Upholstered furniture tariff The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) on 30 January 2015 published a notice for the proposed creation of two Rebate Items (rebate provision) on woven fabrics for use in the manufacture of upholstered furniture. The application was lodged by Coricraft Group (Pty) Ltd, with the extent of the rebate being “full duty”. The proposed wording for the Rebate Items follows: Rebate Item 320.01/5407.73 – Woven fabrics, containing 85% or more by mass of synthetic filaments, of yarns of different colours, in such quantities, at such times and subject to such conditions as Itac may allow by specific permit, for use in the manufacture of upholstered furniture classifiable in tariff heading 94.01. Rebate Item 320.01/5515.1 – Woven fabrics of polyester staple fibres, (excluding that mixed mainly or solely with wool or fine animal hair), in such quantities, at such times and subject to such conditions as Itac may allow by specific permit, for use in the manufacture of upholstered furniture classifiable in tariff heading 94.01. Comment is due by 27 February 2015. Electricity metres tariff On 30 January 2015 Itac published a notice for the proposed creation of a Rebate Item for goods of any description (excluding mounted or populated circuit boards) for the manufacture of prepayment electricity supply metres classifiable in tariff subheading 9028.30, at such times, in such quantities and subject to such conditions as Itac may allow by specific permit, provided the Itac Commission is satisfied that the circuit boards are mounted and populated in the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) region. The application was lodged by Itron Metering Solution (Pty) Ltd, and although the extent of rebate is not specified, it is assumed to be for “full duty”. 4th Batch comments On 28 January 2014 the South African Revenue Service (Sars) extended the period for comment on the fourth batch of the Rules to the Customs Control Act and Chapter 37 Amendments, circulated on 18 and 19 December 2014 respectively, from 30 January 2015 to 20 February 2015. 10th Annual WCO Picard Conference The World Customs Organisation (WCO) and the Azerbaijan Customs Service have announced that the 10th annual WCO Picard Conference will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 8-10 September 2015. They have called for the submission of research for presentation at the conference, with papers focusing on Customs or, more globally, the regulation, dynamics and practices of the international trade of goods. Conference topics will include, but are not necessarily limited to, the connection between global value chains (GVC) and Customs procedures, taxation and other revenue matters, and smuggling. Papers are due by 01 June 2015. Duty Calls’ Watch List The ‘Planning for Exports Training’ – a countrywide, three-day, free-of-charge course for SMEs.
