Business Leaders Urge Governments to Reject Protectionism On 08 July 2009, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) chairman Mr Victor K. Fung and other international business leaders that gathered in the Chinese capital, Beijing, released a statement urging governments to reject trade and investment protectionism and to promote greater global cooperation especially among political leaders of the major economies. The document that was jointly signed by the ICC, the European Union Chamber of Commerce, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Korean Chamber of Commerce, followed a three-day meeting organised by the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges. The statement urged government leaders to revitalise and restore confidence in the world economy by urgently concluding the Doha Round, the protracted round of trade negotiations, and ensuring that measures taken in response to the economic crisis were consistent with the principles of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). In a speech to business and government leaders, Mr Fung praised the pledge by G20 governments at their London summit in April not to raise trade barriers before the end of 2010. He also commended efforts by the WTO to monitor compliance with trade regulations. He went on to state that “With the world as economically integrated as it has become in recent decades, any lurch into economic nationalism would dislocate commercial activity even further and risk turning the global crisis into a depression”. Tariff Amendments – Textiles – 10 July 2009 The creation of a number of rebate provisions (manufacturing rebates) in respect of certain products used for the manufacture of textiles and for use in the dyeing and printing of textiles. Tariff Amendments – Clothing – 10 July 2009 The rates of customs duty (duty) on certain products used for the manufacture of clothing articles are reduced to free of duty. No Tariff Applications – 10 July 2009 Trade Remedy Application – Detonating Fuses In a first, that we are aware of, the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) has published a notice in respect of the Resumption of an Investigation into the Alleged Dumping of Detonating Fuses and Delay Detonators (Commonly Known as Shocktubes), originating in or imported from the People’s Republic of China (China). Comment is due by 02 August 2009. Trade Remedy Applications – Various – Lapse A number of anti-dumping duties are due to lapse, unless anti-dumping investigations are not initiated. Manufacturers in Sacu who wish to submit a request for the anti-dumping duty to be reviewed prior to the expiry thereof should do so by no later than 31 July 2009. Zimbabwe International Trade Initiative The Department of Trade and Industry's Trade and Investment SA, Export Promotion Unit is organising an International Trade Initiative (ITI) to Zimbabwe (Bulawayo and Harare) from 17 to 25 September 2009. The target sectors are (i) Infrastructure; (ii) Agriculture and Agro-processing; (iii) Mining and Capital Equipment; (iv) Manufacturing and Electro-technical; and (v) Tourism.
