Trade facilitation should top the agenda, writes Alan Peat
CUSTOMS HAS been accused of being more obstructive than facilitative as private sector freight bodies prepare replies to its latest policy plan.
This is an attempt by the authorities to standardise the interpretation of procedures at customs offices around the country (FTW - May 26, 2000). An interim plan has been proposed, to be followed by the final procedures which customs hopes to have ready for comment before year-end.
The document outlining the proposals has been sent by the commissioner to the main representative bodies of the industry - ASL (Association of Shipping Lines), ASABOSA (Association of Ships' Agents and Brokers of SA) and SAAFF (SA Association of Freight Forwarders) - asking for their input.
But this, according to the spokesmen for the representative bodies, is not an easy thing to do, especially when no detail is offered on what the final procedure interpretations will be.
We've tried to get commentary from different parties with different projections, said King & Sons Philip de Haaff, speaking on behalf of the ASL/ASABOSA in Durban. But we need to know what their intention is - where they're going.
The problem here is that most of the shipping community are way ahead of customs in the use of global information technology (IT).
This can also be interpreted as meaning that customs are way behind, said De Haaff, suggesting in turn that their procedural requirements might not be IT-friendly.
They must get up and speak to others. There's a need for clarity - an interpretation.
We want to make it a more friendly environment to work in.
Aires da Costa, a customs consultant, also expressed concern at the lack of detail about customs' proposed policy changes.
They say: Policies for the future, he said. I ask you - what policies are going to change?
We can't make any real input until we know what's proposed. If customs want good input, they must open up all their intended procedures and co-operate with business.
The overall fear is that the interpretation of procedures is likely to be focused on duty and VAT collection - not facilitating trade.
Since becoming part of SARS (SA Revenue Services), they have become the Cinderella in the middle of everything, according to Da Costa, with only one purpose - the collection of duties.
Tariff evaluation is one main area of complaint, he added.
They place products in any category that suits them from a duty point-of-view, Da Costa said. Even when we apply for opinion from advocates first, and quote internationally accepted interpretations, they just ignore it.
They are just duty-driven nowadays - obstructive, not facilitative.
SAAFF is also busy preparing its reply to customs.
But the forwarding community, according to SAAFF executive director, Edward Little, also feels that customs are now tending towards being obstructive - and fears what the final interpretations of procedures might be.
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