CUSTOMS MATTERS
by The Customs @ Wylie Team
SA Revenue Service has
published its Annual
Performance Plan
2017/2018 (“the Plan”)
which, from a customs
perspective, doesn’t
contain anything too
shocking as according
to the Plan, Sars intends
increasing both customs
and excise compliance and
revenue.
There are various
plans in place to assist
Sars in achieving its goal
of increased revenue
and compliance. The
Plan states that Sars
will “Deliver additional
customs and excise
revenue through
targeted compliance and
enforcement activities in
high risk areas of noncompliance”.
Essentially
Sars plans to improve
revenue inf low through
an increased number of
customs stops and postclearance
audits.
Sars cites
undervaluation as a main
reason for the ‘leakage in
potential customs duties
and VAT’ as well as
increased abuse of rules
of origin, valuation
and tariff
classification.
It plans to
address
these issues
by building
a stronger
transfer
pricing, valuation
and rules of origin
system.
The message
from the Plan
is clear – that
there is going to
be an increase
in stops,
interventions
and audits with
a strong focus
on compliance and the
additional collection of
revenue.
Given the above, it
is advisable to ensure
that those licensed and
registered with Customs
and Excise are fully
compliant with the
current legislation
and that each
movement
of goods is
secured by
way of a clear
paper trail.
If there is
any doubt
as to whether
or not your tariff,
value and
country of
origin are
correctly
declared, it is
best to seek
the assistance
of Sars by
making
application
for a tariff,
value or origin
determination.
