September
Compliance
Commitments
As per our commitment
in a September column
we now remind you of
Sars' September 2016
commitments to its 18
(xviii) “Increased Customs
and Excise Compliance
Commitments”, which are
to “Improve control over
the flow of all goods and
travellers entering and
leaving the country” – (i)
Deploy the new manifest
processing system to
replace the manifest
acquittal system in line
with new international
cargo reporting and cargo
management standards
by September 2016.
“Modernise and align Excise
processes and systems” – (x)
Conclude the study that
considers the introduction
of a track-and-trace
system with the cigarette
industry and replace the
old diamond stamp, in
line with the World Health
Organisation Convention
for Tobacco Control, by
the end of September
2016. “Continue to adopt
a whole-of-Government
approach to improving
border management” – (xvii)
Continue to fight against
the illicit trade and abuse
of illegal substances by
supporting the National
Drug Master Plan. Sars
will develop and approve a
Departmental Drug Plan by
the end of September 2016.
C&E Compliance
Commitments
Sars' October 2016
commitments are to
enhance the quality of
inspections and audit to
effectively address detected
non-compliance, for which
Sars will: (vii) Review the
quality framework for
inspections, inclusive of
physical and document
inspections and table a
recommendations report
by end of October 2016;
and develop a professional
and disciplined Customs
and Excise workforce,
for which Sars will: (xii)
Undertake an assessment of
current customs and excise
officers to determine skills
gaps which will inform
the required training
interventions by the end of
October 2016.
SADC EPA Customs
Rules
On 26 September Sars
announced the publication
of its draft rule amendment
to the Customs and Excise
Act, 1964 by the substitution
of the Agreement on
Trade, Development and
Co-operation (TDCA)
between the European
Community (EC) and South
Africa with the Economic
Partnership Agreement
(EPA) between the Southern
African Development
Community (SADC) EPA
states and the European
Union (EU) and its member
states. In addition to the
rules, forms DA 185; DA
185 4A2; and DA 185 4A7
to the Act, 1964 have been
amended.
According to Sars’
explanatory note the
exact date of provisional
application is unknown at
this point since the EU has
not yet issued notification
in terms of paragraph 4 of
Article 113 of the SADC EPA
agreement. Sars indicated
that the legislation would be
implemented retrospectively
if necessary.
Comment is due by 03
October 2016.
Duty Calls’ Watch List
Comment is due on (i) Sars’
second draft of the rules
to the Customs Duty Act,
2014 by 30 November;
(ii) Daff ’s second draft
of the protection of the
agricultural geographical
indications (GIs) by 28
October; and (iii) the review
of the “general” rate of
customs duty on various
downstream steel products
by 21 October.
DUTY CALLS
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