DUTY CALLS

56th Session HS
Committee
The World Customs
Organisation (WCO)
Harmonised System
Committee (HSC) held its
56th Session from 16-25
September 2015 at the
WCO headquarters in
Brussels, Belgium. The
HSC took 27 classification
decisions, adopted three
sets of amendments to the
explanatory notes (EN) and
approved 26 new classification
opinions. According to
the WCO, when deemed
approved by the WCO Council
at the end of November
2015, these classification
decisions (except for those
in respect of which requests
for re-examination will be
entered) and amendments to
the EN and the compendium
of classification opinions will
be made available on the WCO
website.
In the framework of the
HS Nomenclature 2017
edition (HS 2017) that
will enter into force on 01
January 2017, the HSC
approved a new draft WCO
council recommendation
relating to the use of
standard units of quantity
to facilitate the collection,
comparison and analysis of
international statistics. In
the context of the HS 2017
amendments, the HSC also
approved modifications
to the WCO council
recommendation of 1996 on
the insertion of subheadings
for substances controlled
under the convention
on the prohibition of the
development, production,
stockpiling and use of
chemical weapons and on
their destruction. In addition,
the committee adopted 11 sets
of amendments to the EN
consequential to the HS 2017
amendments.
Then, a special half day
session was dedicated to
international trade statistics.
The objectives of the special
session were to explore ways
for Customs administrations
to support merchandise trade
statistics and to promote good
cooperation between Customs
agencies and their national
statistical agencies.
Duty Calls Watch List
Comment on the draft tariff
amendments of various
schedules to the Customs
and Excise Act, 1964 is
planned for January 2016
(Tariff 2016) and is due by 16
October 2015.
Comment on the following
tariff applications is due
by 16 October 2015: (i) the
proposed reduction in the
‘general’ rate of customs duty
on other canned mussels in
airtight metal containers will
be through the deletion of
tariff subheading 1605.53.20
and the creation of two
new tariff subheadings for
‘smoked’ and ‘other’ mussels
in airtight metal containers
in tariff subheading 1605.53;
and (ii) the proposed increase
in the ‘general’ rate of
customs duty on aluminium
extrusions classifiable in
tariff headings 7604.21.15;
7604.29.15; and 7604.29.65,
from 5% ad valorem to 15%
ad valorem.
Comment on Itac’s
‘Guidelines regarding
applications for permits
in terms of the provision
under rebate item
460.11/00.00/01.04 of
Schedule 4 to the Customs
and Excise Act for permits
for rebate of the full duty
less 30% ad valorem on used
overcoats, carcoats, raincoats,
anoraks, ski-jackets, duffle
coats, mantles, threequarter
coats, greatcoats,
hooded caps, trench
coats, gabardines, padded
waistcoats, parkas, (but
no other clothing articles)
classifiable under tariff
headings 61.01, 61.02, 62.01,
62.02 and 6209.00.13 in such
quantities, at such times and
subject to such conditions
as the International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa (Itac) may
allow by specific permit’, on
which comment is due by
16 October 2015.