DUTY CALLS

Geographical
Indications
In the Government
Gazette of 12 February
2016 the Department
of Agriculture, Forestry
and Fisheries (Daff), in
terms of the Agricultural
Product Standards Act,
called for comments on
the ‘Proposed Publication
of Regulations Relating
to the Protection of
Geographical Indications
and Designations of Origin
on Agricultural Products
Intended for Sale in the
Republic Of South Africa.'
Comments are due by 14
March. The proposed new
regulations are available
for inspection at the office
of the Daff executive
officer.
Pork product industry
On 12 February 2016, Daff
– in terms of the Marketing
of Agricultural Products
Act – published a request
for continuation of statutory
measures for the pork
industry on which comment
is due by 26 February.
Animal products
Daff, in terms of the
Animal Diseases Act, on 12
February 2016 published
a notice on the tariffs on
import permits and export
certificates for animal and
animal products.
Steel duty increases
On 12 February 2016 the
South African Revenue
Service (Sars) announced
an increase in the ‘general’
rate of customs duty in
terms of Schedule No 1
Part 1 to the Customs and
Excise Act, 1964 on semifinished
steel, steel plates,
cold-rolled steel and steel
sections, classifiable under
tariff subheading 7207.11,
7207.12, 7207.19, 7207.20,
7208.40, 7208.51, 7208.52,
7209.15, 7209.16, 7209.17,
7209.18, 7209.25, 7209.26,
7209.27, 7209.90, 7211.23,
7211.29, 7211.90, 7216.10,
7216.21, 7216.22, 7216.40,
7216.69, 7225.40, 7225.50,
7226.92, 7226.99, and
7228.70 from free to 10%
ad valorem. The reasoning
and the substantiation of
the recommendations,
accepted by the Minister of
Trade and Industry, can be
found in the International
Trade Administration
Commission of South
Africa (Itac) report
number 517.
Illicit cigarettes
Sars on 10 February
announced that its
Customs officers had
intercepted a truck with
illicit cigarettes worth over
R500 000 at Groblersbrug
on Sunday, 06 February.
This followed a tip-off
that the driver might be
involved in illegal activities.
The driver was taken for
inspection and 78 boxes
and 133 loose cartons of
cigarettes were found,
worth R560 587, wrapped
in black plastic packed on
top of a consignment of
unmanufactured tobacco.
Duty Calls’ Watch List
Comment on Sars’ draft
Customs Control Act, 2014
rules and its 2nd draft rules
is due by 01 April 2016.
Comment on the Hosaf
sunset review of the
anti-dumping duties on
polyethylene terephthalate
(PET), classifiable in tariff
subheading 3907.60.9,
originating in or imported
from Chinese Taipei
(Taiwan), South Korea and
India is due by 07 March
2016.
Comment on Sars’ draft
rules to the Act, 1964 for
anti-illicit tobacco excise
enforcement is due by 28
February 2016.
Comment on Sars’ draft
Binding General Ruling
on the Value-added Tax
treatment of the supply or
importation of vegetable oil
is due by 22 February 2016.