Active complaints

Showing items 61 to 67 of 67
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-001-030 2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin 2021-08-17 South Africa: SARS Customs Mauritius New View
Complaint: On 6 September 2021, the SADC Business Council (SADC BC) convened an online Non Tariff Barrier Workshop with the private sector in Mauritius. In the meeting, participants indicated challenges with variances in alignment of HS codes between Mauritius and South Africa(RSA).

1. …For exports from Mauritius to RSA, where a SADC is applicable, an exporter can insert 10 HS CODES on one SADC certificate. This is because the SADC certificate has now become electronic while before it was manual.
2. When it was manual, if someone had a nice handwriting, the person could insert more than 10 HS CODES as long as it legible.
3. When importing from RSA, Mauritian importers receive SADC certificates with 1 HS CODE only. Meaning RSA issues SADC certificates with ONE Line HS code only.
4. Thus if a Mauritian exporter is sending 10 different items to RSA and SADC is applicable, only one SADC certificate will be issued by Mauritian Revenue Authourity CUSTOMS.
5. On the other hand, if a SOUTH AFRICAN exporter sends only 3 different items to Mauritius, and of course SADC is applicable, SARS will issue THREE sadc certificates.
6. IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT: SADC certificates are payable at both ends. Meaning a local broker will charge an exporter when issuing a SADC certificate and SARS will charge a SOUTH AFRICAN exporter when issuing on their side.

If a Mauritian exporter has 18 ITEMS to be exported out of Mauritius and a SADC certificate is applicable, he/she will have to have TWO SADC certificates only WHILE on the other hand, if a Mauritian imports 18 ITEMS from RSA, he/she will have 18 SADC certificates with each certificate obtained at a cost which represents a huge amount for the one who pays for these certificates. 		 
Progress: On 11 october 2021, Mauritus Focal Point reported that: HS Codes are harmonized at 6 digit level internationally. However, at national level, as from 7th digit onwards, each Customs administration under the SADC are using their nationally-defined HS Codes.With respect to paragraph 6, it is to be noted that the SADC Certificate of Origin are processed electronically for multiple items (up to 10 items per certificate) and are issued by the MRA Customs Department in hard copy, free of charge.  
NTB-001-026 8.2. Administrative (Border Operating Hours, delays at border posts, etc.) 2021-08-18 Zimbabwe: Beitbridge South Africa New View
Complaint: There has been noticeable decrease in the volume of traffic crossing the Beitbridge border on the Zimbabwean side of the border for a few months now. On a normal working day +/- 1 500 trucks can cross the North South Corridor Border. The crossing entails Customs releases with the verification of other Government agencies to test and verify safety and security of the goods (Consignment).

However, in the last few months, the number has reduced to a maximum of +/- 400 trucks crossing the North South corridor. The drop in the movement of cargo is a combination of many factors and cannot be blamed solely on the hard infrastructure layout. An alignment with clear roles, responsibility, risk management profile , screening and removing of old outdated manual processes is required.

The challenge emanates from lack of harmonisation by enforcement Government agencies operating at the border which creates a huge bottleneck with minimal peace of mind, i.e SAPS on the South African side, Zimbabwe with its multiple Other Government Agencies involvement and linkage to a Private security company controlling the flow of cargo movement.
 
NTB-001-028 2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin 2021-09-07 South Africa: SARS Mauritius New View
Complaint: On 6 September 2021, the SADC Business Council convened an online Non Tariff Barrier Workshop with the private sector in Mauritius. In the meeting, participants indicated challenges in the application for SADC for export to South Africa. Mauritian exporters need to make a fresh application to customs each and every time they export to South Africa even if the manufacturing process remains the same and same materials are used. They need to resubmit all documents (raw material import documents, BOE, Stock movement statement etc) at each shipment. This is time consuming and complicates export procedures. It also put exporters at risk if they don’t get the certificate or it is delayed and the goods have already been produced.

Mauritian exporters request the region's policy makers to develop a longer certificate of origin that can be used repeatedly for similar shipments. And may be a yearly review/assessment by Customs for renewal 		 
NTB-001-029 2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin 2021-09-07 South Africa: South Africa Revenue Services ( SARS) Mauritius New View
Complaint: On 6 September 2021, the SADC Business Council convened an online Non Tariff Barrier Workshop with the private sector in Mauritius. In the meeting, participants indicated challenges in the application for SADC for export to South Africa. Mauritian exporters need to make a fresh application to customs each and every time they export to South Africa even if the manufacturing process remains the same and same materials are used. They need to resubmit all documents (raw material import documents, BOE, Stock movement statement etc) at each shipment. This is time consuming and complicates export procedures. It also put exporters at risk if they don’t get the certificate or it is delayed and the goods have already been produced.

Mauritian exporters request the region's policy makers to develop a longer certificate of origin that can be used repeatedly for similar shipments. And may be a yearly review/assessment by Customs for renewal 		 
NTB-001-038 6.5. Variable levies 2021-10-10 Tanzania: Tanzania Revenue Authority Kenya New View
Complaint: Tanzania is charging FULL CET, RDL among other levies on Kenyan wholly produced cement despite the Verification Report recommending that products qualify should be accorded preferential treatment

Additionally, despite URT commitment in the Bilateral and SCTIFI that URT grants preferential treatment to wholly produced cement as required by the EAC rules of Origin, URT is still charging duties of 35%. This is despite Tanzania not being under any stay of application.

Kenya urges Tanzania to accord preferential treatment to Kenya wholly produced cement as per the verification findings and recommendation and URT commitment on facilitation of trade. 		 
NTB-001-040 2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin 2021-10-14 Tanzania: URT TRA Kenya New View
Complaint: Tanzania denial of preferential market access for Apple Juice and Strawberry manufactured in Kenya while citing reasons that the products are not originating from Kenya. URT delayed the shipment instead of facilitating clearance as is required by the protocal and the EAC Rules of Origin then follow the process of reporting the matter to the secretariat for action/guidance.  
NTB-001-041 3. Technical barriers to trade (TBT)
B6: Product identity requirement 		2021-11-04 Zimbabwe: Beitbridge Zimbabwe New View
Complaint: South Africa Port Health officials demanding an extended description on one of our products. The product is a sweet type described as Apricots on both packaging and invoice but the officials want us to have the packaging written Apricots sweets. We have been exporting the sweet to South Africa for more than 5 years.  
Products: 2008.50: Apricots, prepared or preserved, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or spirit (excl. preserved with sugar but not laid in syrup, jams, fruit jellies, marmalades, fruit purée and pastes, obtained by cooking)  
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