Duty Calls

WCO Tariff
Classifications
The World Customs
Organisation (WCO) on
14 June released the tariff
classification decisions taken
at the 59th session of its
Harmonised System (HS)
committee meeting held in
Brussels in March.
The tariff classification
decisions are categorised into
three groups, (i) Classification
rulings; (ii) Amendments to
the explanatory notes (EN);
and (iii) Compendium of
classification opinions.
Collectively the tariff
classification decisions
account for 27 new
classification opinions and 30
sets of amendments to the HS
EN as well as 28 classification
rulings dealing with, among
other things, arachidonic
acid oil; a mixture of pieces of
red and green pepper fruits
(Capsicum frutescens) filled
with cheese (feta cheese and
fresh cheese), submerged in a
liquid consisting of sunflower
oil, garlic and spices; rapid
diagnostic test kits for
detecting the Zika virus and
other diseases transmitted
by mosquitoes of the Aedes
genus; a medicated bone graft
substitute; photoresists, lightsensitive
plastic resin solutions
used in the photolithographic
manufacture of
semiconductor materials;
table top art easels; laminated
textile fabric; an electronic
safe made of steel, designed
to protect valuables; a palm
size washer device operated
by a small electric motor,
used to remove stains from
clothes; unassembled bicycle
parts; a virtual reality headset
designed to be connected to
and used with a specific type
of mobile phone; and jump
ropes.
Self-adhesive Tape
Application
On 15 June the International
Trade Administration of
South Africa (Itac) announced
a proposed increase in the
‘general’ rate of customs duty
on “Self-adhesive plates,
sheets, film, foil, tape, strip
and other flat shapes, of
biaxially oriented polymers
of propylene (excluding that
which is self-adhesive on both
sides), in rolls of width not
exceeding 25mm and of value
for duty purposes exceeding
1300c/m”, classifiable in
tariff subheading 3919.10.41,
from free of duty to 20%
ad valorem; and; ”Biaxially
oriented polymers of
propylene (excluding that
which is self-adhesive on both
sides), of a width not exceeding
200 mm”, classifiable in
tariff subheadings 3919.10.43
and 3919.10.47, from free of
duty and 10% ad valorem,
respectively, to 20% ad
valorem, by amending the
scope of tariff subheading
3919.10.43 to the following:
“Of biaxially oriented
polymers of propylene
(excluding that which is selfadhesive
on both sides) and
amending the description of
tariff subheading 3919.10.47
to the following: “Other
biaxially oriented polymers
of propylene, self-adhesive on
both sides”. The duty on selfadhesive
biaxially oriented
polymers of propylene will
remain unchanged at free of
duty for 3919.10.47.
The application was lodged
by Sicad SA who reasoned
that similar products that
did not add value to the
Southern African Customs
Union (SACU) market were
imported at cheaper prices.
Some of the similar products
are imported under a tariff
subheading which is free of
duty.
The application, on which
comment is due by 15 July,
replaces the application of 19
May.
Duty Calls Watch List
Comment on the draft rules
to the Customs Duty Act,
2014 in Part 2 of Chapter 3
is due by 31 July.