| Complaint number |
NTB Type
Check allUncheck all |
Date of incident |
Location |
Reporting country or region (additional) |
Status |
Actions |
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NTB-000-129 |
2.10. Inadequate or unreasonable customs procedures and charges Policy/Regulatory |
2009-07-26 |
Eswatini: Bordergate |
Botswana |
Resolved 2011-06-06 |
View |
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Complaint:
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A total lack of consistency in the application of customs procedures at all clearing offices especially with regards to VAT. |
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Resolution status note:
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The Swaziland Revenue Authority (SRA) started operating in January 2011 and replaces the Department of Customs and Excise. The organization is therefore 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-000-129 |
2.10. Inadequate or unreasonable customs procedures and charges Policy/Regulatory |
2009-07-26 |
Eswatini: Bordergate |
Botswana |
Resolved 2011-06-06 |
View |
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Complaint:
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A total lack of consistency in the application of customs procedures at all clearing offices especially with regards to VAT. |
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Resolution status note:
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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-000-381 |
7.1. Arbitrariness Policy/Regulatory |
2010-06-08 |
Mozambique: Posto Fiscal de Cobue |
Zimbabwe |
Resolved 2012-03-27 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Mozambique police are charging fines to transporters although their Registration Books have been notarised by the Mozambique Embassy. Notarised Documents are acceptable throughout Mozambique except in other areas particularly the Beira region. Transporters from Malawi and Zimbabwe entering through Mulange/Muloza ; Forbes/Machipanda; Nyamapanda/Cuchamano; Dedza/Calomue and Mwanza/Zobue border posts are affected by these fines. Authorities in these corridors do not accept certified copies of the documents. |
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Resolution status note:
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Mozambique reported that the Interior Ministry advised that the Road Traffic Code states that the circulation within Mozambican territory with a photocopied document is illegal. Article 42 ( 2) of the Road Traffic Code and Article 7 (2) of Decree no. 68/2008 of 30th December. The fine is set at 200,00 Mts and not 2000,00Mts as was reportedly charged.
2. In a meeting held between SADC secretariat and Mozambique focal [points on 19 September 2011, it was agreed that the SADC secretariat would facilitate consultations between reporting and imposing country on this matter.
3. On 27 March 2012, Mozambique reiterated its position that , the road code in Mozambique states clearly that the driving is subject to an original valid driving license only.
Certified copies of driving licenses are not allowed. Following NTB mission in September, 2011 this complain is resolved. |
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NTB-000-130 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-26 |
Eswatini: Bordergate |
Eswatini |
Resolved 2011-06-06 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Lack of proper customs procedures and harmonization at the boarder posts. Customs regulations differ per individual officer, per border post , per country. There is no standard procedure of operation which is common to SADC countries |
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Resolution status note:
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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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Products:
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2004.90: Vegetables and mixtures of vegetables, prepared or preserved otherwise than by vinegar or acetic acid, frozen (excl. preserved by sugar, and tomatoes, mushrooms, truffles and potatoes, unmixed) |
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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 |
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Complaint:
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The customs declaration system linking Swaziland Borders is not automated. |
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Resolution status note:
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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-000-329 |
2.13. Issues related to Pre-Shipment Inspections |
2009-09-09 |
Eswatini: Customs |
Eswatini |
Resolved 2010-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Swaziland borders are seriously understaffed and there is to control smuggling. |
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Resolution status note:
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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-000-332 |
2.3. Issues related to the rules of origin |
2009-09-09 |
Eswatini: Customs |
Eswatini |
Resolved 2010-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Delays have been experienced in the issuing Certificates of Origin |
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Resolution status note:
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Swaziland reported that Customs Department issues certificates of origin for exports destined to US through AGOA and EU through Euro 1. The Trade Promotion Unit issues certificates for SADC and COMESA. Therefore there is need for clarity on which of these institutions is causing delays. |
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NTB-000-132 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures Policy/Regulatory |
2009-07-26 |
South Africa: South Africa Revenue Services |
Eswatini |
Resolved 2012-04-26 |
View |
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Complaint:
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South Africa is charging a fine of E1000.0 per set of customs documents for documents not acquitted within a month. |
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Resolution status note:
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At the 3rd meeting the Tripartite NTBs Focal Points and NMC Chairs held in Dar -es-Salaam on 19-20 April 2012,South Africa reported that this is a standing transit regulation. Swaziland and South Africa agreed that South Africa would provide the regulation for distribution to stakeholders. It was therefore resolved that the NTB be considered resolved. |
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NTB-000-120 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-26 |
