Active complaints

Showing items 61 to 71 of 71
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
Check allUncheck all		 Date of incident Location
COMESA
EAC
SADC
Reporting country or region
COMESA
EAC
SADC
Status
 Actions
NTB-001-048 3. Technical barriers to trade (TBT)
B31: Labelling requirements 		2022-01-03 Tanzania: Standards Authority South Africa New View
Complaint: Vague Labelling requirement "Statutory Warning" Clause 12 (k), rejection of the UK Chief Medical Warning which is accepted in other African countries such as Uganda, Kenya without any objection in addition to their requirement.  
Progress: The stakeholder consultative meeting organized by the SADC Business Council which was attended by the concerned parties from South Africa and Tanzania and SADC Secretariat on 7 march 2022, agreed that the UK Chief Medical Officers Guidelines labelling should be retained (The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend adult do not regularly drink more than 14 units per week) provided that the Wine producer affixes an additional sticker which covers all missing information on the product package.
The additional sticker (label) should be legibly and indelibly marked.
The additional sticker should be submitted to the Tanzania Bureau of Standards for approval accompanied by the declaration letter from the Manufacturer stating that additional label originating from them and products imported in Tanzania will be labelled as such. 		 
NTB-001-050 8.8. Issues related to transit 2022-02-14 Tanzania: Tunduma Zambia New View
Complaint: There is a disruption in the flow of trade/transit at Nakonde/Tunduma border post due to a protest by transporters in Tanzania who are not moving cargo across the border. This has affected the movement of goods both into Zambia and Tanzania and has resulted in increased congestion on both sides of the border. Considering the important role the Nakonde/Tunduma border post plays along the transport corridor, any further delays resulting from the protests will significantly disadvantage all stakeholders within the region in terms of revenue and costs. This will ultimately have a negative effect on the consumer welfare in the countries and the region at large. It is therefore imperative that the present impasse is resolved as a matter of urgency.  
NTB-001-058 2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin 2022-03-12 Madagascar: Egypt Revenue Authority Egypt New View
Complaint: Our Egyptian customs reject to apply the COMESA certificate of origin attached because the signature is different.
We request COMESA to check the attached received from the shipper and inform us how we can handle this matter. 		 
NTB-001-059 7.10. Other 2017-03-07 South Africa: Botswana New View
Complaint: A Botswana based company, MOTOVAC reporting challenges is struggling to get payment of its Value Added Tax (VAT) import refunds from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) in time. It is reported, VAT refunds are not processed by SARS. The outstanding payments date back as far as 2017 with the company owed BWP 3,528,278.07 in VAT refunds by SARS.

