DUTY CALLS

BOPP Film Application
On 01 July 2016 the
International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa (Itac)
announced that its 19
February 2016 tariff
application had been
terminated. Itac received
the tariff application from
Amcor Flexible (Pty) Ltd
on 14 September 2015 for
an increase in the ‘general’
rates of customs duties on
printed bi-axially orientated
polypropylene (BOPP) film
or polymers of propylene,
classifiable under tariff
subheading 3920.20.25,
3920.20.35 from 10%
ad valorem to 20% ad
valorem customs duty and
3920.20.45 from free (0%)
of customs duty to 20% ad
valorem customs duty. It
is also described as other
plates, sheets, film, foil
and strip, of plastics, noncellular
and not reinforced,
laminated, supported or
similarly combined with other
material which is used in the
packaging industry.
As the reason for the
withdrawal of the tariff
application, Itac said that on
11 May 2016 it had received a
request from Amcor Flexible
(Pty) Ltd for the withdrawal
of the tariff application as the
increase in the ‘general’ rate
of customs duty was no longer
supported by other domestic
producers’ flexible packaging.
Itac considered the request at
its meeting held on 14 June
2016 and decided to terminate
the tariff application.
WCO News June 2016
The World Customs
Organisation (WCO) has
published its June 2016 WCO
News, titled “Stopping Illicit
Trade”. If you are interested in
a copy, please just drop us an
email. Other than the Dossier
on Illicit Trade, you may
be interested in the WCO’s
release of its new instrument
on transfer pricing and
Customs valuation.
WCO Integrity
Newsletter
The WCO has announced
the publication of its 13th
Integrity Newsletter, which
gives an overview of the
integrity activities carried
out by the WCO since
November 2015.
UNSCR1540
On 30 June 2016 the WCO
announced its participation
in the open consultation
carried out by the United
Nations Security Council on
the Comprehensive Review
of United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1540
(UNSCR1540). It is the
international instrument
adopted in 2004 which
requires all states to take
and enforce “appropriate
effective measures” to
prevent proliferation
of nuclear, chemical, or
biological weapons and their
means of delivery.
Held every five years,
the review process aims
to enable members of the
1540 Committee, which
was established to facilitate
implementation of the
resolution by all states,
to analyse and evaluate
implementation, to identify
best practices and gaps and,
based on that, to determine
what further action is
needed to achieve full and
universal implementation of
the resolution.
Duty Calls’ Watch List
Comment is due by 29 July
2016 on the proposed changes
to the Harmonised System
(HS) Nomenclature 2017.
Comment on the proposed
creation of a rebate item for
single yarn (excluding sewing
thread) for the manufacture
of knitted fabrics is due by
24 July 2016.