Draft Amended Countervailing Regulations In the Government Gazette of 16 January 2009 the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) published its “Draft Amended Countervailing Regulations” for comment. The notice is divided into two parts. The first part is a 42-page “Draft Amendment Countervailing Regulations”, and the second is a 6-page “Explanatory Document”. It is evident that a lot of work has gone into the preparation of the documents, for which Itac should be commended. This is the first time that Itac has published an explanatory document to any of its regulations. In accordance with the notice all interested parties now have until 16 February 2009 to provide comment. Tariff Applications – Comment Due Rebate of the full rate of customs duty (duty) on cartridge cases that have a length of 78mm and wads (power pistons) of 23mm diameter and a length that can vary from 24mm to 32mm depending on the slug loaded (zinc or lead respectively) which are used in the manufacture of industrial cartridges. Rebate of the full duty on electric heating resistors and on solid plates for the manufacture of stoves, hobs and tabletop cookers. Comment is due by 04 February 2009. Budget Speech on 11 February 2009 If you have not already diarised 11 February 2009 as the date on which the Minister of Finance, Trevor Manuel, will be presenting the Budget Speech to Parliament please do so. As in previous years, this speech is of great importance as it announces certain amendments and proposed amendments to the Customs and Excise Act (Act), as well as the Schedules to the Act (the rates of customs duties and excise duties). Addressing WCO on Customs Research The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has invited the International Customs Universities (INCU) affiliates to address the next meeting of the WCO’s Permanent Technical Committee, which will be held from 23 to 26 March 2009. The address should cover recent research/study related to Customs, which the INCU affiliates have undertaken. Petroleum Products Pipeline: Appropriation Transnet Limited (Transnet) published a notice in the Government Gazette of 16 January 2009 in respect of the “Proposed Expropriation of Servitudes for the Construction and Operation of the New Multi Petroleum Products Pipeline: Invitations to Make Presentations”. The pipeline will consist of a 545km trunk line from Durban to Jameson Park with branch lines from Jameson Park to Alrode, Alrode to Langlaagte and Kendal to Waltloo. Comment is invited by 02 February 2009. South African-European Union Discussions The Department of Foreign Affairs has issued its communiqué on the South Africa – European Union Strategic Partnership Ministerial Troika Meeting, which took place on 16 January 2009 in Kleinmond, South Africa. The meeting was co-chaired by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Africa, and Karel Schwarzenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and President of the Council of the European Union.
