Theoretically, all transit goods
will soon be able to sail through
customs throughout the entire
Southern African Development
Community (SADC) region without any
delay, says David Watts, a consultant for
the South African Association of Freight
Forwarders (Saaff).
The European Union has committed
€18 million through the European
Development Fund to cover the cost
of a Customs Modernisation and Trade
Facilitation programme targeted at an
eventual Custom Union in the SADC
region.
A major platform of the programme
is the implementation of a Regional
Transit Management System (RTMS)
designed to allow for the movement of
road transit cargo throughout the region
with the fewest possible customs delays
at border posts.
“The RTMS protocol has two
critical elements; one is the use of
a single administrative document
(SADC Transit Document) which, once
submitted and endorsed by customs
at the point of origin, will be accepted
by administrations in each transit
country, obviating the need for separate
declarations at border posts. The other is
the introduction of ‘regional’ bonds or
sureties which, when issued in the origin
country, will guarantee duty and tax to
all customs administrations along the
transit corridor,” Watts explains.
The protocol, which places
obligations on all parties in the transit
chain, including state administrations,
carriers, forwarders, guarantors and
exporters, has been signed by all the
relevant SADC countries.
The programme commenced on
January 1, 2008 and is additional to
various other projects designed to help
the region meet the goals of the Regional
Indicative Strategic Development Plan
(RISDP) as adopted by the heads of
state of all SADC member countries in
August 2003.
“Implementation has been delayed for
a number of technical reasons, including
the need for legislative changes in
member states. However, it is hoped
that the scheme, which is not obligatory
and will run in tandem with the legacy
processes, will become fully operational
during 2009,” Watts told FTW.
EU assists SADC in developing a regional customs transit scheme
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