DUTY CALLS

2011 The Year of
Knowledge
The World Customs
Organisation (WCO) has
announced that 2011 will
be celebrated as the “Year
of Knowledge”. According
to the Secretary General
Kunio Mikuriya, 2011 will
be dedicated to knowledge
and the critical part it plays in
enhancing the effectiveness
and efficiency of Customs
administrations across the
globe.
Under the guise of the
theme “Knowledge, a catalyst
for Customs excellence”,
Mikuriya urged the WCO’s
177 member Customs
administrations as well as
the Customs community’s
stakeholders to be innovative
and creative in taking forward
the knowledge theme in all its
facets during 2011.
The “Year of Knowledge”
will be launched on
International Customs Day,
celebrated annually by the
global Customs community
on 26 January in honour
of the inaugural session of
the Customs Co-operation
Council (CCC) which took
place on 26 January 1953. The
CCC adopted the informal
working name “World
Customs Organisation”
in 1994 to better reflect
its worldwide growth in
membership.
Expectations of The
National Budget
Each year, with the
announcement of The National
Budget, changes are proposed
to the “sin duties” i.e. Schedule
No.1 Part 2A to the Customs
and Excise Act (the Act),
whilst the “luxury duties” i.e.
Schedule No.1 Part 2B to the
Act have remained unchanged
for a number of years now.
The National Budgets
of recent years have also
contained references to
changes in the customs and
excise environment.
With the next budget
speech to be delivered just
over a month from now, our
expectations, without having
applied our minds, are the
retention of the status quo.
We expect increases in the
“sin duties” with the “luxury
duties” remaining unchanged.
Who knows, there may even
be reference to the Customs
Duty Bills.
We welcome your
predictions and expectations.
Itac Report on Worn
Overcoats
On 12 January 2011
the International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa (Itac)
released its Report No.351
“Review of Rebate Item
460.11/00.00/01.00 for
the Importation of Used
Overcoats”.
Schedule No.8 – Licence
Fee
The South African Revenue
Service (Sars) has called for
comment on the proposed
amendment of Schedule No.8
to the Act.
Closing date for comments
is 31 January 2011.
Draft Rule Amendment –
Petroleum / Diesel
Sars has invited comment on
draft Rule Amendments to
the Act relating to petroleum
products and biodiesel.
Closing date for comments is
31 January 2011.
Draft Rule Amendment –
Section 38
Sars has invited comment on
the draft Rule Amendments
to Section 38 of the Act.
Closing date for comments
is 31 January 2011.
Duty Calls’ “Watch List”
Future amendments:
Anti-dumping duty on
paper insulated lead covered
electric cables originating in
or imported from India.
Tariff application for the
amendment of the tariff
subheadings for monitors.
Tarff application for
amendment of Rebate Item
for canned pineapples.
Rules for the Electricity
Levy (Schedule No.1 Part 3B
to the Act).
Rules for spirits,
vermouth, and wine (Rules
to Section 38 to the Act).