Seychelles: Ministry of Trade |
Seychelles |
Resolved 2010-07-29 |
View |
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Complaint:
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The administrative procedures for issuing import licences require improved efficiency |
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Resolution status note:
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Seychelles reported that Infrastructural and human resources limitations being addressed |
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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 |
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Complaint:
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There is total lack of consistency in the application of customs procedures at all clearing offices. |
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Resolution status note:
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Seychelles reportd that the situation has much improved with ASYCUDA++ |
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NTB-000-122 |
2.7. International taxes and charges levied on imports and other tariff measures |
2009-07-26 |
Seychelles: Customs |
Seychelles |
Resolved 2011-06-03 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Seychelles has recently imposed a levy on imports of pork and poultry products into that country |
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Resolution status note:
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Seychelles reported that this is no longer the case |
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NTB-000-321 |
7.9. Inadequate trade related infrastructure |
2009-09-09 |
SADC |
Seychelles |
Resolved 2011-06-03 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Innadequate air passenger links between Member states. |
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Resolution status note:
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Seychelles reported that she is in the process of liberalizing trade and expanding trade within COMESA, SADC and IOC in order to facilitate trade within the region and access to food imports |
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NTB-000-089 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-26 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Revenue Authority |
Mauritius |
Resolved 2011-05-23 |
View |
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Complaint:
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There are long administrative procedures at the customs department with Tanzania Revenue Authority and other affiliated organizations. There are too many stages to go through before a container is released. |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania reported that easing of Customs Procedures and Improvement in Customs Clearance; 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. |
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NTB-000-093 |
7.5. Lengthy procedures |
2009-07-26 |
Tanzania: Banking Institutions |
Mauritius |
Resolved 2011-05-23 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Tanzania banks delay processing bank documents resulting in vessel arriving at the port of destination before the importer receives the original documents from the bank. |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania reported that the complaint is obliged to comply with banks’ requirements to speed up the process |
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NTB-000-149 |
2.8. Lengthy and costly customs clearance procedures |
2009-07-27 |
Tanzania: Tanzania Revenue Authority |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2011-07-28 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Despite efforts to improve the situation, customs procedures in Tanzania are cumbersome. In most cases, depending on the type of product, there is a long verification chain that involves many steps and numerous documents have to be handled/exchanged in the process of importing. |
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Resolution status note:
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Tanzania Revenue Authority reported that all customs documentation are now obtained and processed online. Traders engage Clearing Agents for clearing goods who obtain all documents online. |
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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-000-156 |
7.9. Inadequate trade related infrastructure |
2009-07-27 |
Tanzania: Along major highways |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2012-06-15 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Weighing equipment in some stations is sometimes faulty, meaning that even when a truck has a proper seal, weight readings at different stations vary. Also, there are numerous stations along the major highways, which do not respect seals even when it is clear that such seals have not been tempered with. The most notorious stations are along Moshi and Kibaha on Nairobi-Dar-es-salaam highway. |
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Resolution status note:
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The 10th meeting of SADC Committee on Trade Facilitation accepted Tanzania's explaination that problem arose due to packaging and loading of containers at the port. If containers are not properly packed, goods move while on transit and affect weigh on an axle. Distribution of weight on an axle may be correct at point of departure, but after some distance, it may change as cargo moves. Since weighing is on axles not cargo, different numbers may be recorded at
a weigh bridge. It was reported that sensitization was already being undertaken to alert traders to reduce the possibility of movement of goods inside containers while in transit by packing properly. The meeting therefore agreed to consider the NTB resolved. |
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NTB-000-158 |
1.1. Export subsidies A82: Testing requirement |
2009-07-27 |
Tanzania: Ministry of Agriculture |
Tanzania |
Resolved 2016-05-18 |
View |
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Complaint:
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Cumbersome procedures for , SPS certificates and the permits.The Ministry utilitises its own laboratories in Dar es Salaam with support from Tropical Pesticide Research Institute in Arusha which takes even more time. |
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Resolution status note:
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The procedures are being streamlined |
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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-000-160 |
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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