DUTY CALLS is your weekly look at changes in the South African tariff dispensation and amendments to Customs and Excise legislation. This column aims to provide the reader with a summary of the main changes and is not intended to be a comprehensive statement of the law. No liability is accepted for errors or omissions. Tariff amendments - 30 November (Please note that the South African Harmonised Tariff has three rates of duty i.e. 'General Rate', 'European Union (EU) Rate', and 'Southern African Development Community (SADC) rate'. The EU and SADC rates of duty on certain products classifiable under Tariff Chapter 7, 8 and 9 are amended, with retrospective effect to 1 January 2001. More details are available on request. The Tariff Chapters relate to: Chapter 7 - 'Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers', Chapter 8 - 'Edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons', and Chapter 9 - 'Coffee, tea, mate and spices'. Tariff application - 23 November A notice appeared in respect of the proposed increase of the customs duty on polyethylene teraphthalate sheeting, classifiable under tariff subheading 3920.62 at free of duty, to 17% ad valorem. Response due by 4 January 2002. Applications for market access-imports-and export permits - 1 and 16 November The following notice has appeared inviting importers and exporters to apply for the following permits. Application for the allocation of export permits under the Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement between the EU and South Africa. Application for the allocation of import permits under the Bilateral Trade Agreement between Zimbabwe and South Africa. Application for market access permits for agricultural products under the World Trade Organisation: Marrakesh Agreement. More details are available on request. Anti-dumping duty review requiring public comment A notice has been published on 9 November 2001 in respect of the initiation of a review of the anti-dumping duties on picks originating in or imported from India. Response due by 10 December 2001. A notice has been published on 16 November 2001 in respect of the proposed withdrawal of the anti-dumping duties on glass micro spheres originating in or imported from Austria, China, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Response due by 18 December 2001 Tariff applications requiring public comment Refer to the tariff applications of 1 and 16 November 2001 in respect of applications for market access permits. The proposed amendment of rebate item 317.04, rebate items in terms of 460.17 and refund item 537.00. The amendments are in respect of motor vehicles. Response due by 18 December 2001 Compiled by Riaan de Lange of Deloitte & Touche Trade & Investment Solutions. E-mail: rdelange@deloitte.co.za
