DUTY CALLS

Agricultural GIs
Comments due
The Department of
Agriculture, Forestry and
Fisheries (DAFF) on 23
September 2016 published for
comment, which is due on 28
October 2016, its revised draft
regulations (second round)
relating to the protection of
Geographical Indications
(GIs) used on agricultural
products intended for sale in
South Africa.
The initial draft
regulations, in terms of
the European Union (EU)
and the Southern African
Development Community
(SADC) Economic
Partnership Agreement (EPA),
were published for comment
on 12 February 2016. The
revised draft regulations
are available for inspection
at DAFF or copies can be
obtained via email request or
from the DAFF website.
Steel product
application
On 23 September 2016
the International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa (ITAC)
initiated its self-published
review of the ‘General’ rate
of customs duty on various
downstream steel products,
classifiable in tariff headings
73.06, 73.15, 73.26, and 87.16.
The reasoning offered is
that the global steel crisis
is negatively impacting the
entire Southern African
Customs Union (SACU) steel
value chain; a number of
SACU downstream industries
have expressed concerns
regarding the lack of tariff
protection against imports of
finished products that often
come at unsustainably low
prices; and a competitive steel
value chain that supports
increased beneficiation,
investment and employment
is a key priority for SACU
development.
Comment is due by 21
October 2016.
Vehicle Assembly
Allowance
The South African Revenue
Service (SARS) on 23
September 2016 notified the
retrospective substitution,
effective from January 2016,
of the definition for Vehicle
Assembly Allowance (VAA)
where it appears under
‘Definitions’ in Note 1.2
to Rebate Item 317.03, in
accordance to ITAC Minute
04/2016.
Electric cable dumping
On 23 September 2016, SARS
notified the termination of
the anti-dumping duties
on paper-insulated leadcovered
electric cable
(216.02/8544.60.10/01.08)
originating in or imported
from India, with retrospective
effect from 07 April 2016. The
reason in ITAC Report No.531.
Wine and fermented
beverages
SARS on 23 September
2016 notified the insertion
of Notes and Refund Items
on wine, vermouth and
other fermented beverages
that have become offspecification,
contaminated
or have undergone postmanufacturing
deterioration,
and to provide for Refund
Items on wine, vermouth and
other fermented beverages
that have become offspecification,
contaminated
or have undergone postmanufacturing
deterioration.
WTO Market Access
Permits
As we do on an annual
basis, we inform of DAFF’s
notification of the ‘Application
for Market Access Permits
for Agricultural Products
in terms of the World Trade
Organization (WTO)
Agreement for 2017’, which
this year was notified on 16
September 2016.
Refer to the weekly online
Customs Buzz (published on
Wednesday 28 September) for
the full story.