The World Trade Organisation (WTO) released on October 28 the 2014 editions of its key statistical publications: International Trade Statistics, Trade Profiles, World Tariff Profiles and Services Profiles.

International Trade Statistics 2014 provides a detailed overview of world trade to the end of 2013, covering merchandise and services trade as well as trade measured in value-added terms. A variety of charts illustrate noteworthy trends in global trade, while numerous tables provide more detailed data. A chapter on methodology explains how the data are compiled. Data can be downloaded from the WTO website in Excel and PDF formats and from the searchable database as well as the WTO’s International Trade and Market Access data online application.

World Tariff Profiles 2014 provides data on tariffs imposed by WTO members and other countries. It is jointly published by the WTO, the International Trade Centre and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. The first part of the publication provides summary tables showing the average tariffs imposed by individual countries. The second part provides a more detailed table for each country, listing the tariffs it imposed on imports (by product group) and the tariffs on exports to major trading partners. The profiles show the maximum tariff rates that are legally ‘bound’ in the WTO and the rates that countries actually apply. This edition of World Trade Profiles 2014 has antidumping measures as its special topic, and includes a compilation of frequently asked questions.

Trade Profiles 2014 provides a snapshot summary of the most relevant indicators on growth, trade and trade policy measures on a country-by-country basis. The data provided include basic economic indicators (such as gross domestic product), trade policy indicators like tariffs, import (customs) duties, the number of disputes, notifications outstanding and contingency measures in force, merchandise trade flows (broken down by broad product category and major origins and destinations), services trade flows (with a breakdown by major components) and industrial property indicators.

Services Profiles 2014 provides key statistics on infrastructure services, such as transport, telecommunications, finance and insurance for some 150 economies. The information is derived from multiple sources, including national accounts, employment statistics, balance of payments statistics, foreign affiliates’ trade in services statistics, foreign direct investment statistics and quantitative indicators largely sourced from international and regional organisations as well as specialised bodies. The profiles reflect data as contained in the WTO’s Integrated Trade Intelligence Portal services database as of July.

According to the WTO, all three profiles are now available in the WTO statistics database in Excel and HTML formats, and the PDF versions are available on the WTO website. The printed versions will be available before the end of this month. World Tariff Profiles 2014 is available on request as an application for mobile devices.

In addition, the WTO’s Statistics Web page also features updates of the International Trade and Market Access data online application, the Statistics Database, the Tariff Analysis Online and Tariff Downloads applications, and the new versions of World and Regional Export Profiles (a PDF snapshot of the 2013 merchandise exports globally and by region). It also features the World Commodity Profiles (a PDF snapshot of the 2013 merchandise exports and imports for total merchandise trade, agriculture, fuels and mining and manufactured products) and world maps, which allow for comparisons between countries or customs territories on selected economic indicators.

Customs Control Act Workshop
On November 10, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) extended an invitation to attend its second workshop for external stakeholders on the Second Batch (chapters 11 to 20 and 24) of the draft rules of the Customs Control Act No 31 of 2014. The topics covered by the respective chapters are as follows: 11 (powers and duties of customs officers), 12 (general requirements for performing enforcement functions), 13 (identification of customs officers and equipment), 14 (customs offices), 15 (agreements for assistance in administration of this Act and tax levying Acts), 16 (customs cooperation with other countries), 17 (provision of special customs services), 18 (delegation by the Minister), 19 (delegation by the commissioner), 20 (definition) and 24 (requests for information).

The workshop is scheduled for November 26, from 10:00 to 12:00, in the Linton House auditorium, 2nd floor, Sars, 570 Fehrsen street, Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn, Pretoria (GPS coordinates: S25 46.295 E28 14.174). Those interested in attending need confirm by no later than November 24. Only two representatives per company can be accommodated.

Customs Control Act Rules
Sars released the third batch of the draft rules of the Customs Control Act No 31 of 2014, assented to on July 21 ,2014, for comment. The draft rules relate to chapters 21 (confidentiality), 23 (disclosures in terms of international agreements), 24 (requests for information), 25 (rules to facilitate implementation of this chapter), 26 (offences in terms of this chapter), 27 (purpose of this chapter), 28 (customs control of goods), 29 (customs control of persons), 30 (foreign-going vessels and aircraft passing through South Africa without calling or landing) and 31 (designation of places of entry and exit).

Previously, draft rules were released for comment on August 4 (with comment due on September 26) and June 17 (with comment due July 29), collectively accounting for 29 of the 936 sections (or 3.10%). Draft rules for chapters 2 (time of importation or exportation and of arrival or departure) and 22 (disclosure to authorised recipients) have not been released.

Those wishing to comment would need to provide comments on the comment sheet that was issued with the release of the draft rules.