| Complaint number |
NTB Type
Check allUncheck all |
Date of incident |
Location |
Reporting country or region (additional) |
Status |
Actions |
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NTB-000-401 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures Policy/Regulatory |
2011-03-01 |
Mozambique: Customs Authority |
Mozambique |
Resolved 2011-09-29 |
View |
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Complaint:
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For certain types of commodity such as cement, maize, and sugar Mozambican Customs requires a customs escort for transit cargo out of Beira Port to the hinterland. The customs escort costs 5,000Mt for between one and five trucks in a convoy. However: customs escorts cannot be arranged ahead of time and can only be arranged on presentation of a full set of completed clearance documents to customs; customs at Beira Port does not operate at weekends meaning that cargo loaded on a Friday afternoon after 3.30pm or over the weekend and requiring an escort must wait until Monday to move. In practice customs does not always have people available to escort convoys meaning that the documents required for clearance are given to the last driver in the convoy and only when this driver reaches the border can all the trucks in the convoy be cleared out of Mozambique |
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Resolution status note:
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At the conusltative meeting held between SADC Secretariat and Mozambique focal points on 19 September 2011, ands subsequent meeting between SADC Secretariat, Cornelder de Mozambique, on 22 September 2011in Beira, Mozambique reported that Customs escorts are properly coordinated such that companies can make arrangements for escorts taking place during weekends well in advance. Customs at Beira have arrangements for availability of customs officer at all times to facilitates escorts. However, all documnetation for weekend escorts must be processed during office hours. |
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NTB-000-419 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2011-04-20 |
Mozambique: Delegação Aduaneira de Machipanda (Road) |
Mozambique |
Resolved 2011-09-29 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Perishable goods for export (cheese) are being held up for several hours despite documents having been pre-cleared, due to key staff (in this case the director) being absent from their posts |
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Resolution status note:
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At the consultative meeting between SADC secretariat and Mozambique Focal p[oints, on 19 September 2011, Mozambique reported that the customs desk is always manned. In the absence of information on a specific case, this issue is considered resolved. |
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Products:
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0406.30: Processed cheese, not grated or powdered |
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NTB-000-188 |
7.10. Other |
2009-07-27 |
Mozambique: Ministry of Transport |
Malawi |
Resolved 2010-11-22 |
View |
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Complaint:
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risk of robbery and theft along the way, particularly in Mozambique |
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Resolution status note:
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This complaint is too general and therefore cannot be traced. Malawi reported that they were unable to substatntiate the complaint. |
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NTB-000-188 |
7.10. Other |
2009-07-27 |
Mozambique: Ministry of Transport |
Malawi |
Resolved 2010-11-22 |
View |
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Complaint:
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risk of robbery and theft along the way, particularly in Mozambique |
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Resolution status note:
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Malawi and Mozambique reported that the complaint is too general and cannot be processed any further. In the absence of additional information, the complaint is therefore considered resolved. |
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NTB-000-398 |
7.8. Consular and Immigration Issues |
2011-02-22 |
Mozambique: Ministry of Interior - Immigration Department |
Mozambique |
Resolved 2011-09-19 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Foreigners are required to have a biometric document, either visa or residence document. This document is issued by the Ministry of Interior. The fees for issuing such documents are substantially higher than the cost of issuing the actual document, given that a passport containing a number of pages is charged at a much lower rate than a visa or residence document, while a visa is a sticker in a passport and a residence document is a simple plastic credit card-style ID. In addition for any national that is not from a Lusophone country a surcharge is levied over and above the cost of issuing the document. There is no indication of what this surcharge is levied for, since it does not equate to the service of actually issuing the document (which is covered by the actual document fee). |
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Resolution status note:
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Mozambique reported that there is no regional fee standard to benchmark with. Visas are issued by a private sector company. Ministry of Interrior does not therefore control the visa fees. |
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Products:
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98: Reserved for national use |
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NTB-000-402 |
7.4. Costly procedures Policy/Regulatory |
2011-03-01 |
Mozambique: Ministry of Finance |
Mozambique |
Resolved 2011-09-19 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Withholding tax is charged on payment to any company not registered in Mozambique. Any truck from a neighbouring country delivering goods to Beira is required to pay this tax on any backload which it may return with to its home destination. In practice this leads to the belief that no foreign truck can collect goods from Beira Port |
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Resolution status note:
