Details begin to emerge about customs knowledge test

As further details emerge

around the Customs

Sufficient Knowledge test,

which is a prerequisite for

licensing and registration

with SA Revenue Service,

customs experts are

recommending that more

than one person in a

company should write the

test.

According to FTW

sources, the test will be

linked to individuals and

not business entitities.

Details around the

planned knowledge test

however remain sketchy.

“There is still very little

information available

about what this test will

entail,” said customs

expert Clifford Evans. “It

is however understood

that the qualification will

be linked to the specific

individual

who writes

the test.

One person

cannot

represent

several

companies,

but can

represent

several

branches

of the same

company.”

According

to Mike

Walwyn of

the Cape

Port Liaison

Forum (PLF), practically

that means that importers

cannot pass the function

of the knowledge test onto

their clearing agent.

“Every importer is going

to have to

send someone

from their

company to

write the test

regardless

of how big

or small the

operations

are. All

clearing and

forwarding

agents will

also have to

nominate

a company

representative

to write the

test,” he said.

“There is uncertainty about

how the certificate will be

controlled after it is issued

which is why it is advisable

that more than one person

in a company holds the

knowledge certificate.”

According to Evans, no

official notification has

been received about the

test although Sars has

made it clear that for a

company to qualify for

licensing and registration,

there must be at least one

person in the company who

holds a certificate for the

open-book knowledge test

which requires a 60% pass

rate.

“The qualification is

not only linked to the

person but also the specific

function it would seem,”

said Evans. “A customs

broker would have to know

the rules of classification

for instance while someone

responsible for a bonded

warehouse must obtain that

qualification.”

No date of

implementation has yet been

set for the test.

“Even though there is

a lot of uncertainty at

present about it, this test

will introduce a level of

competency for industry

as it will set a standard of

knowledge required when

it comes to customs,” said

Evans. “I believe it will

improve customs operations

and will be very beneficial.”

Walwyn said industry

should also not rule out the

possibility that Sars could

set limitations on the test.

“There may very well be

some exemptions. It really is

still too early to say how this

is going to play out,” he said.

INSERT AND CAPTION

For a company to

qualify for licensing

and registration,

there must be at

least one person who

holds a certificate

for the open-book

knowledge test.

– Clifford Evans