Cold-rolled Steel
Products Safeguard
On 29 September the
International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa (Itac) advised
that the Trade and Industry
Minister had approved its
recommendation for the
termination of the safeguard
investigation into cold-rolled
steel products.
The investigation was
initiated on 29 July 2016,
following an application
lodged by the South African
Iron and Steel Institute
(SAISI), a non-governmental
representative organisation
serving the collective interests
of the primary steel industry
in South Africa. SAISI did
so on behalf of ArcelorMittal
South Africa (Amsa), the
major producer of cold-rolled
steel products in the Southern
African Customs Union
(Sacu).
Itac issued its Report
No 537 containing its
preliminary determination,
and invited interested
parties to comment on its
preliminary determination.
On 29 November 2016 a
public hearing was held
where interested parties
addressed Itac on whether a
safeguard duty would be in
the public interest. Taking all
the information available to
it into account, including all
comments received during
the investigation, Itac made
a final determination that
there had been a surge in the
volume of imports of coldrolled
steel products into the
Sacu market as a result of
unforeseen circumstances,
and further that the increase
in imports was causing
serious material injury to
the Sacu industry. However,
in calculating the possible
duty to be imposed, Itac
determined that Amsa was
not experiencing a price
disadvantage when comparing
Amsa’s unsuppressed selling
price with the landed price of
the imports.
Itac’s reasoning is
contained in its Report No
555 (final determination
report).
Wheat and Wheaten
Flour Duty
The South African Revenue
Service (Sars) on
29 September announced
an increase in the rates
of customs duty, except
for the Southern African
Development Community
(SADC), on wheat and
wheaten flour.
The rate of customs duty
on tariff subheadings 1001.91
(Seed) and 1001.99 (Other)
increased from 37.93c/kg
to 75.24c/kg, and on tariff
subheadings 1101.00.10
(Brown wheaten meal
produced by the milling of
whole grains (the bran, germ
and endosperm) (excluding
separated wheat bran,
separated wheat germ or
separated wheat semolina or
endosperm)) and 1101.00.90
(other) from 56.90c/kg to
112.85c/kg.
The reasoning is contained
in Itac Minute 10/2017.
Phosphoric 8-digit
Tariff
On 27 September Sars
called for comment on the
proposed insertion of tariff
subheadings 2809.20.10 (of a
phosphorous content of 78 per
cent or more), and 2809.20.90
(Other) to distinguish between
the acids used in the food
industry and those used in the
fertiliser industry.
Comment is due by 13
October.
Duty Calls’ Watchlist
Comment is due by 20
October on (i) Rebate items
for flat-rolled iron or nonalloy
steel products, (ii) the
reduction in the rate of duty
on canola/rape seed, (iii)
Rebate items for I and H
sections, of iron or non-alloy
steel, not further worked
than hot-rolled, hot-drawn or
extruded.
DUTY CALLS
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