| Complaint number |
NTB Type
|
Date of incident |
Location |
Reporting country or region (additional) |
Status |
Actions |
|
NTB-000-356 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2010-02-10 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Revenue Authority |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
Customs officers arbitrarily verify goods in transit at various check points and break seals for 100% physical verification leading to delays, breakages for goods thinly packed in the container etc. Customs could communicate with the next customs point at the border for verification to avoid 100% verification along the way. In some instances, the verification would have taken place at the point of loading the goods. |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania Revenue Authority reported that there are only two check points in Misubusubu and at Makambako to check only the if truck abides by transit time and transit route. TRA does not break any seals. If any seal is tempered with transporter is supposed to notify TRA office, transit check point or the nearest police station. All transit check points are automated under asycuda so they can be monitored in the system. TRA is in the process of acquiring electronic cargo tracking system hence check points will go away. |
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NTB-000-352 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures Policy/Regulatory |
2010-02-10 |
SADC |
Namibia |
Resolved 2011-11-10 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
The cabotage law applied by SADC Member states contributes to high transport costs. The law does not allow an empty truck to carry back a load from a third country. For example, a South African truck dropping off a load in Namibia cannot pick up a load in Namibia destined for Botswana even though this truck is using trans Kalahari Highway linking the two countries |
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Resolution status note:
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SADC secretariat responded that : the customs term cabotage as stated in Specific Annex E, Chapter 3 of the revised Kyoto Convention, is applied for imported goods that have not been declared under the condition that they must be transported in a vessel other than the importing vessel in which they arrived in the Customs territory are loaded on board a vessel at a place in the Customs territory and are transported to another place in the same Customs territory where they are then unloaded and cleared. The term can also be used for the same purposes for air transportation (domestic flights).
Looking to the complaint technically, one of the SADC Secretariat key objectives is to reduce the costs of doing business in the region. However, some interventions of the Secretariat are bounded by its regional economic integration process. SADC is currently a FTA among its 11 Member States, enabling goods originating in Member States applying the FTA to enter duty free and quota free under certain conditions stated in the SADC Protocol on Trade. For this economic activity, economic operators are not obliged to be registered as economic operators in the countries were goods are delivered. A deeper regional economic integration would be needed in order to allow foreign economic operators to engage in business activities in Member States, benefiting from local business opportunities but also fiscal obligations. This is a level of economic integration closer to common market and which unfortunately, the SADC Protocol on Trade does not provide for. |
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|
NTB-000-328 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures Policy/Regulatory |
2009-09-09 |
Eswatini: Revenue Authority |
Eswatini |
Resolved 2011-06-06 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
The customs declaration system linking Swaziland Borders is not automated. |
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Resolution status note:
|
Swaziland reported that the Swaziland Revenue Authority (SRA) started operating in January 2011 and replaces the Department of Customs and Excise. The organization is therefore fairly new and is still in process of developing appropriate customs clearances procedures which will be uniformly applied at all border posts. This also applies to recruitment and training of staff which is still is ongoing to reach the desired levels which will bring efficiencies in the provision of service at all borders. |
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|
NTB-000-121 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-26 |
Seychelles: Customs |
Eswatini |
Resolved 2011-06-03 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
There is total lack of consistency in the application of customs procedures at all clearing offices. |
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Resolution status note:
|
Seychelles reportd that the situation has much improved with ASYCUDA++ |
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NTB-000-049 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures Policy/Regulatory |
2008-12-22 |
Kenya: Kenya Bureau of Standards |
Egypt |
Resolved 2013-01-14 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
Pre-verification of Compliance (PVOC)
Complaint drawn to the attention of the Kenyan authorities |
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Resolution status note:
|
On 14 January 2013, Egypt Focal Point reported that Egypt was no longer complaining about the PVOC that Kenya is applying. So the NTB -000-049 should be put in the resolved NTBs category. |
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NTB-000-316 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures Policy/Regulatory |
2009-09-09 |
Seychelles: Port Victoria |
Eswatini |
Resolved 2010-11-22 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
There is a total lack of consistency in the application of customs procedures at all clearing offices in Seychelles |
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Resolution status note:
|
Seychelles proposed to have clearing agents undergo a competency training/exam for them to be well versed with application of customs procedures |
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NTB-000-253 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-09-08 |
Angola: Ondjiva Customs |
Namibia |
Resolved 2011-11-30 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
Clearance of goods by the Ondjiva customs at the Oshikango/Santa Clara border post is too time consuming (red tape/inefficient bureaucracy). |
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Resolution status note:
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During the NTBs national workshop held in Angola on 30 November 2011, Angola reported that its Customs service underwent a structural reform and modernisation resulting in the simplification and harmonisation of customs procedures. Clearance of goods takes maximum 48 hours, if documentation is properly submitted. |
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NTB-000-230 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-28 |
Namibia: Namibia Revenue Authority |
Namibia |
Resolved 2011-03-09 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
Border delays due to documentation and customs procedures. |
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Resolution status note:
|
Namibia reported that the Ministry of Finance have so far appointed 61 entry level staff and interviews are still ongoing senior positions up to April 2011
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NTB-000-230 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-28 |
Namibia: Namibia Revenue Authority |
Namibia |
Resolved 2011-03-09 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
Border delays due to documentation and customs procedures. |
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NTB-000-265 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-09-08 |
Namibia: Ministry of Trade |
Namibia |
Resolved 2010-11-22 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
