On 10 September 2014 the South African Revenue Service (Sars) published the draft customs tariff phase-downs for 2015 in terms of Schedule No1 Part 1 to the Customs and Excise Act (ordinary customs duty) and proposed amendments to Schedule No 2 to the Act (trade remedies - anti-dumping duties, countervailing duties and safeguards), to Schedule No.3 to the Act (industrial rebates of customs duties) and to Schedule No 4 to the Act (general rebates of customs duties, fuel levy and environmental levy) on which comment is due by 08 October 2014.
The proposed amendments to Schedules No 1 and 4 to the Act to be introduced on 01 January 2015, Schedule No 2 on 01 February 2015 and Schedule No 3 with retrospective effect from 07 December 2012.
By way of explanation the draft amendment in terms of Schedule No.1 Part 1 to the Act relates to the tariff phase-down under the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Free Trade Agreement (FTA), as well as the reduction in the rate of customs duty on paper and paperboard, classifiable in tariff subheading 4811.41.90. There are also draft technical amendments and creation of separate 8-digit tariff subheadings for goods classifiable in Chapters 4, 15, 30, 32, 33, 38, 39, 70 and 85. Then there is the proposal for the creation of separate 8-digit tariff subheadings for goods classifiable under tariff subheading 0207.1 (chicken meat), which is intended to be implemented with effect from 01 February 2015.
Schedule No. 2 to the Act to delete Anti-dumping Item 201.02/0207.14.90/01.08 and for the insertion of Anti-dumping Items 201.02/0207.14.91/01.08, 201.02/0207.14.93/01.08, 201.02/0207.14.95/01.08, 201.02/0207.14.96/01.08, 201.02/0207.14.97/01.08, 201.02/0207.14.98/01.08, and 201.02/0207.14.99/01.08. In the instance of countervailing, the deletion of Countervailing Items 235.00 and 235.01 as they have become redundant.
Schedule No. 3 to the Act the deletion of Rebate Item 302.02/7010.90/01.05 to correct the rebate code applicable to a 6-digit code and Rebate Item 306.14/12.01/01.04 as the expiry date was June 30, 2011. Schedule No. 3 to the Act the substitution of Rebate Item 311.03 to read "Industry: Textile Weaving", intended implementation with retrospective effect from 07 December 2012.
Schedule No. 4 to the Act Draft to delete Rebate Items 497.01, 498.01 and 498.02 as they are empty lines.
New Note Published on 17 September 2014:
Please consider the amendments that resulted due to changes proposed under Tariff Chapters 39 and 85.