Planning for Exports Training The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) has extended an invitation to emerging and potential exporters to attend its ‘Planning for Exports Training’, the purpose of which is to prepare small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for the successful expansion of their businesses into international markets. The three-day course, which is free of charge, will be presented in nine cities covering basic export skills: export strategic planning; export logistics; export costing; packaging and labelling; feasibility analysis; and negotiation techniques. Should you be interested in attending you need to reserve your seat. Seats will be allocated on a first-come-firstserved basis. Revised Kyoto Convention On 6 January 2015 the Sultanate of Oman acceded to the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonisation of Customs Procedures, known as the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), which entered into force on 3 February 2006 and now has 98 contracting parties. (The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has 197 members.) The RKC is the international standard for making Customs regulatory procedures as efficient and effective as possible. Key elements include the application of simplified Customs procedures in a predictable and transparent environment, the maximum use of information technology, the utilisation of risk management, a strong partnership with the trade and other stakeholders, and a readily accessible system of appeals. The Davis Tax Committee On 23 December 2014 the Minister of Finance released The Davis Tax Committee First Interim Report on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) that was submitted to the Minister on 30 June 2014. The report covers the digital economy; hybrid mismatches; harmful tax practices; treaty abuse; transfer pricing with regard to intangibles; transfer pricing documentation; and the development of a multilateral instrument. Comment is due by 31 March 2015. Trade Facilitation Symposium The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and its American affiliate, the United States Council for International Business (USCIB), are bringing business, government, international organisations and operational experts from all over the world to participate in a multi-faceted dialogue on the most effective means of facilitating the global movement of goods while balancing security and risk at the border. The symposium, “Finding Global Solutions to Cross- Border Challenges”, will focus on streamlining trade and limiting cross-border inefficiency and friction. No area of international economic policy is more integral to expediting globalised trade than customs and trade facilitation. The symposium is taking place from 22-24 February 2015. Duty Calls Watch List Comment on the fourth batch of the draft Customs Control Rules for Chapters 32 to 41 is due by 30 January 2015. Comment on the proposed increase in the rate of customs duty on zinc coated/galvanised steel, aluminium-zinc coated steel and paint coated steel, and the proposed reduction in the rate of customs duty on primary lithium batteries is due by 23 January 2015.
