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WTO launches quantitative restrictions website

27th March 2015

By: Riaan de Lange

  

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The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has announced the launch of its new Web page dedicated to quantitative restrictions (QRs), which are nontariff measures that governments impose to limit the quantity or value of goods that can be imported or exported during a specific period.

QRs can take different forms, such as quotas, prohibitions and voluntary export restraints, to name a few, and must be notified by WTO members to the WTO under a new procedure. The Decision on Notification Procedures for Quantitative Restrictions, adopted by the WTO Council for Trade in Goods on July 3, 2012, establishes the procedures that WTO members should follow to notify quantitative restrictions. The decision also allows WTO members to notify restrictions imposed by other WTO members.

The WTO QR website provides background information on QRs, which are generally prohibited under WTO rules except in certain defined circumstances. Through this website, WTO members now have direct access to all the necessary information on the notification procedure, explanatory documents and the notification form. The WTO members’ notifications are publicly available through the WTO’s QRs database, which can be accessed through the website, and can be searched by product, type of measure and trading partner, besides others.

The WTO QR website also provides links to the activities of the WTO’s committee on market access, which examines the QR notifications made by WTO members, as well as all disputes involving provisions relating to QRs. Article XI (General Elimination of Quantitative Restrictions) and Article XIII (Nondiscriminatory Administration of Quantitative Restrictions) of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) are normally cited in such complaints.

The WTO QR website can be accessed at https://www.wto.org/qr. Just so that you know. You will need to register, though, but this is quite a simplistic process.

Customs Acts Implementation
On March 10, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) informed that, as it mentioned at its briefing on the implementation of the new Customs legislation (Acts) on November 24, 2014, it had anticipated the implementation of most of the provisions of the Customs Control Act, 2014, and the Customs Duty Act, 2014, in June or July 2015.

However, apparently owing to several factors, including the ongoing consultative process with stakeholders, Sars has revised the anticipated implementation date for the Acts to “later in 2015 or during the course of 2016”. The revenue authority has committed to continuing to communicate with stakeholders on the implementation of the Acts.

According to Sars, adequate notice will also be given as to when registration and licensing applications may be submitted in terms of the Customs Control Act, 2014. Is one to assume that the initial focus is, thus, on registration?

Customs Control Act Workshop
Sars has postponed its workshop initially scheduled for March 27 to April 23. The workshop will be held from 10:00 to 12:00 in the auditorium on the second floor of Sars’ Linton House offices, at 570 Fehrsen street, Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, Pretoria. You need to confirm your attendance by April 16. The reason for the postponement has not been disclosed. Previous workshops were held on August 29, 2014 (Chapters 1 and 3 to 10); November 26, 2014 (Chapters 11 to 20 and 24); and December 11, 2014 (Chapters 21 to 23, and 25 to 31). Do you know how many chapters the Act consists of?

Wheat and Wheaten Flour
On March 13, Sars informed of an increase in the rates of customs duty (general or most favoured nation, European Union, European Free Trade Association and Southern African Development Community), in terms of the variable formula tariff, for wheat and wheaten floor classifiable under tariff subheadings 1001.91 and 1001.99 from 15.7c/kg to 46.1c/kg and tariff subheadings 1101.00.10 and 1101.00.90 from 23.5c/kg to 69.2c/kg. The amendment was in terms of the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa’s Minute M09/2014.

VAT Binding General Ruling
On March 12, Sars published a draft binding general ruling (BGR) on the value-added tax (VAT) treatment of the supply and importation of fruit and vegetables for a second round of comments, due by May 31. The revenue authority also published Interpretation Note 81 on the supply of goods and services by professional hunters and taxidermists to nonresidents, and BGR 26 on the VAT treatment of the supply and importation of herbs.

Wheelbarrow Dumping Duty
On March 6, Sars informed of the imposition of the provisional antidumping payment (duty) in respect of the alleged dumping of wheelbarrows, classifiable under tariff subheading 8716.80.10, originating in or imported from the People’s Republic of China. The applicant was Lasher Tools and the initiation of the investigation was announced in the Government Gazette of June 20, 2014. The antidumping duties are imposed from March 6 up to and including September 4 (a six-month period). The rates of antidumping duty differ, depending on whether the wheelbarrow is manufactured by Qingdao Youhe (32.32%), by Qingdao Wantai (29.82%) or by companies excluding Qingdao Yongyi, Qingdao Youhe and Qingdao Wantai (29.82%).

Battery Scrap
On March 6, the Department of Economic Development, through the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa, published the Proposed Export Control Measures on the Exportation of Scrap Batteries: 8548.10, on which comment is due by March 27.
Comments were invited on the proposed introduction of export control measures in terms of Section 6 of the International Trade Administration Act, 2002, on waste and scrap of primary cells, primary batteries and electric accumulators, spent primary cells, spent primary batteries and spent electric accumulators of tariff subheading 8548.10.

Public Officer Rule
On March 6, Sars informed of the amendment of sections 59A and 64 of the rules of the Customs and Excise Act, 1964 (Secondary Legislation), which serves to include a public officer appointed under Section 246 of the Tax Administration Act, 2011.

Glass Sunset Review
Comment on the sunset review investigation on clear float and drawn glass originating in or imported from the Republic of China and India is due by April 1. The application was lodged by PFG Building Glass, the only producer of clear float in the Southern African Customs Union region.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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