A weekly summary of the main changes to the South African tariff dispensation and amendments to customs and excise legislation. Compiled by Riaan de Lange of South African Tariff & Trade Solutions. E-mail: riaan@importsolutions.co.za Abolition of Ad Valorem Customs & Excise Duty With effect from 1 April 2006, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) will be abolishing the ad valorem customs and excise duty on the following products: • Aqueous distillates and aqueous solutions of essential oils; • Automatic goods vending machines; • Facsimile machines; • Parts of facsimile transmission apparatus; and • Road tractors. No Rule Amendments – 24 March 2006 No Tariff Amendments – 24 March 2006 Tariff Amendments – 16 March 2006 The general, European Union (EU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) rates of customs duty on sugar are reduced from 23,3c/kg to free of duty. Tariff Applications – Response Due Reduction in the rate of duty on flavouring preparations in the form of beads whether or not packed for retail sale in the form of drinking straws and conical shaped filters for use in drinking straws from 20% ad valorem to free of duty. Response closes on 14 April 2006. Trade Remedy Applications – No Response Due No Trade Remedy Amendments – 24 March 2006 Trade Remedy Amendments – 16 March 2006 The anti-dumping duties, imposed on 27 December 2000, on prepared or preserved meat of fowls of the species Gallus Domesticus, cut in pieces with bone-in from or originating in the United States of America (USA), are withdrawn, with retrospective effect to 27 December 2005. Trade Remedy Amendments – 10 March 2006 The final determination of the review of the anti-dumping duty on garlic, originating in and/or exported from the People’s Republic of China (China). ITAC recommended to the Minister of Trade and Industry that the existing anti-dumping duty of R6.07 per kilogram on garlic originating in, or imported from China, should be maintained. The Minister of Trade and Industry accepted the recommendation. Preliminary determination for the termination of the investigation into the alleged dumping of stainless steel tubes and pipes originating in or imported from Chinese Taipei (Taiwan).
