Customs & Excise Highlights

1. Amendments to Rules to the Customs & Excise Act, No 91 of 1964 (Act) (certain sections quoted from the SARS website):

• Draft amendment to Rule 49A & 49B in relation to Rules of Origin:

The amendment aims to improve the administration of trade agreements. It generally affects exporters who are not producers and clarifies the issuing of producer declarations.

The due date for comments is 22 July 2019 and may be sent to C&E_legislativecomments@sars.gov.za.

• Draft amendment to Rule 38.14A in relation to Unique Consignment Reference Numbers (UCR):

The UCR is a unique reference number assigned to a consignment of goods for the purpose of tracking the goods throughout the supply chain from origin to destination. The current UCR is being amended to a Southern African Customs Union UCR which will create a platform for exchange of customs information between SARS: Customs and the Customs Administration of Botswana.

The due date for comments is 22 July 2019 and may be sent to C&E_legislativecomments@sars.gov.za.

2. Amendments to Schedules to the Act (certain sections quoted from the SARS website):

• Schedule 1 Part 1:
  • The substitution and insertion of various items under Chapter 73 to increase the rate of customs duty on certain tubes, pipes and hollow profiles, seamless, of iron (excluding cast iron) or steel (effective from 12 July 2019); and
  • The substitution of tariff subheading 8511.30.30 in order to reduce the rate of customs duty on distributors and ignition coils identifiable for use solely or principally with motor vehicles, engines (effective from 12 July 2019).
• Schedule 2:
  • The substitution of anti-dumping items 215.11/8201.10.10/01.08, 215.11/8201.30.03/01.08, 215.11/8201.30.90/01.08 and 215.11/8201.90.20/01.08 to review the rate of anti-dumping duty on garden spades and shovels, rakes and picks originating in or imported from the People’s Republic of China (effective from 12 July 2019).

3. SARS issued a circular wherein external stakeholders were advised as follows (certain sections quoted from the circular):

• The SARS Large Business Centre (LBC) is moving into its new home at the end of July 2019.
• The move to Woodmead North Office Park, 54 Maxwell Drive, Jukskeiview, Woodmead is expected to take place over the last weekend in July. The LBC will open the doors to its new home on Monday, 29 July 2019 and will be fully operational from 1 August 2019.
• The LBC was re-established at the end of 2018 to provide a differentiated and improved service to large business and high net-worth individuals as part of its commitment to facilitate and improve cooperation with its taxpayers. An interim LBC structure was announced while the final structure is still under review.

4. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries published the following notices in the Government Gazette (certain sections quoted from the notices):

• Dated 5 July 2019, advising that the Pomegranate Association of South Africa (POMASA) applied for the continuation on domestically produced and imported pomegranates (fresh as well as processed) of the following statutory measures for a new four-year period to be implemented from 1 January 2020:
  • Payment of levies in terms of s15 of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act, No 47 of 1996 (MAP Act);
  • Keeping of records and returns in terms of s18 of the MAP Act; and
  • Registration of persons in terms of s19 of the MAP Act.
    
    

Directly affected groups in the pomegranate industry were kindly requested to submit any comments regarding support or objections relating to the proposed continuation of statutory measures to the National Agricultural Marketing Council in writing before or on 26 July 2019, to enable the Council to finalise its recommendation to the Minister in this regard.

Enquiries:

National Agricultural Marketing Council
Mr. Elekanyani Nekhavhambe
Tel.: (012) 341 1115 / (072) 636 2428 Fax.: (012) 341 1911
E-mail: ENekhavhambe@namc.co.za

• Dated 5 July 2019, advising that the Executive Officer: Agricultural Product Standards intends to request the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to repeal the Regulations relating to the Grading, Packing and Marking of Dehydrated Vegetables intended for sale in the Republic, published in Government Notice No. R.396 of 13 March 1970.

All interested parties are invited to submit comments and representations concerning the intention to repeal the above-mentioned regulations in  writing within 30 days from the date of publication of the notice to the following address:

        Executive Officer: Agricultural Product Standards

        Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Private Bag X343, Pretoria, 0001
30 Hamilton Street, Harvest House Building, Arcadia, Room 154
Tel. no. 012 319 6388
Fax no. 012 319 6265
Email: SimphiweMAT@daff.gov.za