On July 18, the World Customs Organisation (WCO) announced that the Republic of South Sudan had deposited with the Belgian government its instrument of accession to the convention establishing a Customs Cooperation Council. South Sudan, the youngest country in the world, will be part of the WCO’s East and Southern Africa region.

Waste Tyre Management Plan
In the Government Gazette of July 23, the Department of Environmental Affairs published a 50-page notice of approval of an integrated industry waste-tyre management plan from the Recycling and Economic Development Initiative of South Africa, in terms of the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008.

Liquors and Cordials
On July 27, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) informed of the amendment of Schedule No 6 to the Customs and Excise Act by the deletion of the heading in rebate item 620.05/104.16.01/01.01 for containers holding 2 ℓ or less and the deletion of the heading in rebate item 621.16/104.23.21/13.01 for liquors and cordials in containers holding 2 ℓ or less. The amendment is with retrospective effect from January 1, 2012.

Fermented Beverages
Sars informed on July 27 of a correction notice published in the Government Gazette of February 28, 2011, amending Schedule No 6 to the Customs and Excise Act by the substitution of rebate items 620.03/ 104.17.17/05.01 and 620.03/ 104.17.22/06.01 (other fermented beverages and other mix- tures of fermented beverages), as well as rebate item 620.07/104.15.07. The amendment is with retrospective effect from March 1, 2011.

Distillate Fuels
On July 27, Sars informed of the amendment of Schedule No 6 of the Customs and Excise Act by the substitution of note 5(b) in Part 3 and the substitution of rebate item 670.02/000.00/01.01 for distillate fuels and biodiesel used in the manufacture of the goods specified in rebate items 623.09, 623.10, 623.11, 623.12 and 623.13, as well as the substitution of rebate item 671.01/195 to 21/01.00 for specified aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, as defined in additional note 1(ij) to chapter 27, subject to a specific permit. The amendment is with retrospective effect from January 1.

Float Glass
Sars informed on July 27 of the amendment of Schedule No 2 of the Customs and Excise Act by the deletion of items 213.03/7005.29/ 14.06; 213.03/7005.29/15.06; 213.03/7005.29/16.06; 213.03/7005.29/20.06 and 213.03/7005.29/21.06 and by the substitution of items 213.03/ 7005.29/17.06 and 213.03/7005.29/22.06 for float glass and surface ground or polished glass, in sheets, whether or not having an absorbent, reflecting or nonreflecting layer, but not otherwise worked, of a thickness exceeding 2.5 mm but not exceeding 3 mm and 5 mm respectively, originating in or imported from Indonesia.

Natural Sodium Borates
On July 27, Sars informed of the amendment of part 1 of Schedule No 1 of the Act by the deletion of sub- headings 2528.10 and 2528.90 for natural sodium borates and con- centrates thereof; the substitution of subheading 2528.00, natural borates and concentrates thereof; the substitution of heading 1605.58, from snails (other than sea snails) with snails (excluding sea snails); and the substitution of tariff subheading 4412.31 to replace ‘square metres’ with ‘cubic metres’. The amendment is with retrospective effect from January 1.

Proposed Draft Amendment
An announcement has been made with respect to draft tariff amendments in Schedule No 4 to standardise the use of rebate codes. Comment was due by August 8.

Uncooked Pasta Tariff
The proposed increase in the rate of customs duty on other uncooked pasta not stuffed or otherwise prepared classifiable under tariff subheading 1902.19, from 30% ad valorem to 45% ad valorem. The applicant is Pioneer Foods, trading as Sasko Pasta.
Comments is due by August 17.

Pneumatic Tyres Review
The proposed review of rebate items 460.07/4011.10/01.06 and 460.07/4011.61/ 01.06 relating to new pneumatic tyres of rubber, for which the extent of the rebate of the duty is ‘null duty’. The applicant is the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa.
Comments is due by August 17.

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