Flat-rolled steel
temporary rebate
On 20 October the
International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa (Itac)
published a proposal for
the creation of temporary
rebate provisions on ordinary
customs and safeguard duties
applicable to flat-rolled
products of other alloy steel of
a width of 600mm or more,
other, classifiable in tariff
subheading 7225.99, in such
quantities, at such times and
subject to such conditions
as Itac may allow by specific
permit, provided the products
are not available on the
Southern African Customs
Union (Sacu) market.
The application was
lodged by Leong Jin Special
Steel (Africa) (Pty) Ltd who
reasoned that (i) There are
no manufacturers of the
subject product in the Sacu
region; and (ii) The customs
duty currently imposed on
the subject product has an
unnecessary cost raising effect
on the domestic downstream
fabrication and manufacturing
industry. As a result, current
investments are on hold and
the Sacu industry is unable to
increase employment.
Comment is due by
3 November.
Hot rolled steel
temporary rebate
Itac on 20 October published
a proposal for the creation of
a temporary rebate provision
on safeguard duty for the
importation of certain hot
rolled steel classifiable under
tariff headings 72.08 and
72.25. [The provisions cover
nearly two pages, which are
available on request.]
The application was lodged
by SSAB South Africa (Pty)
Ltd who reasoned that (i) The
subject products are currently
not manufactured in the
Sacu region; (ii) The safeguard
duty has resulted in increased
production costs for various
downstream steel products;
and (iii) The safeguard duty
will result in the reduction
of the competitive position
of Sacu manufactured
downstream steel products in
the export market.
Comment is due by
3 November.
Primary flat steel
temporary rebate
On 20 October Itac published
a proposal for the creation of
rebate provisions on ordinary
customs and safeguard
duties applicable on primary
flat steel not manufactured
locally, classifiable under
Chapter 72.
The application was
lodged by Itac who reasoned
that (i) The ‘ordinary’
customs duty imposed on
primary steel products and
the safeguard duty imposed
on hot-rolled primary steel
products not manufactured
in the Sacu region have an
unnecessary cost raising
effect on the downstream
industry. AMSA submitted
an indicative list of products
not manufactured by the
domestic industry. [The
list is not exhaustive.]
Description for the rebate
provisions for primary steel
products not manufactured
in Sacu must be solicited
from the South African
Revenue Service (Sars) and
then submitted to Itac.
Comment is due by
3 November.
8th WCO TFA Working
Group meeting
The World Customs
Organisation (WCO) Trade
Facilitation Agreement
Working Group met for
the 8th time from 16 to
18 October. The meeting
included a joint session
with the WCO Permanent
Technical Committee about
the best way to involve
international organisations
such as the WCO in the
proceedings of the World
Trade Organisation
(WTO) Trade Facilitation
Committee.
The working group
endorsed a survey tool and
discussed various topics such
as post clearance audit, single
window, customs brokers,
transit, national committees
on trade facilitation, and
border agency cooperation.