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Mozambique reported that for all foreign operatorso undertake commerciaal transit operations, in that country, they must be conform to requirements as per article 25 of the ministerial decree 10/2002 of January 30th. |
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Products:
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2523.29: Portland cement (excl. white, whether or not artificially coloured) |
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NTB-000-160 |
1.1. Export subsidies A82: Testing requirement |
2009-07-27 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Bureau of Standards |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-08-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Exports go through unnecessary, onerous and costly testing and documentation procedures, since the TBS, TFDA, Ministry of Health and Tanzania atomic energy authority each have to issue export certification on every export consignment. |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania Revenue Authority reported that TRA does random physical verification as part of risk management analysis before clearing and this is done mainly on textiles motor vehicles. |
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NTB-000-160 |
1.1. Export subsidies A82: Testing requirement |
2009-07-27 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Bureau of Standards |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-08-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Exports go through unnecessary, onerous and costly testing and documentation procedures, since the TBS, TFDA, Ministry of Health and Tanzania atomic energy authority each have to issue export certification on every export consignment. |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania reported that Tanzania Institutions have been established and governed by Laws. The process of establishing Testing procedures under one roof is underway. |
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NTB-000-160 |
1.1. Export subsidies A82: Testing requirement |
2009-07-27 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Bureau of Standards |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-08-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Exports go through unnecessary, onerous and costly testing and documentation procedures, since the TBS, TFDA, Ministry of Health and Tanzania atomic energy authority each have to issue export certification on every export consignment. |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania reported that Tanzania Institutions have been established and governed by Laws. The process of establishing Testing procedures under one roof is underway. Tanzania Revenue Authority reported that TRA does random physical verification as part of risk management analysis before clearing and this is done mainly on textiles motor vehicles. |
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NTB-000-362 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2010-02-10 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Revenue Authority |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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There are different offices for processing customs documents in Tanzania. There is need for one stop house fore.g. in Dar-es- salaam |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania Revenue Authority reported that all documentation for imports is centralized and is available and processed online. Allexports documents are processed at the borders. |
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NTB-000-362 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2010-02-10 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Revenue Authority |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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There are different offices for processing customs documents in Tanzania. There is need for one stop house fore.g. in Dar-es- salaam |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania reported that documentation procedures have been decentralized as a result of use of online lodging of documents and extended working hours at the custom's department, among other improvements. Tanzania Revenue Authority reported that all documentation for imports is available processed online. All exports documents are processed at the border. |
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NTB-000-159 |
4.1. Issues related to sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures A83: Certification requirement |
2009-07-27 |
Tanzania: Ministry of Health |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-08-30 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Cumbersome certification procedures for certification of milk inputs.Certification officers are based in Dar es Salaam and going to Tunduma for verification is very cumbersome |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania Revenue Authority reported that TRA does random physical verification as part of risk management analysis before clearing mainly on textiles motor vehicles. |
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NTB-000-154 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-27 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Bureau of Standards |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Delays and high cost of screening honey. Tanzania Bureau of Standards takes from 3 to 4 weeks with constant follow up; 20 items are screened on payment of T50,000/- |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania Bureau of Standards reported that there is some improvement on the dwell time at TBS Test house. There has been an influx of samples in the food sector which has resulted in companies having to wait for maximum 1-2 weeks. The current capacity of the conformity infrastructure (soft and hard), has necessitated that TBS Laboratory applies a first come first attended procedure. TBS encourages the business community not to wait until the last hour before they lodge their enquiry.
2. The cost of conducting an analysis is determined by the type of analysis to be conducted and therefore the cost of the reagents which goes up with time. Example, the current (2011) analysis cost for Honey is 160,000.00Tanzanian Shillings per sample. |
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NTB-000-051 |
2.7. International taxes and charges levied on imports and other tariff measures |
2004-12-22 |
Malawi: Malawi Revenue Authority |
Kenya |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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25% excise duty on laundry soap.
