DUTY CALLS

Rule Amendment –
Environmental Levy
On 04 February 2011 the South
African Revenue Service (Sars)
announced the amendment of
Rule 54FB.05 under Chapter
VA “Environmental Levies”
to the Customs and Excise
Act (the Act). The amendment
relates to the insertion of Rule
54FB.05(d) to the Act, which
reads “Licensees may include
environmental levy payable
for March 2011 in terms of
environmental levy item 151.02
with the accounts for the
quarter 1 April 2011 to 30 June
2011.” The amendment will
come into effect on 01 March
2011.
Dumping Duty
Amendment – Blankets
The amendment to Schedule
No.2 “Anti-Dumping Duties”
to the Act of the anti-dumping
duties imposed on blankets
(excluding electric blankets),
classifiable under tariff
subheadings 6301.40 and
6301.90, imported from or
originating in the People’s
Republic of China (China) or
Turkey.
According to the notice the
residual anti-dumping duties
(company specific/other) have
been deleted and the rates of
anti-dumping duties have been
maintained against the specific
countries.
Tariff Amendment –
Caustic Soda
The insertion of Rebate Item
306.15/2815.11/01.06, which
relates to sodium hydroxide
(caustic soda), classifiable
under tariff subheading
2815.11. The effect of this
amendment is that a new
rebate provision is created for
sodium hydroxide (caustic
soda), solid, for use in the
extraction of uranium oxide
classifiable in subheading
2612.10 from uranium ore, in
such quantities, at such times
and subject to such conditions
as the International Trade
Administration Commission
(Itac) may allow by a specific
permit.
Statutory Measures for
the Potato Industry
The Minister of Agriculture,
Forestry and Fisheries
received a request from
Potato South Africa, in
terms of the Marketing of
Agricultural Products Act, for
the continuation of statutory
measures in the potato
industry.
The current statutory
measures will expire on
29 June 2011 and it is
proposed that the measures
be implemented for a new
four year period starting on
30 June 2011.
Directly affected groups i.e.
agents, certification bodies,
exporters, export inspection
bodies, fresh produce markets,
importers, producers and
traders are invited to submit
their written comments by no
later than 25 February 2011.
Directly Affected
Agriculture Group
Register
The National Agricultural
Marketing Council (NAMC)
is updating its “Register of
Directly Affected Groups”
for each commodity in the
agricultural sector.
The register is used to bring
applications for statutory
measures to the attention of
directly affected groups and
to invite such directly affected
group to lodge any objections
or representations relating to
a request for intervention in
the agricultural sector within a
specified time.
If you have not yet
registered, you are invited to
register as a directly affected
group within the NAMC.
Registration is free of charge.
National Road Traffic
Regulations
On 01 February 2011 the
Minister of Transport
published the “Amendment
of the National Road Traffic
Regulations”. Comments are
due by 01 March 2011.
Board of South African
Maritime Safety Authority
On 04 February 2011 the
Minister of Transport
announced the appointment of
members to the Board of the
South African Maritime Safety
Authority (Samsa).