DUTY CALLS

Tariff Amendment – Vulcanised Rubber Band The insertion of a tariff subheading in respect of vulcanised rubber bands in immediate packing of 20kg or more. The rate of customs duty is free, irrespective of the country of origin (of importation), in other words the general rate of customs duty, the European Union (EU), the European Free Trade Area (EFTA), and the Southern African Customs Union (SADC). World Trade Report 2009 The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has published its Annual World Trade Report for 2009 titled Trade Policy Commitments and Contingency Measures. It aims to deepen the understanding about trends in trade, trade policy issues and the multilateral trading system. The report examines the range of contingency measures available in trade agreements and the role that these measures play. Also referred to as escape clauses or safety valves, these measures allow governments a certain degree of flexibility within their trade commitments and can be used to address circumstances that could not have been foreseen when a trade commitment was made. Provisional Anti-Dumping Duty – Steel Sinks The retrospective imposition of provisional anti-dumping duties (provisional anti-dumping duties) on sinks of stainless steel, imported from or originating in the People’s Republic of China (China) and Malaysia. The provisional anti-dumping duties on the following have been imposed with retrospective effect from 09 April 2009 to 08 October 2009: (i) Sinks of stainless steel manufactured or produced by Zhuhai Dali Metal Product Co. Ltd, imported from or originating in China (20.62%); (ii) Sinks of stainless steel manufactured or produced by Rhine Sinkwares Manufacturing Ltd, imported from or originating in China (10.84%); (iii)Sinks of stainless steel (excluding that manufactured or produced by Zhuhai Dali Metal Product Co. Ltd., Rhine Sinkwares Manufacturing Ltd and Taijing Chuanger Metal Products Co. Ltd, imported from or originating in China (62.41%); (iv) Sinks of stainless steel imported from Central Aluminium Manufactory SDN BHD, imported from or originating in Malaysia (10.70%); and (iv) Sinks of stainless steel (excluding that imported from Central Aluminium Manufactory SDN BHD, imported from or originating in Malaysia (10.70%). Trade Remedy Amendments – Rolled Steel The termination of the antidumping duties on: (i) Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, with a width of 600mm or more, painted, varnished or coated with plastics (excluding Zincalume not colour coated, but covered with resin), imported from or originating in Australia; and (ii) Flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, with a width of less than 600mm or more, painted, varnished or coated with plastics, imported from or originating in Australia. No Tariff Applications – 31 July 2009 Tariff Applications – No Comment Due No Trade Remedy Applications – 31 July 2009 Trade Remedy Applications – No Comment Due Wco Prohibition Of Chemical Weapons The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has published its “Recommendation of the Customs Co-operation Council on the Insertion in National Statistical Nomenclatures of Subheadings for Substances Controlled under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stock-piling and use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction”.