Active complaints

Showing items 61 to 66 of 66
Complaint number NTB Type
Category 1. Government participation in trade & restrictive practices tolerated by governments
Category 2. Customs and administrative entry procedures
Category 5. Specific limitations
Category 6. Charges on imports
Category 7. Other procedural problems
Category 8. Transport, Clearing and Forwarding
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COMESA
EAC
SADC
Reporting country or region
COMESA
EAC
SADC
Status
 Actions
NTB-000-830 8.2. Administrative (Border Operating Hours, delays at border posts, etc.) 2018-07-16 Botswana: Martins Drift Zambia In process View
Complaint: A Zambian Registered Tanker carrying sulphuric acid from South Africa was weighed at the Martins Drift weighbridge with the following axle masses: Steer axle - 5200 kg (legal limit 8000 kg); Drive axles - 18200 kg (legal limit 18000 kg); Trailing axles - 22800 kg (legal limit 24000 kg). Tolerance is 5% on an axle set or on GVM, in this case it would be 900 kg on the driving axle set. The weigh bridge official instructed the Driver to Park telling him that his driving axle was overloaded without the application of the 5% tolerance. It is observed that only at this weigh bridge there is no application of the 5% tolerance. In the spirit of harmonization South Africa, Zambia and Botswana the legal limits are the same with a 5% tolerance except at Martins Drift weighbridge. Kindly assist to resolve this issue at Martins Drift which is causing unnecessary loss of transit time and charges. Please note that this is not a one off incidence.  
NTB-000-831 3. Technical barriers to trade (TBT)
B82: Testing requirement 		2018-08-07 Kenya: Mombasa sea port Mauritius In process View
Complaint: Mauritius exports its Brown sugar produced locally to Kenya under EAS specifications which is an EAC standard.
However, we had an issue with one of our consignment with KEBS Samples ref dated 27 th July 2018.
Further to KEBS Laboratory Test Report, the content of Water Insoluble matter is 317 mg/Kg. It is our view that it is impossible to have such an amount in a sugar testing result. The maximum permissible Water Insoluble Matter allowed by KEBS is 250 mg/kg.
The same laboratory testing undertaken by the sugar mill in Mauritius has revealed a Water Insoluble Matter of a content of 33 mg/kg. As a result of this significant difference, the consignment has been blocked at customs in Mombasa since the 7th August 2018 date of Analysis started.
For transparency purposes, our company requests to understand what is the method being used to analyse the Brown Sugar. 		 
Products: 1701.14: Raw cane sugar, in solid form, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter (excl. cane sugar of 1701 13)  
NTB-000-832 3. Technical barriers to trade (TBT)
B82: Testing requirement 		2018-08-28 Mauritius In process View
Complaint: All consignments of Sugar are systematically being on hold at customs in Mombasa for analysis though prior to shipment in Mauritius, a Certificate of Analysis is being issued and verified by SGS Mauritius and a Certificate of Conformity is issued by SGS South Africa based on Certificate of Analysis.
Same SGS is a recognized International Standards Body mandated by KEBS, we would like to understand why the sugar are also being analysed before clearance in Mombasa?

  
Products: 1701.14: Raw cane sugar, in solid form, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter (excl. cane sugar of 1701 13)  
NTB-000-857 8.3. Immigration requirements (Visa, travel permit) 2018-10-01 Tanzania: Kilambo Burundi In process View
Complaint: Tanzania charging of Business Visa of USD 250 to EAC business persons entering URT charged as Certificate of Temporary Assignment (CTA) at all borders  
Progress: 1. Tanzania reported that the charge is not for VISA but it is a fee on a pass.The fee is charged on persons coming in Tanzania to perform temporary assignments (economic activities and professional services) such as consultancies. The Meeting urged the URT to waive the fee for East African citizens as per Regulation 5 of the EAC Common Market Protocol.
2. During the Regional Monitoring Forum held on 29 April - 3 may 2019,URT informed the meeting that this fee is charged on persons coming in to perform temporary assignments (economic activities and professional services) such as consultancies.The Meeting urged the URT to waive the fee for East African citizens as per Regulation 5 of the EAC Common Market Protocol
Recommendation:
The EAC Secretariat to convene by September, 2019, a meeting of Ministries home affairs, chiefs of for Immigration, and Ministries responsible for Trade to handle matter as it affects both trade in goods and services 		 
NTB-000-836 2.6. Additional taxes and other charges
Policy/Regulatory 		2018-10-26 Tanzania: Tanzania Dairy Board Rwanda In process View
Complaint: Milk exported to Tanzania attracts numerous charges collected by different institutions including Tanzania Bureau of Standards, Tanzania Foods and Drugs Authority and Tanzania Dairy Board.

Also, to import a kilogramme of milk in Tanzania, under the newly signed Animal Diseases and Animal Products Movement Control Regulations published on 31st August 2018 (Government Notice No 476) and which entered into force on 1st October 2018, Tanzania now requires to pay Tsh 2,000 on milk imported from outside the country from Tsh150. This is a 1,233% increase (https://allafrica.com/stories/201810030671.html ).

This is a total ban since milk imported cannot compete with the local one. 		 
Progress: 1. The meeting reviewed the list of other charges of equivalent effect imposed on dairy products and noted that not all Partner States submitted the relevant charges as directed by SCTIFI. It was recommended that PS should forward the charges to the Secretatiat for compilation and harmonization.
It was noted that most of the charges are not customs-related and there is need to write through MEAC for ministries of Agriculture and Trade to facilitate provision of the information. The Forum directed the Secretariat to officially re-write to Partner States requesting for all the information on diary charges applied on imported processed milk by 30th May 2018. The Secretariat wrote to the Partner States and Partner States are yet to respond.
The Meeting of SC on Trade recommended that Partner States should submit comprehensive charges imposed on milk and milk products to the Secretariat by 30th November 2018.
2. In the Miisterial bilateral meeting held on 19 December 2018 URT reported that it is taking steps to harmonize fees and charges in order to facilitate trade, in line with the directive of H.E the President of URT to ease the doing business environment. Regarding the delays, URT indicated that they have received testing kits and as result, food and drug tests will be conducted at the border within one hour depending on the que. URT to communicate the implementation timelines by June 2019.
3. During the regional monitoring committee meeting held from 29 April - 3 May 2019, the Secretariat reported that they had sent a letter to Partner States to submit the additional charges for harmonization. 		 
NTB-000-891 2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures 2019-04-09 South Africa: Cape Town Eswatini In process View
Complaint: SARs stopped containers for inspection and are demanding proof of payment from consignee/buyer to the exporting company (Supplier) for the goods in transit to Eswatini. The affected company, Long Wei Investments are experiencing delays and incurring storage and demurrage charges at the port of discharge in Cape Town. SARS has withheld the consignment for over seven days from 9th April 2019. SARs are asking for different documentation at different times and dates thereby further delaying the inspection process and release of the consignments. The affected products are on Bill of Lading No. COSU6198384160  
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