  
NTB-001-062 3. Technical barriers to trade (TBT)
B31: Labelling requirements 		2022-03-22 South Africa: Beit Bridge Zimbabwe In process View
Complaint: Our Company is experiencing discretional acceptance of labelling of Arenel sweets by Port Health South Africa. We export jelly sweets among other products to the Republic of South Africa and our packaging has a sticker written “Jelly Babies” and does not state the word “Sweets”. The majority of sweets sold in the importing country (RSA) have similar packaging. On the 22nd of March 2022 our truck was stopped by Port Health South Africa at Beitbridge Border Post and the officials demanded that our truck return to Zimbabwe with the full load because the product labelling does not conform to the importing country`s labelling requirements. It seems there is no uniformity in the Port Health officials at Beit Bridge Border Posts are accepting labelling requirements for sweets entering RSA.  
Progress: 1. On 12 May 2022 , South Africa reported that they are attending to the matter and will report back as soon as possible.  
NTB-001-063 8.2. Administrative (Border Operating Hours, delays at border posts, etc.) 2022-03-24 Zambia: Kasumbalesa Zimbabwe New View
Complaint: There is slow Clearance by border agencies ( Zambia Customs) causing truck delays. Trucks following a queue 34km long at morning of 24 March 2022 .  
NTB-001-064 8.5. Infrastructure (Air, Port, Rail, Road, Border Posts,) 2022-03-24 Zambia: Mokambo Border to Mfulira Road Zimbabwe New View
Complaint: The Mokambo Border to Mfulira road has become impassable with trucks getting stuck in the mud and being damaged as a result of the poor road condition  
NTB-001-065 5.3. Export taxes 2022-04-01 Botswana: Ministry of Finance South Africa New View
Complaint: Botswana government is about to introduce the Tax Stamps on all imported products and that would affect the South African Wine Industry. The Tax Stamp imposition has been confirmed by the Botswana Minister of Finance and they have appointed the Service Provide that would conduct a Research.  
NTB-001-066 2022-01-01 Mozambique: Delegação Aduaneira de Ressano Garcia (Road) Mozambique New View
Complaint: Introduction by Autoridade Tributária de Moçambique of a SINGLE ENTRY Temporary Import Permit (TIP) at a cost of MZN700, which is currently processed manually for the majority of vehicles at Ressano Garcia's KM4 facility.
The costs are prohibitive for companies moving transit cargo from South Africa to the Port of Maputo, with 15 loads per week per vehicle a common achievement. In addition, the delays experienced by the manual processing of the TIP document adds significant cost on account of the waiting time that drivers are subjected to. The Port of Maputo has collaborated with Customs in Mozambique to collect electronic payments for the TIPs, but so far only 10 companies have taken up the use of the facility. Even those companies registered on the Port's electronic system are not guaranteed speedy processing, and delays are still experienced by drivers as they still have to queue to collect the TIP document. Electronic payments should take precedent over manual payments, but in reality this is not the case. It is common knowledge that a R50 bribe will speed up the processing of the TIP document.
The SADC Protocol on Trade is clear in its reference to the removal of tariffs and non tariff barriers. At this point, the TIP cost to one company moving 180 trucks per month, is in excess of R1,4million ZAR or USD88,000. The manual processing compromises the integrity of the system and the costs directly impact the competitiveness of the trade route for imports and transit imports into Mozambique.
With the push towards the harmonization of regulations within the SADC and TRIPARTITE region, the TIP process should be harmonized with that of South Africa which has a multiple entry TIP valid for 6 months and is processed at no cost to the user. 		 
Progress: On 30 June 2022, Mozambique Focal Point reported tat they were attending to the matter and will submit feedback as soon a s possible.  
NTB-001-067 8.6. Vehicle standards 2022-04-15 Kenya: Kenya New View
Complaint: Non recognition of Truck specifications approved and registered in Uganda.Kenya charges truck drivers approximately 150,000 ksh with trucks that have three axle loads.These are recognized and approved for transportation by Uganda. The truck drivers after paying the penalty are required to apply for an exemption permit that should be applied for two weeks in advance which is an additional delay and amounts to an increase in business costs.  
NTB-001-068 1.9. Determination of eligibility of an exporting country by the importing country
Policy/Regulatory 		2022-06-16 Kenya: Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives. (State Department of Livestock0 Directorate of Veterinary Services Tanzania New View
Complaint: Happy sausage Ltd is meat processing company based in Arusha Tanzania. The company produced various types of sausages (fresh, smoked, cooked, fermented), bacon, harm, fresh, beef, lamb, pork and chicken. The company wanted to export its products in Republic of kenya. The company was advised to apply to the government of Kenya for ana import permit of meat and meat products sourced from Tanzania , particulary from its Arusha facility. The application letter is attached for easy reference. The DVS (Kenya) replied to the application through letter with Reference No. MOALF/SDL/DVS/VPH/GEN/54 dated 29th March, 2022 by citing key requirements for meat importation into Kenya(those guidelines included in the letter).

The company complied with all requirements . The dully filled risk assessment questionnaires was submitted to DVS (Kenya)on 12th April 2022 ( the questionnaires is attached for reference) . What remains undone is for the DVS (Kenya) to send staff to Tanzania to Inspect the slaughter and meat processing facility in Arusha. We humbly request the DVS (Kenya) to send its staff to inspect the facility so that to allow the the company to export meat and meat product in Kenya. 		 
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