If you are involved in any aspect of international trade, the single most important aspect is to know and understand the different types of customs and excise duties, also known as tariffs.

As a matter of interest, do you know how many types of duties there are? Can you name them? Can you explain each?

There are four, namely ad valorem duties, specific duties, formula duties (also known as rated duties) and the variable-formula tariffs.

An ad valorem duty relates to a percentage of the value of the imported or locally manufactured products (goods), for example, 10% of the customs or excise value.

A specific duty refers to the unit quantity of the imported or locally manufactured commodity, for example, R5/kg, R10/? or R7,50 for a pair of shoes. A formula duty, or rated duty, refers to a combination of an ad valorem duty and a specific duty, for example, 10% or R5/kg, with the highest rate of duty applying.

The variable tariff formula, the customs duty, is the difference between the domestic reference price and the world price. As a percentage, this type of duty is applicable to wheat and wheat flour, and sugar.

The obvious question now is whether all four types of duties are compliant with World Trade Organisation regulations. What do you think?

Trade Remedy Application Drawn Glass
A notice has been published in respect of the initiation of the sunset review of the anti- dumping duties on clear drawn and float glass originating in or imported from the Peoples Republic of China and India.
On August 22, 2008, the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) notified all interested parties that, unless a duly substantiated request is made by or on behalf of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) industry indicating that the expiry of the antidumping duties on imports of clear drawn and float glass originating in or imported China and India will likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and injury, the antidumping duties on clear drawn and float glass originating in or imported from the China and India will expire on November 4, 2009.

A response to the sunset review application questionnaire was received from PFG Building Glass on April 21, 2009.

All interested parties have until September 28, 2009, to provide Itac with completed importers questionnaires or completed exporters questionnaires.

Trade Remedy Application Garlic
A notice was published in respect of the initiation of an interim review investiga- tion into the antidumping duty on fresh or chilled garlic originating in or imported from China.

According to the notice, Itac has received an application for an interim review of the antidumping duty on fresh or chilled garlic originating in or imported from China as a result of changed circumstances in respect of dumping and material injury since the last review.

The application was lodged by the South African Garlic Growers Association, which is the farmers representative organisation for fresh or chilled garlic in the Sacu region. All interested parties have until September 28, 2009, to provide Itac with completed importers questionnaires or completed exporters questionnaires.

Taxation Laws Second Amendment Bill
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) released the Publication of the Explanatory Summary of the Taxation Laws Second Amendment Bill, 2009.

According the notice, the Minister of Finance intends to introduce the Bill in the National Assembly this month.

The amendment of the Customs and Excise Act 91 of 1964 will entail provisions allowing for the withdrawal or amendment of a decision or notice or communication; amendment provisions regulating the removal of goods in bond; amendment provisions regulating the exportation of goods from a customs and excise warehouse; the inser- tion of special provisions regarding the storage and clearance of stores, spares and equipment supplied to foreign-going ships and aircraft; the insertion of a provision specifying circumstances under which goods free of duty may be entered under a rebate of Schedule No 4; amendment provisions under which a penalty may be mitigated or remitted; amendment provisions regula- ting payment of outstanding amounts and inter- est; and the insertion of a provision allowing for the making of rules for the purposes of modernising customs admini- stration and the effecting of textual and consequential amendments.