Excise Duty Act – Comment due
On 27 February the South African Revenue Service (Sars) advised of the forthcoming publication of the draft schedules, which were published on 01 March, on which comment is due on 09 March. Considering the volume of the schedules, it is anticipated that an extension for comment will be forthcoming. By way of example, the correlation table itself is 470 pages, and then there are five more schedules, namely The General Notes to the Customs Tariff, Schedule No 2 to the Customs Tariff, Schedule No 3 to the Customs Tariff, Schedule No 4 to the Customs Tariff, and Schedule No 5 to the Customs Tariff. These schedules are for the rewrite of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964, which will be replaced by the Excise Duty Act and the Customs Control Act, 2014.
Misdeclared Lithium Batteries
Considering their uses in a wide variety of consumer goods ranging from mobile phones to toys and cars, the transportation of lithium batteries by air – be it cargo or passenger baggage – has been increasing. As a consequence, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (Icao) has issued technical instructions and guidance for the safe transport of dangerous goods such as lithium batteries by air, and various civil aviation authorities have come up with related transport regulations. To help compliance with transport regulations, the International Air Transport Association (Iata) has developed guidance for shippers, freight forwarders, ground handlers, airlines and passengers concerning the packaging, documentation and tendering of lithium batteries.
If not declared and handled properly in accordance with relevant regulations, lithium batteries could potentially pose a safety and security risk to the aircraft. In order to ensure and enhance the safety and security of carriers and other entities involved in the aviation chain, more awareness raising and collaboration among all relevant stakeholders, including customs administrations, is required. To this end, Iata has recently issued a bulletin on misdeclared lithium batteries.
Automotive Masterplan
2035 Cabinet has approved the South African Automotive Masterplan (2035) and its post-2020 Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP). The Masterplan presents the aspirational vision, objectives and strategic framework
agreed upon by industry stakeholders to optimally develop the South African automotive industry through to 2035.
WCO News – February 2019
On 26 February the World Customs Organisation (WCO) published WCO News, its flagship magazine aimed at the customs community, which provides a selection of informative articles that cover the international customs and trade landscape.
Duty Calls’ Watchlist
Comment on provisions of the Customs Duty Act, 2014 and the Customs Control Act, 2014 are due by 09 March.
