DUTY CALLS

Sugar Reference Price
Increase
On 20 September 2013
the International Trade
Administration Commission
of South Africa (ITAC)
published a proposed increase
in the domestic Dollar-based
reference price (DBRP) for
sugar, classifiable in tariff
heading 17.01 of Schedule
No.1 Part 1 to the Customs
and Excise Act (Act), from
U$358/ton to US$764/ton
through an adjustment of
the calculation of the DBRP
for sugar by basing it on the
domestic cost of production.
Using the requested
reference price of US$764/
ton, the variable formula
for sugar will trigger an
increase in the customs duty
if the London No.5 sugar
settlement price falls by
US$20/ton below the base
price, which is the 3-week
moving average price for
the London No.5 sugar
settlement price. Conversely,
a reduction in the customs
duty will be triggered if
the London No.5 sugar
settlement price increases by
US$20/ton above the base
price.
Quota Allocation for
Used Overcoats
ITAC extended a request for
comments on 20 September
2013 for the proposed
increase in the allocation of
quota for the importation of
used overcoats under Rebate
Item 460.11/00.00/01.00
for 2014. The invitation is to
comment on the request by
the Association of Importers
of Worn Overcoats (AIWO)
for a 30% increase in the level
of quota for 2014 regarding
applications in terms of the
provision sunder Rebate
Item 460.11/00.00/01.00 of
Schedule No.4 to the Act for
permits for partial rebate of
the full rate of customs duty
less 30% ad valorem on used
overcoats.
Interested parties also
need to comment on the
following conditions being
added to the guidelines’ rules
and conditions pertaining to
permits issued under Rebate
Item 460.11/00.00/01.00
for goods (but no clothing
articles), classifiable in tariff
headings 61.01, 61.02, 62.01,
62.02 and tariff subheading
6309.00.13 in such
quantities, at such times and
subject to such conditions as
ITAC may allow by specific
permit: (1) Containers must
arrive for inspection only
during Monday to Friday. No
arrivals may occur during
Saturday, Sunday or public
holidays. (2) Importers need
to provide ITAC with proof
of salaries being paid to
temporary workers. (3) The
date for issuing permits be
changed from February to an
earlier period.
Comment is due by 18
October 2013.
Footwear Rebate Item
On 20 September 2013 ITAC
informed of the proposed
rebate of the full customs
duty on other pile fabrics,
knitted or crocheted, of manmade
fibres, classifiable in
tariff subheading 6001.92
of Schedule No.1 Part 1 to
the Act, for the manufacture
of footwear with uppers of
textile materials, classifiable
in Chapter 64 of Schedule
No.1 Part 1 to the Act.
Comment is due by 18
October 2013.
Biaxially Oriented
Polypropylene
Withdrawn
ITAC informed on 20
September 2013 of the
proposed withdrawal of the
application for an increase
in the rate of customs
duty on biaxially oriented
polypropylene, classifiable in
tariff subheading 3920.20.25
and 3920.20.30 of Schedule
No.1 Part 1 to the Act, from
a rate of customs duty of
10% ad valorem to 20% ad
valorem.
Comment is due by 18
October 2013.