Sodium Hydroxide Rebate On 16 November the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) announced the insertion of rebate items 306.15/2815.12/01.06 and 306.15/2815.12/02.06 in terms of Part 1 of Schedule No 3 to the Customs and Excise Act, 1964, “Industrial Rebates of Customs Duties – Goods used in the Manufacture of Other Goods”, to create a rebate provision for sodium hydroxide used in the extraction process of copper and nickel, classifiable in tariff subheadings 2603.00 and 2604.00. The reasoning for the move can be found in Itac Report No 592. Flat Steel Safeguard Duty Itac on 16 November announced the substitution of safeguard items 260.03/72.08/01.04, 260.03/7225.30/01.06, 260.03/7225.99/01.06 and 260.03/7226.99/01.06, in terms of Part 3 of Schedule No 2 to the Act, 1964, ”Antidumping, Countervailing and Safeguard Duties on Imported Goods – Safeguard Duties on Imported Goods”, to exclude various rebate items 460.15 subject to safeguard duty on certain flat steel used in the automotive industry. Two safeguard duties were published, the first for introduction from 16 November 2018 up to and including 10 August 2019, and the second from 11 August 2019 up to and including 10 August 2020. The reasoning for move can be found in the Itac Report No 590. Flat Steel Rebate On 16 November Itac announced the insertion of various rebate items classifiable under rebate item 460.15 in terms of Part 2 of Schedule No 4 to the Act, 1964, “General Rebates of Customs Duties, Fuel Levy and Environmental Levy” in order to create a rebate facility on certain flat steel used in the automotive industry The reasoning for the move can be found in the Itac Report No 590. Carbon Offset Regulations – Comment due National Treasury on 12 November released “Draft Regulations on the Carbon Offset in terms of the Draft Carbon Tax Bill” on which public comment is due by 14 December. This is the second time that the draft regulations have been published for comment. The main comments received on the initial draft regulations focused on: (i) the design of the carbon offset including the role of the carbon offset in facilitating the transition to a low carbon economy; (ii) scope of the offsets and the suitability of a cap on the allowance; and (iii) the technical, legal and administrative aspects of the regulation. WTO Data Portal launch The World Trade Organisation (WTO) on 16 November launched its new online data portal that brings together a wide range of statistical indicators on international trade and other WTO-related information. The database provides for both annual and short-term (quarterly and monthly) data on merchandise trade and trade in commercial services as well as information on bound, applied and preferential tariffs, and nontariff barriers (NTBs). Duty Calls Watchlist Sars will be changing its Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for AS2 and AS3 communication on 30 November.
