Taps and Mixers Tariff Application On 12 April the South African Revenue Service (Sars) announced the substitution of tariff subheading 8481.80.79 (Schedule No.1 Part 1 to the Customs and Excise Act) increasing the “General” rate of customs duty from 15% ad valorem (the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade or GATT bound rate) to 20% ad valorem. Tariff subheading 8481.80.79 reads “Hose or bibcocks, pillar cocks, water mixing taps, thermostatically controlled mixing valves (bath, washbasin, bidet, shower or sink type), shower units, water-tank locking taps, cooking range taps or tapping ferrules for off-take pipes of an outside diameter not exceeding 32 mm”. The tariff amendment is effective from 12 April 2013. International Status for Airports In the Government Gazette of 12 April the Department of Transport published for public comment “Applications for International Status for Rand Airport, Grand Central Airport, Wonderboom Airport and Nkangala International Airport”. The Airport Coordinating Committee intends to consider applications for these airports. Comments are due by 12 May 2013. WTO narrows DG Candidate List The World Trade Organisation (WTO) announced on 12 April that five candidates had advanced to the second round of consultations, which are scheduled to run from 16-24 April 2013. The five candidates, listed in order of nomination, are: Ms Mari Elka Pangestu (Indonesia); Mr Tim Groser (New Zealand); Mr Herminio Blanco (Mexico); Mr Taeho Bark (Republic of Korea); and Mr Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo (Brazil). Proposed Diesel Refund Amendments Comment is due on 19 April 2013 in respect of the proposed amendments to Schedule No.6 to the Act relating to diesel refunds. The first amendment relates to Schedule No 6 Part 3 to the Act for the insertion of Note 5A to make retrospective allowance for supplementary information that farming diesel refund beneficiaries may present in the absence of logbooks to support refund claims for the period 01 April 2011 to 31 March 2013. The second amendment to Schedule No 6 Part 3 to the Act relates to the deletion of Note 5A and insertion of Note 6(a)(xi) to define the logbook record requirements expected from all diesel refund beneficiaries to substantiate diesel refund claims. Sars has also published an example of a Diesel Storage Logbook and of a Diesel Usage Logbook. Duty Calls Watch List Comment is due on 19 April on the proposed reduction in the rate of customs duty on constant velocity joints (CV joints), classifiable under tariff subheading 8708.50.90, from 20% ad valorem from free of customs duty by the creation of an additional 8-digit tariff subheading for CV joints under tariff subheading 8708.50. Comment is due on 19 April on the proposed increase in the “General” (Most Favoured Nation) rate of customs duty on graphite electrodes (of a kind used for furnaces), classifiable under tariff subheading 8545.11, from a rate of customs duty of free to 10% ad valorem. Comment is due on 08 May in respect of the proposed initiation of the investigation for remedial action in the form of a safeguard against the increased imports of potato chips.
