The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC)
is responsible for tariff investigations, amendments, and trade
remedies in South Africa and on behalf of SACU.
Tariff
investigations include: Increases in the customs duty rates
in Schedule No. 1 Part 1 of Jacobsens. These applications apply
to all the SACU Countries, and, if amended, thus have the
potential to affect the import duty rates in Botswana, Lesotho,
Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa.
Reductions in
the customs duty rates in Schedule No. 1 Part 1. These
applications apply to all the SACU Countries, and, if amended,
thus have the potential to affect the import duty rates in
Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Swaziland and South Africa.
Rebates of duty
on products, available in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU),
for use in the manufacture of goods, as published in Schedule
No. 3 Part 1, and in Schedule No. 4 of Jacobsens. Schedule No. 3
Part 1 and Schedule No. 4, are identical in all the SACU
Countries.
Rebates of
duty on inputs used in the manufacture of goods for export, as
published in Schedule No. 3 Part 2 and in item 470.00. These
provisions apply to all the SACU Countries.
Refunds of
duties and drawbacks of duties as provided for in Schedule No.
5. These provisions are identical in all the SACU Countries.
Trade
remedies include: Anti-dumping duties (in Schedule No. 2
Part 1 of Jacobsens), countervailing duties to counteract
subsidisation in foreign countries (in Schedule No. 2 Part 2),
and safeguard duties (Schedule No. 2 Part 3), which are imposed
as measures when a surge of imports is threatening to overwhelm
a domestic producer, in accordance with domestic law and
regulations and consistent with WTO rules.
To remedy such
unfair pricing, ITAC may, at times, recommend the imposition of
substantial duties on imports or duties that are equivalent to
the dumping margin (or to the margin of injury, if this margin
is lower)
Countervailing investigations are conducted to determine
whether to impose countervailing duties to protect a domestic
industry against the unfair trade practice of proven subsidised
imports from foreign competitors that cause material injury to a
domestic producer.
Safeguard measures, can be introduced to protect a domestic
industry against unforeseen and overwhelming foreign competition
and not necessarily against unfair trade, like the previous two
instruments.
Dumping is
defined as a situation where imported goods are being sold at
prices lower than in the country of origin, and also causing
financial injury to domestic producers of such goods. In other
words, there should be a demonstrated causal link between the
dumping and the injury experienced.
The International Trade Commission of South Africa (ITAC) also
publishes Sunset Review Applications in relation to anti-dumping
duty in terms of which any definitive anti-dumping duty will be
terminated on a date not later than five years from the date of
imposition, unless the International Trade Administration
Commission determines, in a review initiated before that date on
its own initiative or upon a duly substantiated request made by
or on behalf of the domestic industry, that the expiry of the
duty would likely lead to continuation or recurrence of dumping
and material injury.
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The International Trade Administration published the latest
applications to amend the Customs Tariff of the Southern African
Customs Union (SACU) under a document entitled: "International
Trade Administration Act: Customs and Excise Tariff
Applications: List 4/2016".
The document was published in Government Gazette No.
40088 of 24 June 2016 under General Notice No. 366 of 2016.
The application relates the creation of rebate of duty on Single
yarn (excluding sewing thread) containing 85 per cent or more by
mass of polyester staple fibres, not up for retail sale,
measuring 160 dtex or more but not exceeding 330 dtex,
classifiable in tariff subheading 5509.21, in such quantities,
at such times and subject to such conditions as the
International Trade Administration Commission may allow by
specific permit for the manufacture of knitted fabrics of a mass
exceeding 100/m², classifiable under tariff heading 60.06.
The investigating officers were Ms T Morale or Mr Chris Sako at
telephone numbers (012) 394 3694 or (012) 394 3669, or at e-mail tmorale@itac.org.za
or csako@itac.org.za.
Comments are due by 24 July 2016.
Customs Tariff Application List 03/2016 was published in Government Gazette No. 39960 of 29 April 2016 under Notice
No. 264 of 2016.
ITAC also published its latest round of sunset reviews under
Notice No. 365 of 2016 in Government Gazette 40088 of 24
June 2016.
In terms of this notice the anti-dumping duties on fully
threaded screws with hexagon heads from China, the anti-dumping
duties on drawn, float and solar glass and unframed mirrors from
Indonesia and the anti-dumping duties on chicken meat portions
from the USA will expire unless a duly substantiated request is
made by or on behalf of the SACU industry indicating that the
expiry of the duties would be likely to lead to the continuation
or recurrence of dumping and injury.
Enquiries may be directed to the Senior Manager: Trade Remedies
I, Ms Carina Janse van Vuuren at telephone (012) 394 3594 or at
fax (012) 394 0518.
ITAC published an application for the withdrawal of the
application to increase the rate of Customs duty on printed
bi-axially oriented polypropylene film or polymers of propylene
classifiable under tariff subheadings 3920.20.25, 3920.20.35 and
3920.20.45 from 10% and free to 20% ad valorem under a document
entitled: "International Trade Administration Act: Customs and
Excise Tariff Applications: List 5/2016".
The document was published in Government Gazette No.
40110 of 1 July 2016 under Notice No. 377 of 2016.
The original application was published in Government Gazette
39718 of 19 February 2016.
For further enquiries contact Mrs Ayanda Ghandi at
endou@itac.org.za. |