On 05 July 2013 National Treasury issued a media statement and released the Draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill and Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill. Comment is due by 05 August 2013. An initial review identified the following as relevant from a customs duty and trade perspective. The Draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill; (i) A beneficial tax regime for companies to locate in Special Economic Zones (SEZ) approved by the Minister of Finance. (tax incentives); (ii) Proposals to revitalise the marine sector in South Africa through the implementation of an attractive tax regime; (iii) Requiring foreign e-commerce suppliers to register for VAT in order to ensure that they compete on equal footing with local e-commerce suppliers; and (iv) Streamlining the research and development (R&D) tax incentive. Tax Administration Laws Amendment Bill: (i) Amendment of search and seizure provision i.t.o. Customs and Excise Act (The result of the judgement by the Western Cape High Court in the case Patric Lorenz Martin Gaertner v The South African Revenue Service in terms whereof it was found that certain provisions in the Customs and Excise Act were unconstitutional); (ii) Amendments to goods unconditionally abandoned; and (iii) Goods imported or cleared from a customs and excise warehouse for exploration for petroleum or production of petroleum.
