Wire ropes, cables antidumping notices

14th February 2014

By: Callie Lombard

  

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The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) published two antidumping notices on wire ropes and cables on January 31, the first trade-remedy investigation notices in 2014.

The first notice pertains to the initiation of a sunset review of the antidumping duties on wire ropes and cables of a dia- meter exceeding 32 mm, classifiable under tariff subheadings 7312.10.25 and 7312.10.40 and originating in or imported from the UK and Germany, and on stranded wire or a diameter exceeding or equal to 12.7 mm, classifiable under tariff subheading 7312.10.20 and originating in or imported from the People’s Republic of China.

The application was lodged by Scaw South Africa, representing 100% by production volume of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) producers. The investigation period for dumping is from June 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013, and the material injury investigation period is from January 1, 2010, to May 31, 2013. Comment is due by March 10, but an extension to March 24 is likely.

The second notice dealt with the final determination on the termination of the interim review of the antidumping duties on wire ropes and cables classifiable under tariff subheading 7312.10.40, originating in or imported from Germany and manu- factured by Casar Drahtseilwerk. The application was initiated on April 19, 2013, and the Sacu manufacturer, Scaw South Africa, responded on June 13, 2013, and on October 14, 2013. Itac informed of its opinion in an ‘essential facts’ letter.

Casar Drahtseilwerk alleged that there had been a significant change in circumstances to warrant the review of the antidumping duties imposed on its exports of wire ropes and cables. Itac was of the opinion that there was no convincing argument that Casar’s pricing policy cannot be changed again and that the low volumes it exported during the period of investigation made it difficult to determine whether or not Casar would resume dumping in future, once the antidumping duties are withdrawn. Itac’s recommendation was accepted by Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies.

Customs Valuation Training
The World Customs Organisation (WCO) has informed that, from January 17 to 23, a WCO facilitator visited the South African Revenue Service (Sars), in Pretoria, to provide assistance with the strengthening of the organisation’s valuation training programme. Sars nominated a group of officials to work with the WCO facilitator in the production of new training modules on customs valuation.

Training modules will be developed for the basic, intermediate and advanced levels, and will be aligned to the WCO’s own valuation training modules. According to Sars, further work will now be conducted on developing a delivery strategy. This will ensure that key staff are trained to the necessary level and are able to conduct their duties in a professional manner, meeting the dual requirements of fair and efficient revenue collection and the facilitation of compliant trade.

Freight’s Emissions Impact
The Climate Support Programme of the Deutche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zasammenarbeit’s South African office supports the Department of Environmental Affairs in achieving the transition to a low-carbon and climate-resilient society, as described in South Africa’s National Climate Change Response White Paper.
The initial findings of the mitigation potential analysis revealed that shifting freight from road to rail would one of the measures that could play an important role in reducing the road transport sector’s carbon emissions.

An impact assessment that considered a range of criteria associated with the implementation of the mitigation options was conducted in the mitigation potential analysis and recommended that a more focused and in-dept study on the socioeconomic impacts of the proposed road and rail freight shift be conducted. The outcomes of this study will provide input into emissions reduction interventions in the transport sector.

Double-Taxation Agreements
In the Government Gazette of January 29, Sars, in terms of the Income Tax Act, published a supplementary protocol amending the agreement between the South African government and the government of the sultanate of Oman for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.

In the Government Gazette of January 24, Sars, in terms of the Income Tax Act, published a protocol amending the agreement between the South African government and the government of Malta for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.

Agricultural Measures
The National Agricultural Marketing Council has extended an invitation to directly affected groups to register and update their details on the Register of Directly Affected Groups’. A ‘directly affected group’ is any group of persons that is party to the production, sale, purchase, processing or consumption of an agricultural product and includes workers employed in the production or processing of such a product.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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