Draft 2010 Tariff Amendments – Comment Due The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has published its Draft Amendment to the South African Harmonised System Tariff 2010, for comment. The proposed tariff amendments are in respect of (i) The phase-down of customs duties in terms of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union (EU); (ii) The phase-down of customs duties in terms of the FTA with the European Free Trade Association; (iii) The phase-down of customs duties in terms of the Motor Industry Development Programme; (iv) The reduction in the rate of customs duty (duty) on paper and paperboard; (v) The reduction in the rate of duty on aluminium products; (vi) The reduction in the “General” rate of duty on organic surface-active agents and primary plastic polymers; (vi) Request from the Department of Environmental Affairs for separate subheadings to identify chemicals and wastes controlled by Multilateral Environmental Agreements; (vii) Request from Smith Capital Equipment (Ltd) Ltd for the creation of a separate tariff subheading for elevating platforms; (viii) Request from Fine Chemical Corporation (Pty) Ltd for the creation of medicaments containing codeine phosphate; (ix) Request from the Association of Electric Cable Manufacturers of South Africa for the creation of separate subheadings for electrical conductors for a voltage not exceeding 80V and for electric cables insulated with paper, plastics and rubber; (x) Request from the Association of Steel Tube and Pipe Manufacturers of South Africa for the creation of a separate tariff subheading for certain steel tubes and pipes; (xi) Request from Southern African Footwear and Leather Industries Association for the re-instatement of tariff subheadings for safety footwear; and (xii) Request from various local manufacturers for the re-instatement of tariff subheadings for certain chemical compounds in Tariff Chapters 28 and 29 as well as a number of essential oils classifiable in tariff heading 33.01 that were deleted on 6-digit level with the implementation of HS2007 due to low volume in trade. Comment is due by 04 December 2009. Amendment of Provisional Payment for Staple Fibres The amendment of a provisional payment in respect of Staple fibres of polyester, not carded, combed or otherwise processed for spinning, imported from or originating in the People’s Republic of China that was imposed on 06 November 2009. Amendment of Mechanically Deboned Chicken The deletion of tariff subheading 0207.14.05 for boneless frozen chicken and the insertion of tariff subheadings 0207.12.10 and 0207.12.90 in order to provide for mechanically deboned chicken. Amendment of Polymers of Vinyl Chloride The amendment of the description of tariff subheading 3919.90.23 in order to amend the width from “cm” to “mm” for other polymers of vinyl chloride. The amendment is effective with retrospective effect from 14 August 2009.