General export licences and permits issued for all non SACU exports are processed by hand. There is no interface between the MTI permit system and ASYCUDA. The system is unpredictable with ever changing procedures as per the SACU agreement's Jacobsens' Index. The IEM requirements are not widely known, especially among incidental traders. There is limited capacity at MTI to handle and process the import and export permits. At present only one official is handling the permits. HS codes need to be obtained from Customs and Excise since MTI is not equiped to assist in this. |
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Resolution status note:
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Namibia reported that the system determines the change in the rate of duties but not procedures due to economic and policy considerations. Information leaflets on IEM are readily available at the Customs information centre and more will be available at MTI. |
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NTB-000-092 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-26 |
Tanzania: Dar-es-Salaam Port |
Mauritius |
Resolved 2011-05-23 |
View |
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Complaint:
|
Tanzania demands pre-shipment inspection for exports from Mauritius. The lack of appointed inspection company in Mauritius makes abiding to the requirements of pre-inspection difficult. |
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Resolution status note:
|
Tanzania reported that there is no pre-shipment inspection for exports from Mauritius. |
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NTB-000-090 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-26 |
South Africa: SouthAfrica Revenue Services |
Mauritius |
Resolved 2011-03-09 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
There are delays in VAT refunds for Mauritian importers of South African goods. It is also not clear whether the VAT refunds re only for those companies that use South African imports. |
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Resolution status note:
|
South Africa reported that this is no longer existing |
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NTB-000-090 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-26 |
South Africa: SouthAfrica Revenue Services |
Mauritius |
Resolved 2011-03-09 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
There are delays in VAT refunds for Mauritian importers of South African goods. It is also not clear whether the VAT refunds re only for those companies that use South African imports. |
|
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Resolution status note:
|
South Africa reported that this is no longer existing |
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NTB-000-090 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-26 |
South Africa: SouthAfrica Revenue Services |
Mauritius |
Resolved 2011-03-09 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
There are delays in VAT refunds for Mauritian importers of South African goods. It is also not clear whether the VAT refunds re only for those companies that use South African imports. |
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Resolution status note:
|
South Africa reported that this is no longer existing |
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NTB-000-382 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2010-08-11 |
South Africa: Beit Bridge |
Malawi |
Resolved 2011-10-18 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
The process of clearing trucks at the Beit Bridge Border Post is very low since week beginning 26 July 2010. Trucks take up to 3 days to cross from Messina to Beitbridge? Drivers have reported that South Africa Revenue Authorities are not deploying enough manpower to clear trucks on time. Stops and supervising take ages to be completed |
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Resolution status note:
|
At the Cross Border Road Transport Agency Indaba held on 18-19 October 2011, SARS reported that most clearance procedures are now done electronically. SARS is now moving into a paperless environment and is encouraging all Hauliers/Operators to register their road manifest with SARS to cut out on paper work at the border. It now takes as little as 11 minutes for a truck to be cleared on the South African side at Beit Bridge border. |
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|
NTB-000-327 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-09-09 |
Eswatini: Bordergate |
Eswatini |
Resolved 2010-11-22 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
There is a lack of proper customs procedures and harmonization at the border posts as well as lack of an automated customs declaration system linking Swaziland Borders. |
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Resolution status note:
|
Swaziland reported that ASYCUDA ++ has been rolled out in 60 percent of the border posts. However it is fully operational on exports. Some modules especially those related to deferment on imports have not yet been implemented yet. Capacity constraints and lack of financial resources and telecommunications infrastructure continue to pose a challenge. Nonetheless, the amendment to the Customs and Excise Act seeking to introduce mandatory electronic declaration has gone through the first reading in Parliament. It is believed that the law will facilitate the allocation of resources to the automation programme. The Department has reviewed the Memorandum of Agreement signed with South Africa with an aim to initiate discussions that will lead to ICT interconnectivity. |
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NTB-000-266 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-09-08 |
Namibia: Ministry of Trade |
Namibia |
Resolved 2010-11-22 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
The following stringent conditions stringent and cumbersome conditions are applied on the re-export (in bond mainly to Angola) of controlled petroleum products subject to permit:
a) A trade permit obtained from MTI a copy of which is to be supplied to the ministry.
B) The oil company involved and prices qouted shall be reviewed in writing in MTI.
c) Prices shall include all basic purchase costs |
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Resolution status note:
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Namibia reported that this information is required for the Government to determine the amount of tax to be paid by the exporting company and for Custom and excise levies |
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NTB-000-358 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2010-02-10 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo: Ministry of Trade |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2023-02-20 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
The process of obtaining DRC Ogeframe certificate delays cargo at the port and increases costs. Procedure is too long as it involves exporter paying fees at Tanzania Revenue Authority in DAr es Salaam Office and then take the document for endorsement by DRC. This is applicable only to transit goods to DRC. |
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Resolution status note:
|
Member States agreed to resolve on the strength that no complaints had been received . |
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NTB-000-151 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-27 |
Kenya: Kenya Revenue Authority |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2010-11-22 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
On a number of occasions, Kenyan customs demands that products originating from Tanzania have to be unloaded for physical verification, which means destruction of the product packages. The importer has thereafter to repackage goods at own cost so as to fit original packages. Products most affected include tyres, textiles, cognac spirits and cigarettes. |
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Resolution status note:
|
Issue resolved through COMESA customs and trade comittee |
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NTB-000-252 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-09-08 |
Namibia: Revenue Authority |
Namibia |
Resolved 2011-05-11 |
View |
|
Complaint:
|
Customs Clearing process at the Oshikango/Santa Clara border is very long. |
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Resolution status note:
|
The Ministry of Finance recruited 41 staff members as of January 2011 in an effort to clear up the Customs Clearance process. |
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