Draft Customs Duty Rules The South African Revenue Service (Sars) on 08 May 2015 published its first batch of draft Customs Duty Rules to the Customs Duty Act, 2014 (Act No 30 of 2014) relating to Chapters 1, 3 to 9 and 11 to 13, on which comment is due by 05 June 2015. (Note: The consequential amendments follow the alignment of Chapter 37 of the Customs Control Act with Tax Administration Act procedures on dispute resolution that will be effected to inter alia Chapter 11 of the Customs Duty Act. Sars indicated that these amendments would be published in due course.) The eleven chapters’ titles are: Chapter 1 – Interpretation, Application and Administration of this Act; Chapter 3 – Payment of Duty, Penalties and Interest; Chapter 4 – Refunds and Drawbacks; Chapter 5 – Assessment of Duty; Chapter 6 – Tariff Classification of Goods; Chapter 7 – Valuation of Goods; Chapter 8 – Origin; Chapter 9 – Preferential Tariff Treatment of Goods; Chapter 11 – Administrative Penalties; Chapter 12 – Judicial Matters; and Chapter 13 – Miscellaneous Matters. The Customs Duty Act, 2014 has 229 sections and 13 chapters. The proposed draft amendments do not cover Chapter 2 – Customs Tariff, and Chapter 10 – Advance Rulings. HS2017/HS 2012 Correlation Tables The World Customs Organisation (WCO) published the correlation tables between the 2012 version and the 2017 version of the Harmonised System (HS). Table I contains remarks brief ly specifying the nature of the goods transferred, and in many instances reference has also been made to the amended legal provisions. Table II establishes the correlation starting from the 2012 version to the 2017 version, which is simply a mechanical transposition of Table I and therefore includes no remarks. Welded Steel Pipe Tariff Increase The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) announced the proposed increase in the ‘General” (Most Favoured Nation or MFN) rate of customs duty on large bore welded steel pipes, classifiable under tariff headings 73.03, 73.04, 73.05, and 73.06, from free of customs duty and 10% ad valorem to 15% ad valorem. Comment on the application lodged by Hall Longmore Pty (Ltd) is due by 22 May 2015. Duty Calls Watch List The WTO call for proposals for its 2015 public forum is due by 01 June 2015. Comment on the proposed new regulations relating to the grading, packing and marking of table olives intended for sale in South Africa is due by 29 May 2015. Comment on the proposed revised import requirements for cattle, sheep and goats from Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland (BLNS countries) is due by 17 May 2015.
