On 23 September 2022, ITAC initiated a review to increase the general rate of customs duties on rock drilling or earth boring tools, including parts thereof, classifiable under tariff subheadings 8207.13 and 8207.19, as follows:
- Bits, classifiable under tariff subheading 8207.13.25, from 15% ad valorem to 20% ad valorem;
- Parts of bits, classifiable under tariff subheading 8207.19.10, from 15% ad valorem to 20% ad valorem;
- “Other” tools, classifiable under tariff subheading 8207.13.90, from 0% duty to 20% ad valorem;
- “Other” parts, classifiable under tariff subheading 8207.19.90, from 0% duty to 20% ad valorem;
Furthermore, additional 8-digit tariff subheadings will be created for:
- “Conical shaped cutter picks, with tungsten carbide”, classifiable under tariff subheading 8207.13.30, from 0% duty to 20% ad valorem; and
- “Conical shaped cutter picks, without tungsten carbide tips inserts”, classifiable under tariff subheading 8207.19.20, from 0% duty to 20% ad valorem.
The application was brought by Daltron Forge (Pty) Ltd, for the following reasons:
- The downstream steel industry has been under distress, due to low-priced imports from China and other Asian countries;
- An increase in duty on the subject product will be essential to improve the domestic industry’s price-competitive position, and ensure that current employment levels in the industry are retained; and
- The duty increases will assist in resolving the duty anomalies, where the imported finished product carries no import duty, whereas the imported steel raw material carries a 10% import duty.
Interested parties have until 21 October 2022 to respond to the suggested tariff increases.