DUTY CALLS

Bangladesh Kyoto
Convention
The World Customs
Organisation (WCO) Secretary
General, Kunio Mikuriya,
on 28 September announced
that Bangladesh had become
the 83rd contracting party
to the WCO Revised Kyoto
Convention, which entered
into force on 03 February
2006. The Convention is
regarded as a blueprint for
effective and modern Customs
procedures. Some of the
Convention’s key elements
include the application
of simplified Customs
procedures in a predictable and
transparent environment, the
maximum use of information
technology, the utilisation of
risk management, a strong
partnership with the trade
and other stakeholders, and a
readily accessible system of
appeals.
Worn Clothing Rebate
Item
In a Government Gazette
dated 24 August 2012
the International Trade
Administration Commission of
South Africa (Itac) published
the “Guidelines Regarding
Applications for Permits in
terms of the Provision of
Rebate Item 311.18/63.09/01.04
of Schedule No.3 to the
Customs and Excise Act”, for
comment due on 05 October
2012.
The Guidelines relate to
permits for the rebate of the
full rate of customs duty on
worn clothing and other worn
articles of textile material
used for the manufacturing
of wiping rags and cleaning
cloths.
The Guidelines consist
of the following parts: (1)
Application; (2) Conditions
of Permits; (2.1.1) Production
Capacity; (2.1.2) Movement
of Clothing and Other Textile
Material; (2.1.3) Goods
Suitable for the Manufacture
of Wiping Rags and Cleaning
Cloths; (2.1.4) Location and
Requirements of Rebate
Store; (2.1.5) Notification
Requirement; (2.1.6)
Documentation Requirement;
(2.1.7) Requirements in respect
of Goods not Suitable for the
Manufacture of Wiping Rags
and Cleaning Cloths; (2.1.8)
Inspections by the Inspectorate:
Import and Export Control
of the International Trade
Administration Commission;
(2.1.9) The Use of Other
Rebate Provisions; and (3)
Non-Compliance with the
Conditions of Permits.
Worn clothing and other
worn articles of textile
materials are subject to
Import Control conditions,
and an import permit will
only be issued in instances
where a rebate permit has
already been obtained. The
Inspectorate of the Directorate
Import and Export Control
must be notified in writing by
the permit holder at least 10
working days in advance of the
date of arrival of consignments
of imported worn clothing and
other imported worn articles of
textile materials at its premises.
According to “The Use
of Other Rebate Provisions”
(2.1.9) registered users of
the rebate provision for the
manufacture of wiping rags
and cleaning cloths may not
apply to register and import
under the rebate provision for
used overcoats.
Duty Call’s Watch List
Comments are due by 02
November 2012 in respect of
the increase in the domestic
dollar-based reference price for
wheat, classifiable under tariff
heading 1001.9, from US$215/
ton to US$326/ton through
an adjustment in the variable
tariff formula for wheat by the
inclusion of a self sufficiency
factor of 1.158.
Comments are due by 29
October 2012 in respect of the
initiation of the sunset review
of the anti-dumping duties on
plates and sheets, film, foil
and strip of polymers of vinyl
chloride, classifiable under
tariff subheading 3920.49,
originating in or imported from
the People’s Republic of China
and Chinese Taipei.
Comments are due by 15
October 2012 in respect of
the draft amendments for the
General System of Preferences
for the European Union and
Norway.