Kenya complained that Malawian Government charge 25% excise duty on imports of laundry soap. |
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Resolution status note:
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At their meeting held on 29 August 2011, Kenya NMC reported that consultations had taken place between the Ministers of Trade of the two coutries which resolved the matter. |
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Products:
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3401.11: Soap and organic surface-active products and preparations, in the form of bars, cakes, moulded pieces or shapes, and paper, wadding, felt and nonwovens, impregnated, coated or covered with soap or detergent, for toilet use, incl. medicated products |
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NTB-000-038 |
2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin |
2008-12-22 |
Malawi: Malawi Revenue Authority |
Kenya |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Kenya complained that Malawian Government require submission of Form 18 along with COMESA Certificate of Origin. On Form 18, exporter has to justify that value addition amounts to 51% contrary to the COMESA value addition requirement of 35%. |
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Resolution status note:
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At their meeting eld on 29 August 2011, Kenya NMC reported that Kenya is no longer encountering this problem and are therefore happy to get it considered resolved. |
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NTB-000-424 |
6.6. Border taxes |
2011-07-04 |
Kenya: Malaba |
Uganda |
Resolved 2011-08-29 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Effective July 2007 to date Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) imposed a Plant Import Permit (PIP) of KShs 500 on every truckload of Uganda tea in transit to Mombasa, reason that they have to issue a Phytosanitary certificate when Uganda tea is being exported. However at this time Uganda tea is already sold off. This practice is contrary to international practice where the Phytosanitary certificate is issued by a competent authority in the country of origin in this case Uganda. The above practice also many times delays Uganda tea at Malaba due to making receipts, verification and clearing hence late for listing at Mombasa auction therefore making it less competitive. |
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Resolution status note:
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At the NMC meeting held in Nairobi on 29 August 2011, Kenya reported that:
1. Kenya does not issue plant import permit to goods in transit.
2. If tea is specifically declared as in transit, Malaba border verifies documentation and release without charging import permit. However if declared for local consumption, permit is invoked. |
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Products:
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0902.30: Black fermented tea and partly fermented tea, whether or not flavoured, in immediate packings of <= 3 kg |
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NTB-000-389 |
7.3. Corruption |
2011-01-28 |
Kenya: Sirari Border Post |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-08-29 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Police officers at the Kirumu check point are harrassing Truckers bringing goods to Tanzania through Sirari border post. The harrassment is associated with attempts to solicit for bribes. Truck owners claimthat although they usually have all the customs receipts pertaining to the merchandise they are carrying, police officers have continued to hassle them for no apparent reasons. |
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Resolution status note:
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At the NMC meeting held in Nairobi on 29 August 2011, Kenya reported a necessary disciplinary action had been taken to address this problem. |
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NTB-000-360 |
7.9. Inadequate trade related infrastructure |
2010-02-10 |
Kenya: Ministry of Transport |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Kenya is not calibrating the weighbridges; therefore there is use of different weights. Leading to rampant Bribery activities taking place at the weigh bridges |
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Resolution status note:
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At the NMC meeting held in Nairobi on 29 August 2011, Kenya reported the weighbridges have been automated such that weight is recorded online. |
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NTB-000-359 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2010-02-10 |
Kenya: Ministry of Home Affairs |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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In Kenya, police can claim that a container is security risk and arrest it until customs people come. |
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Resolution status note:
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At the NMC meeting held in Nairobi on 29 August 2011, Kenya reported that this was an isolated case which did not repeat. |
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NTB-000-157 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-27 |
Kenya: Kenya Revenue Authority |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Too much time is lost during cross border pre-shipment inspection and certification for Kenyan bound cargo. |
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Resolution status note:
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At the NMC meeting held in Nairobi on 29 August 2011, Kenya reported that KRA is currently carrying out time release study to determine time taken at borders.
2. EAC is in the process of introducing OSBP. |
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