DUTY CALLS

Frozen Chicken
Safeguard
On 28 October the
International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa announced
that it had made its
recommendation to
the finance minister, in
terms of Article 16 of the
Trade, Development and
Co-operation Agreement
(TDCA), on the application
for safeguard measures on
frozen bone-in portions
of fowl of species Gallus
Domesticus (chicken). The
minister will now decide
whether there is justification
to raise the matter in the
Cooperation Council.
Note that Article 16 of
the TDCA is no more,
having been replaced by
the Economic Partnership
Agreement.
GIs Merchandise Marks
under the EU/SADC EPA
The Trade and Industry
Minister on 21 October
announced the final
prohibition on use of certain
words - Geographic Indicators
(GIs) - in connection with any
trade, business, profession, or
occupation or in connection
with a trade mark, mark or
trade description applied to
goods, other than use thereof
by European Union.
The descriptions of the
agricultural products and
beers names as well as
the rules of use applicable
thereto relate to (i) Fruit,
vegetables and cereals fresh
or processed; (ii) Cheeses -
Part 1; (iii) Cheeses - Part 2;
(iv) Meat Products; (v) Olive
oil; (vi) Fisheries Products;
(vii) Beer; and (viii) Other
Products.
Tax Administration
Laws Bill, 2016
The Finance Minister on
26 October announced
the publication of the Tax
Administration Laws
Amendment Bill, 2016 to
(i) amend the Customs
Duty Act, 2014, so as to
delete certain unnecessary
provisions and to combine
certain provisions for
purposes of clarity; (ii)
amend the Customs
Control Act, 2014, so as
to make certain technical
corrections; to delete certain
unnecessary provisions; to
make changes to provisions
relating to the submission of
cross-border train departure
reports; to provide for the
transmission of electricity
under the international
transit procedure; to broaden
a rule enabling provision
to include rules relating to
the treatment of detained
counterfeit goods in state
warehouses; and generally
to make adjustments for the
smoother implementation of
that Act, and to provide for
matters connected therewith;
(iii) amend the Customs
and Excise Act, 1964, so
as to narrow the scope of
provisions relating to Special
Economic Zones (SEZ) and
to align terminology with
terminology used in the SEZ
Act, 2014; to broaden the
scope of provisions relating
to marking, tracking and
tracing of tobacco products
and to make certain
changes relating to the
maximum allowed weight
of cigarettes for import or
manufacturing; to align
the prescription period
for refunds to the general
prescription period of three
years; and to make changes
to provisions relating to the
payment and calculation
of interest on outstanding
amounts; and amend the
Value-Added Tax Act, 1991,
so as to amend provisions
to align with the SEZ Act,
2014; to amend provisions
relating to acceptable
documentary proof; to
reinsert a prescription
period; and to amend a
schedule.
Yet more amendments to the
yet to be enacted Customs
Acts.