Duty increase requested on thermal paper

On 19 November 2021, Rotunda (Pty) Ltd applied for a duty increase on thermal paper, including thermo-copy paper, in rolls, of a width not exceeding 150mm classifiable under tariff subheading 4810.13.20. The requested duty increase will…

Anti-dumping investigation on spades and shovels from China and India as well as Picks, rakes and forks from India

Lasher Tools requested an anti-dumping duty to be imposed on “spades and shovels of a maximum blade width of more that 150mm but, not exceeding 200mm originating in or imported from the People’s Republic of China.…

Alleged dumping of laminated safety glass from China

On 22 October ITAC, at the request of PFG Building Glass, launched an anti-dumping investigation on safety glass imported from China, classifiable under tariff subheading 7007.29 (Safety glass, consisting of toughened (tempered) or laminated glass; Laminated…

Duty increase requested on biaxially orientated polypropylene (BOPP)

On 22 October 2021 SRF Flexipak applied for a duty increase on BOPP, classifiable under tariff subheadings 3920.20.50 and 3920.20.55, from free of duty to 10% through the creation of two additional 8-digit tariff subheadings. The…

Request for the Creation of a temporary rebate for bulk white chocolate

On 22 October 2021, ITAC initiated an investigation for the creation of a temporary rebate on bulk white chocolate classifiable under tariff subheading 1704.90. The applicant, Kees Beyers, provided the following reasons as motivation: Bulk white…

DESIGNATION OF THE CEMENT SECTOR IN SOUTH AFRICA

On 4 October 2021, the Acting Chief Procurement Officer at National Treasury issued a circular stipulating a minimum threshold of 100% is to be implemented on local production and content in the cement sector. This means…

Review of the duties on taps and mixers

On 17 September 2021, ITAC applied for a review of the general rate of customs duty “taps and mixers”, classifiable under tariff subheading 8481.80.79. ITAC cited the following reasons for the application: The main player in…

Anti-dumping investigation initiated on non-articulated welded chain links from China

On 17 September 2021, ITAC notified interested parties that McKinnon Chain, a Division of Scaw South Africa (Pty) Ltd, had brought an anti-dumping application on ”non-articulated welded link chains. manufactured from iron or steel wire from…

Safeguard investigation on certain structural steel (LONG STEEL AND BEAMS) terminated

ITAC has terminated the safeguard investigation into structural steel products (U, I, H, L, and T sections of iron or non-alloy steel). This comes 15 months after ITAC initiated the investigation.  The applicant had requested a…

Duties increased on grinding balls

SARS have increased the duties on “grinding balls and similar articles for mills”, imported under tariff subheading 7325.91, from duty-free to 15%. This follows an application from Grinding Media South Africa on 21 February 2020. It…

Yes. Another proposed change to the preferential price preference system (pps) on scrap metal

On 1 August 2021, Minister Patel extended PPS for another 2 years, on top of adding export duties on scrap metal. PPS is a forced discount when selling scrap metal locally. Now, just a month later,…

Will the African continental free trade agreement (AfCFTA) ever get implemented

I am worried about whether AfCFTA will ever be implemented, not matter how important it is. Certainly we are not on a hopeful path at the moment and if this is not rectified soon, I fear…

DUTY INCREASE REQUESTED ON ROLLS, SHEETS AND STRIPS OF UNCOATED PAPER

On 24 August 2021 ITAC initiated an investigation into increasing the duties on certain categories of uncoated paper.  The investigation is in response to an application by Mondi South Africa (Pty) Ltd to increase the Customs…

Bizarre anti-dumping duties implemented at the conclusion of the chicken sunset review

SARS published the final anti-dumping duties for Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom (UK) on 23 August 2021. This decision came in only a day before the 18-month deadline for the investigation was set to…

Change to the amended guidelines for the extension of safeguard measures

If you want to extend a safeguard duty which is already in place (for 3 years), you need to now file your application for the extension 12 months before expiry of the measure, rather than 6…

