be submitted to the Commission ; or ( b ) in one copy , where they are to be submitted to Regional Investment Organs ” . 7 ) Article 14 Sub - Article ( 1 ) of the Proclamation is deleted and replaced by the following new Sub Article ( 1 ) . Besides , the following new Sub - Article ( 2 ) is added and Sub - Articles ( 2 ) up to ( 5 ) are renumbered as Sub - Articles ( 3 ) up to ( 6 ) respec tively . “ 1. Upon receipt of an application made in accordance with Articles 13 , 14 or 15 of this Proclamation , the appropriate investment organ shall , after examining the intended investment activity in light of the Proclamation , Regulations and directives is sued thereunder within five working days : ( a ) issue the investment permit upon receipt of the appropriate fee , where the ap plication is found acceptable ; or ( b ) notify to the investor its decision and the reason thereof in writing , where the application is found unacceptable . 2 ) The appropriate investment organ shall , after issuing the investment permit , notify the con cerned government institutions so that the latter could conduct the necessary follow up . 8 ) The following new item ( e ) is added under Article 16 Sub - Article ( 2 ) of the Proclamation . “ e . If the investor is found engaged in a commer cial activity without obtaining a business license " . 9 ) Article 18 of the Proclamation is deleted and replaced by the following new Article 20 . “ 20. Technology Transfer Agreement 1 ) . Where an investor concludes a technology transfer agreement related to his investment , he shall submit the same to the commission for approval and registration . 2 ) Upon receipt of an application for registration as per Sub - Article ( 1 ) of this Article , the Commission shall issue the registration cer tificate within two working days . 3 ) A technology transfer agreement which is not registered in accordance with this Article shall have no legal effect ” . 10 ) Article 23 Sub - Article 1 ( b ) of the Proclamation is deleted and replaced by the following new item ( b ) “ b . Investment made by a foreign national per manently residing in Ethiopia taken for a domestic investor ” 11 ) The following new Sub - Article ( 2 ) is added under Article 23 of the Proclamation and the previous Sub - Articles ( 2 ) and ( 3 ) are renumbered as Sub Articles ( 3 ) and ( 4 ) respectively . In addition , the previous Sub - Article ( 4 ) of this Article is deleted . The African Law Archive * 2 . Notwithstanding the provision of Sub - Article ( 1 ) of this Article ; the issuance , renewal and cancellation of investment permits for air transport services and for generation or trans mission or supply of electrical energy shall be carried out by the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority and the Ethiopian Electric Agency respectively , representing the Commission " . 12 ) Article 24 Sub - Articles ( 1 ) and 4 ) of the Proclamation are deleted and replaced by the following new Sub - Articles ( 1 ) and ( 4 ) respec tively . “ i . The Commission or Regional Investment Organs shall provide the foilowing services , as required under the relevant laws , to inves tors they have given investment permits , representing the competent Federal or Regional executive bodies , as appropriate : ( a ) notarization of memorandum of as sociation and Articles of association ; ( b ) effecting commercial registration ; ( c ) issuance of work permits to expatriate employees ; ( d ) grading of construction contractors ; and ( e ) issuance of business licenses " . “ 4. Upon receipt of an application for a business license in accordance with Sub - Article ( ! ) ( e ) of this Article , the appropriate investment organ shall , after examing the matter in light of the relevant laws within five working days : a ) issue the business license upon receipt of the application fee , where the application is found acceptable ; or b ) notify to the investor its decision and the reason thereof in writing , Where the application is found unacceptable ” . 13 ) The following new Sub - Articles ( 5 ) , ( 6 ) , ( 7 ) and ( 8 ) are added under Article 24 of the Proclamation . “ 5. Notwithstanding the provision of Article 22 Sub - Article ( 2 ) ( a ) of Commercial Regis tration and Business Licensing Proclamation No. 67/1997 , the appropriate investment organ shall issue the business license upon signing , by the investor , of an undertaking to respect the relevant laws and directives of the land . 6. Notwithstanding the provision of Sub - Article ( 1 ) of this Article , the Commission shall issue business licenses representing only the Minis try of Trade and Industry . 7. Notwithstanding the provision of Sub - Article ( 1 ) of this Article , amendments notarization , renewal , replacement or cancellation to be made in relation to documents stated therein shall be effected by the relevant Federal or Regional executive bodies . 8. The appropriate investment organ shall , after rendering the services listed under Sub - Article ( 1 ) of this Article , notify the concerned govern ment institutions so that the later could conduct the necessary follow up " . The African Law Archive • No. 8 28 October , 2003 – Page 2437 14 ) Article 30 item number ( 9 ) of the Proclamation is deleted and replaced by the following new item number ( 9 ) . “ 9. approve and register technology transfer agreements related to investments ; ' ' . 15 ) Article 31 of the Proclamation is deleted and replaced by the following new Article 33 . “ 33. Organization of the Commission The Commission shall have : ( a ) a Commissioner to be appointed by the Government ; and ( b ) the necessary staff . ” ' 16 ) Article 37 Sub - Article ( 2 ) of the Proclamation is deleted and replaced by the following new Sub Article ( 2 ) A foreign national permanently residing in Ethiopia to be taken for a domestic investor shall fill a form designed for such purpose and submitted together with the following documents to the commission : ( a ) where the application is signed by an agent , his power of attorney ; ( b ) a photocopy of valid business iicense ; ( c ) a photocopy of principal registration cer tificate ; a photocopy of valid residence permit ; ( e ) where the business license is that of a business organization , photocopies of its memorandum of association and Articles of association ; ( f ) where the applicant is dependent or heir of a person taken for a domestic investor and pertantly residing in Ethiopia , in addition to the above mentioned documents pertaining to the supporting person or the deceased , a photocopy of the dependent's valid residence permit or a court decision declaring his status as an heir ; and g ) the applicant recent three passport size photographs ” . 17 ) The following new Article 41 is added . Accordingly , Articles 39-42 of the Proclamation are renumbered as Articles 42-45 , respectively . “ 41. Power Delegated to the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority and the Ethiopian Elec tric Agency The Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority and the Ethiopian Electric Agency shall : ( a ) carry out functions delegated to them under Article 25 Sub - Article ( 2 ) in compliance with this Proclamation and Regulations and Direc tives issued thereunder . ( b ) forward to the Commission photocopies of the investment permits they issued and the relevant documents ” . The African Law Archive No. 8 28 October , 2003 - Page 2438 4. Power to Issue Regulations The Council of Ministers may issue Regulations to amend the list documents stipulated under Articles 13 , 14 , 15 and 37 of this Proclamation . 5. Repealed Law Transfer of Technology Council of Ministers Regulation No. 121/1993 is hereby repealed . 6. Effective Date This Proclamation shall enter into force as of the 28th day of October , 2003 . Done at Addis Ababa , this 28th day of October , 2003 . PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF ETHIOPIA The African Law Archive

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