The dti's South African Leather & Footwear Strategy During the week 01 September 2008 the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) released its Leather and Footwear Sector Strategy which seeks to provide a regulatory framework for the South African leather and footwear economic priority sectors. The Strategy was developed by the dti's Enterprise and Industry Development Division (EIDD) and approved by the dti's Executive Board on 29 January 2008. The Strategy aims to improve global competitiveness, enhance exports, attract local and foreign investment, maintain and create employment, and encourage Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment within the South African leather and footwear goods sectors. Clothing & Textile Request for Proposal The dti has issued a Request for Proposal for the “Assessment of the Effectiveness of Clothing and Textile Import Quotas from the People’s Republic of China”. The purpose of the proposed study is to determine the effectiveness or otherwise of the import quotas imposed on textile and clothing products originating in the People’s Republic of China, and to propose appropriate recommendations. The import quotas were imposed on 01 January 2007 and are due to be terminated on 31 December 2008. Non-Tariff Barriers in India – Comment Due The next round of negotiations of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) and India is scheduled to take place in mid-October in India. In order to assist the negotiators to prepare, an invitation has been extended to Sacu companies that export to India to identify any Nontariff Barriers (NTBs) that they currently face in that market. Seven main categories of NTBs have been identified, namely (i) Other duties and charges; (ii) Price control measures; (iii) Finance measures; (iv) Automatic licensing measures; (v) Quantity control measures; (vi) Monopolistic measures; and (vii) Technical measures. Documents that have been released to assist companies include (i) A Guideline Document that provides more information on the NTB; and (ii) A study titled “Non-Tariff Measures Inhibiting South African Exports to China and India”. Comment is due by 24 September 2008. Tariff Applications – Final Opportunity to Comment The proposed amendment to the Rebate Item in respect of television sets, which includes the proposed deletion of a number of tariff subheadings and its substitution with other tariff subheadings. The proposed increase in the dollar-based reference price for sugar. The proposed creation of a temporary rebate item for canned pineapples. Response due by 12 September 2008.
