DUTY CALLS

Airport Charges –
01 April 2010
In a December 2009
Government Gazette the
Airports Company of
South Africa Limited (Acsa)
announced the airport
charges that it will levy from
01 April 2010.
Air Traffic Charges –
01 April 2010
In a December 2009
Government Gazette the
Air Traffic and Navigation
Services Company Limited
announced the air traffic
service charges that it will
levy from 01 April 2010.
Trade Statistics –
November 2009
On 30 December 2009 the
South African Revenue
Service (Sars) published
November 2009 trade
statistics detailing a trade
deficit (imports exceeding
exports) of R2.5 billion.
This brought the trade
deficit for the year, 01
January 2009 to 30
November 2009, to R29.18bn
compared to R62.89bn for
the same period in 2008.
With only the December
2009 trade statistics to
be published, there is one
certainty that the trade
deficit will be lower than
that of 2008, but there
will be a trade deficit
nonetheless.
Rule Amendments –
SADC Origin Protocol
In a Government Gazette
notice dated 31 December
2009, Sars announced an
amendment to Rules 49B to
the Customs and Excise Act
which relate to the Southern
African Development
Community (SADC).
Rule 49B relates to the
Treaty of the South African
Development Community
and Protocols Concluded
under Article 22 thereof.
The amendments relate
to the issue of origin.
Draft Customs Control &
Customs Duty Bill – 35
Days
Today, 22 January 2010,
there are only 35 days left
for you to comment on the
Draft Customs Control
Bill, and the Draft Customs
Duty Bill, which were first
published on 30 October
2009.
You will recall that the
two draft Bills form the
legislative platform for
changes to people, policy,
processes and technology
which will be delivered
under the Customs
Modernisation programme.
Action Required – Your
Reminder
At the request of readers
we will remind you of those
issues on which comment is
due. For ease of reference the
issue in which the original
notice was published is
provided in brackets.
• Tariff applications relating
to (i) the proposed reduction
in the rate of customs duty
on self-copy paper; (ii) the
proposed increase in the rate
of customs duty on glycerol;
and (iii) the proposed
increase in the dollar-based
reference price for wheat, in
respect of which comment
is due by 29 January 2010
(Duty Calls – 15 January
2010).
• The amendment of the
Rules to the Customs and
Excise Act relating to
form DA90. Form DA90
is titled “Claim in respect
of Excise Duty and Fuel
Levy on Motor Fuel used
by Diplomatic and Other
Foreign Representatives
in terms of Items 602.01,
602.02 and 640.1 of Schedule
No. 6 to the Customs and
Excise Act, No.91 of 1964”,
on which comment is due by
29 January 2010. (Duty Calls
– 15 January 2010).