New Sacu Executive Secretary The Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) has announced the appointment of a new executive secretary, Paulina Mbala Elago, a Namibian national, for a term of five years commencing on 01 April 2014. Sugar Duty Increase The South African Revenue Service (Sars) on 04 April 2014 announced an increase in the rates of customs duty on beet sugar (1701.12), cane sugar (1701.13), other cane sugar (1701.14) containing added flavouring or colouring matter (1701.91), and other (1701.99). The increase in duty is from free of customs duty to 132c/kg and applies to all the rates of customs duty – general, European Union (EU), European Free Trade Area (EFTA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The increase in duty is due to an application lodged by the South African Sugar Association (SASA) that was published by the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) in the Government Gazette of 20 September 2013. The application was for an increase in the domestic dollar-based reference price for sugar from US$358/ton to US$764/ton, and Itac’s recommendation for the increase from US$358/ton to US$566/ton. The application took 196 days to complete. SADC Trade in Sugar Annex On the same day as the above Sars announced the substitution of Annex VII and its Appendix in the General Notes in Schedule No1 to the Customs and Excise Act which relates to the SADC agreement and specifically “Concerning Trade in Sugar”. The amendment was as a result of the increase in the rate of customs duty on sugar and provides for non-Sacu SADC member countries (Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) to import the specified base quota under rebate of the customs duty. Upholstered Furniture Duty Sars announced on 04 April 2014 the insertion of three rebate items (320.01/5407.61/01.06, 320.01/5903.20.90/01.08 and 320.01/5907.00.90/01.08) for imported inputs used in the manufacture of upholstered furniture, classifiable in tariff heading 94.01. The extent of the rebates is full duty. The application took 350 days to complete. Waste and Scrap Exports Itac announced through a notice dated 28 March 2014 an amendment to the Export Control Guidelines on the Exportation of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Waste and Scrap, published on 02 August 2013. The amendment relates to paragraph 1 of the Guidelines by the substitution of the wording “secondary scrap processors” with the wording “secondary scrap smelters”. Duty Calls Watch List Comment is due on: The Value-added Tax (VAT) treatment of the supply and importation of frozen potato products and fruit and vegetables by 15 May 2014. The proposed reduction in the “General” rate of customs duty on stranded wire and graphite electrodes by 17 April 2014.
