On 01 September the South African Revenue Service (SARS) invited comment on the proposed phase-downs of the fish in Part 1 of Schedule No.1 to the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Ordinary Customs Duty) to implement the 2021 Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) between the European Union (EU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) phase-downs with effect from 01 January 2021, on which comment is due by 01 October.
In accordance with the EPA, which entered into force on 10 October 2016, South Africa has an obligation to amend the rates of ordinary customs duty on certain products listed in Part 1 of Schedule No.1 to the Act, 1964 on an annual basis, with effect from 01 January of a particular year.
The proposed amendment to the rates of ordinary customs duties relate to:
1.1 Fish, classifiable in tariff subheadings 0302.13, 0302.14, 0303.14 and 0305.41, in Section A, Annex II, listed as staging category “B*”, the remaining duties are eliminated; and
1.2 Fish in Chapters 3 and 16, in Section A, Annex II, listed as staging category “C*” is reduced to a preference margin of 40% of the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) rate of ordinary customs duty.
The Explanatory Memorandum and Notice are accessible at:
Story by: Riaan de Lange