DUTY CALLS

EDI Bulletin Board
In a letter dated November
19 the South African
Revenue Service (Sars)
announced its Electronic
Data Interface (EDI)
Bulletin Board. It’s an
Internet-based facility that
allows for clients (external
stakeholders) to view any
EDI-related issues.
According to the letter,
the status updates of
problems experienced
with EDI are posted on the
bulletin board.
Sars has encouraged
clients to consult the
bulletin board prior to
calling the branch or head
office for notifications
or updates. It can be
accessed by visiting
http://commerce.sars.gov.
za/EDIBulletinBoard/
BulletinForm.aspx
Partnership in
Customs Academic
Research and
Development
The 5th World Customs
organisation (WCO) and
Partnership in Customs
Academic Research and
Development (PICARD)
Conference took place in
Abu Dhabi from November
23-25.
Around 200 participants
from Customs and the
academic world gathered
to share their research
outcomes relevant to the
WCO agenda as well as
developments in Customs’
professional education.
The topics of discussion
at the Conference were:
Revenue Collection,
the Customs-Business
Partnership, the Protection
of the Environment and
Performance Measurement.
The conference was
co-chaired by Professors
David Widdowson
(University of Canberra)
and Hans-Michael
Wolffgang (University of
Münster) and included a
range of speakers from
Customs, academia, the
World Bank and business.
Two universities, the
University of Costa
Rica and the National
Research University
(International Business
and Law Institute) of
Saint Petersburg were
certified as meeting WCO
Professional Standards.
To view Conference
presentations visit: http://
www.wcoomd.org/event.
htm.
At the Conference
the 2011 theme for
International Customs Day
on January 26 was also
announced – “Knowledge,
a Catalyst for Excellence in
Customs”.
Duty Calls “Watch
List”
Future amendments:
Draft Excise Form
DA260 with respect to
wine. The DA forms
and its annexures relate
to SOS warehouses, OS
warehouses and SVM
warehouses.
Anti-dumping duty
on paper insulated lead
covered electric cables
originating in or imported
from India.
Rules for the Electricity
Levy (Schedule No.1 Part
3B to the Customs and
Excise Act).
South African
Harmonised Tariff 2011 to
come into operation on 01
January 2011.