Provisional payment implemented on non-wired glass imported or originating in Malaysia

On 20 August 2021, SARS implemented a 25.31% provisional anti-dumping duty on “other non-wired glass”, other (HS 7005.29), imported from or originating in Malaysia. This provisional duty will remain in place until 18 February 2022. If…

Proposed creation of a temporary import rebate for air conditioners

On Friday, 20 August 2021, ITAC self-initiated an application for the creation of a temporary import rebate for: “Air conditioning machines, comprising a motor-driven fan and elements for changing the temperature and humidity, including those machines…

guidelines out for comment on “collaboration between competitors on localisation initiatives”

On 13 August 2021, the Competition Commission published the ‘Draft Guidelines on collaboration between competitors on localisation initiatives’ (Guidelines). That really is the title of the Guidelines issued by the Commission. Localisation, a vague concept in…

Amendments to duties and rebates in the automotive industry

In an attempt to make vehicles more affordable locally and boost sales, the duties on imported components of vehicles, aircraft, vessels and associated transport equipment can be rebated as if they are imported as parts of…

The safeguard duties on hot-rolled steel have expired

The 8% safeguard duties which were (illegally) maintained on hot-rolled steel products classifiable under tariff headings 72.08, 7211.14, 7211.19, 7225.30, 7225.40, 7225.9, 7226.91 and 7226.99 on 11 August 2020, have expired today (10 August 2021). Any…

Safeguard duties on set screws extended for another 3 years

The South African Fasteners Manufacturers’ Association (“SAFMA”) applied for a 3-year extension of the current safeguard duty on “other screws, fully threaded with hexagon heads (excluding those of stainless steel)” classifiable under tariff heading 7318.15.39. On…

PPS to be implemented on top of export duties on scrap metal

There is nothing good about this. The Price Preference System (PPS), forces a discount into the sale of scrap metal when sold locally and now the export duty will levy a large tax on the export…

Duty increase application on sulphates, alums, peroxides of copper

Kimleigh Chemicals have applied for a duty increase on the above products, imported under tariff code 2833.25, from zero to 10%. I have no idea what these are used for, but based on their website, either…

IMplementation of the export duties on scrap metal

On 1 August 2021 an export duty will become payable on scrap metal exported from South Africa.  The export duty will be payable on both imported and locally procured metals and includes exports to all countries,…

Yet another (intimidating) textile rebate

Thank goodness in this case it’s nothing important. Only the use of fabrics used to make wadding, gauze and bandages. The fabrics without the rebate, attract a 22% duty, which is a lot. The actual description…

Anti-dumping duties removed on frozen potato chips

It’s 5 months late, but (finally!) the anti-dumping duties on frozen potato chips from Belgium and the Netherlands have been removed. It’s actually more than 5 months late, as the anti-dumping duties expired on 26 January…

Minister Patel wants to extend the preferential pricing system (PPS) on scrap on top of scrap export duties

The PPS prohibits the export of scrap metal unless it has first been offered to the scrap consuming industry at a substantial discount. If local buyers make an offer at the PPS price of more this…

Safeguard duties on hot-rolled steel to terminate in August 2021

The safeguard duties on hot-rolled steel were meant to terminate on 17 August 2020, but ITAC and Minister Patel decided to extend them beyond their termination date. Macsteel challenged this decision and a settlement was reached…

ANTI-DUMPING SUNSET REVIEW ON POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (‘PET’) FROM CHINESE TAIPEI, INDIA AND SOUTH KOREA

Safripol, the monopoly producer of, PET requested the anti-dumping duties on PET from Taiwan, South Korea and India be extended by another 5 years. The sunset review investigation was initiated on 18 June 2021. According to…

ANTI-DUMPING SUNSET REVIEW INITIATED ON UNFRAMED GLASS MIRRORS FROM INDIA

When anti-dumping duties are imposed, they remain in place for 5 years, at which point they expire unless a sunset review is initiated. In South Africa this means that the current anti-dumping duties will remain in…