Alan Peat THERE’S GOOD news for SA exporters to Russia - a new trade deal allows selected goods categories into Russia at cut-rate duties, and is retrospective to April 1. It’s the result of the Russian Federation’s generalised system of preferences (GSP) having been brought into force last week “with immediate effect”, according to Tshediso Matona, deputy director-general: international trade and economic development. Although the implementation date was April 1, he told FTW, “technical aspects” in the administration had not yet been finalised but have since been fulfilled before the late August announcement. All eligible consignments currently in transit, or already cleared for customs purposes since April 1, will be entitled to the preferences on a retrospective basis. Rules of origin for qualifying products - with agriculture products main players in the qualification league - are three-fold. First is products that are either wholly obtained in SA or “sufficiently processed” here. The “substantial transformation” rule is “the value of the non-originating material may not exceed 50% of the ex-factory price of the product”. Second is where materials originate in Russia - then are deemed SA-made. Similarly in the third definition, materials originating in other countries eligible for Russian GSP will also be deemed SA-made. The Department of Trade and Industry (dti) is administering the system on the basis of the certificate of origin form A. “However,” said a department spokesman, “there is a possibility that the system will in due course be delegated to the Chamber movement. “But the dti will continue to administer it until such time as a formal announcement is made.” Also, those of you looking for more info need go no further than the nearest dti office.
