South Africa issued a draft bill stating which days can be counted for calculating time periods for certain customs actions during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an April 3 KPMG post. The country’s lockdown period, March 26 to April 16, “are not to be counted for purposes of calculating certain time periods that apply in respect of certain customs actions,” KPMG said, including “furnishing of documents or proof, or the submission of reports, notices or notifications.” The measure would be effective April 1.
Imports of essential goods needed to combat the spread of COVID-19 will be exempt from import taxes and value-added taxes in South Africa, according to an April 1 alert from KPMG. The changes, announced by the South African Revenue Service in late March, will also provide a “full rebate” on customs duties for imports of certain goods, including those needed for “relief of distress” of persons during a natural disaster, KPMG said. The goods include certain foods, chemicals needed for production of food products, cleaning and personal hygiene products (and chemicals needed to produce them), hand sanitizers, disinfecting soap, medical products and hospital equipment, fuel and “basic goods,” such as electricity.
Qatar will exempt food and medical equipment imports from customs duties for six months to combat the coronavirus pandemic, according to an April 1 post from KPMG. The exemptions apply to 905 types of goods, including “basic food items and a number of medical devices,” KPMG said. The six-month exemption period took effect March 23.
Dubai Customs introduced several temporary measures to help ease pressure on companies impacted by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, according to a March 26 KPMG post. The agency will refund 1% of the customs duty imposed on certain imported goods sold locally and exempt berthing fees for arrivals and departures for certain vessels registered at Dubai's Al Hamriyah Port between March 15 and June 30. It will also revoke the “bank or cash guarantee required to undertake customs broking activities” and will refund guarantees already submitted by brokers and clearing companies.
The Israel Ports Company completed its pilot program that allows digital transfers of bills of lading through blockchain technology, according to a March 12 news release. The process allowed greater “distribution of information” among supply chain actors, “greatly limiting the possibility of the information being penetrated and changed,” the IPC said. Electronic bills of lading will “constitute a significant step up in advanced technology” in Israel’s ports and allow for “more rapid release of cargo” while “saving time and the cost of using courier companies,” the IPC said.
Kenya is drafting a “Know Your Customer” bill to curb illegal trade and bring transparency to the country’s shipping industry through increased customer due-diligence requirements, according to a March 20 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The law, which was in response to the country’s illegal freight trade, will require importers and exporters to “identify the individuals or companies sending or receiving shipments from around the world” with the hope that increased due diligence will help curb money laundering, the report said. Know Your Customer-type laws are active in “many developed nations,” the report said, but Kenya would be the first African country to adopt such a measure.
Kenya reduced its penalty for importers who violate rules that require imported goods to undergo inspections of their origin countries, according to a March 16 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. The change, made last month, reduced the penalty from 20% to 5% of the value of the goods, the report said. The penalty stems from a policy that outlaws importers importing goods without prior inspection in their countries of origin, HKTDC said. Importers are concerned that lower penalties will lead to an influx of imports without prior inspections, which will lead to a backlog of goods awaiting inspection and evaluation at ports, the HKTDC said.
Morocco’s national food safety board plans to introduce new regulations for food product packaging that will impact “all foreign imports,” the Hong Kong Trade Development Council said in a March 10 report. A public consultation period ended in January and no details have yet been released on changes to the rules resulting from public comments nor a release date for the rules, the report said. The new requirements will apply to all of Morocco's trading partners that import, produce or use “food contact materials,” including metals, alloys, paper, cardboard, ceramics, plastics, inks, coatings and “varnishes used on food contact materials,” the report said. Other products impacted include rubber, regenerated cellulose films, pigments and dyes.
Several members of the Gulf Cooperation Council -- including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain -- introduced measures to amend or clarify their customs and value-added tax regulations, KPMG said in a March 9 post. Saudi Customs introduced a “self-correction program,” which allows importers to voluntarily declare and pay duties for “any pending customs liability,” KPMG said. In addition, Qatar is expected to implement its VAT regime this year, the post said, and Bahrain issued guidance relating to how often its VAT payers must file certain tax documents.
East African Community member states will increase the tariffs for imported finished goods to 32% from non-EAC countries, according to a March 6 report from the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. EAC previously charged a 25% tariff on all finished imports. The import tariffs will apply to the six member states: Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.