The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) has been quite busy lately, as evidenced by the numerous tariff amendments and trade-remedy amendments published on May 28.

Further, there are several trade-remedy applications (including some for antidumping duties) on which comment is due. These amendments introduce numerous changes to the South African Customs and Excise Tariff, including the following:

• the insertion of a rebate item for plug inserts without casings and socket inserts without outer casings, for use in the manufacture of insulated cables fitted with plugs moulded to the one side and a socket moulded to the other side, for a voltage not exceeding 250 V;

• the imposition of an antidumping duty on staple fibres of polyester, not carded, combed or otherwise processed for spinning, manufactured and/or exported by Zhe Jiang Waysun, originating in or imported from the People’s Republic of China, at an antidumping duty rate of 93c/kg;

• the imposition of an antidumping duty on staple fibres of polyester, not carded, combed or otherwise processed for spinning (excluding those manufactured and/or exported by Zhe Jiang Waysun, Cixi Jiangnan, Nantong Sanjia, Huvis Sichuan and Ningbo Dafa) originating in or imported from China, at a rate of duty of R5,83/kg.

• a reduction in the rate of customs duty on self-copy paper from 2,5% ad valorem to free of customs duty;

• an increase in the rate of customs duty on glycerol from free of customs duty to 10% ad valorem;

• the deletion of tariff subheading 7311.00.10 – ‘Of a welded construction, indelibly stamped that it has a water capacity of 1,5 l or more but not exceeding 150 l, identifiable for use with liquefied petroleum gas’;

• the insertion of tariff subheading 7311.00.20 – ‘Of a welded construction, indelibly stamped that it has a water capacity of 1,5 l or more but not exceeding 114 l, identifiable for use with liquefied petroleum gas’; and

• the retrospective amendment (June 22, 2001) of rebate code 01.04 and check digits 63 and 64 of tariff subheading 3921.19, and of rebate code 01.06 and check digits 68 and 69 of tariff subheading 9018.32, where they appear in rebate item 390.01, of June 22, 2001.

Antidumping Sunset Review – Acetaminophenol
A notice appeared on May 21 in respect of the initiation of a sunset review of the antidumping duties on acetaminophenol originating in or imported from the People’s Republic of China and the US.

The application was lodged by Fine Chemicals Corporation, which alleges that the expiry of the antidumping duties in respect of acetaminophenol would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and the recurrence of material injury.
Comment is due by June 28.

Imminent Lapse of Antidumping Duties
A notice appeared in respect of the imminent lapse of antidumping duties for chicken meat portions originating in or imported from the US, carbon black originating in or imported from Thailand, paperboard originating in or imported from South Korea and drawn glass and float glass originating in or imported from Indonesia.

The application was lodged by Itac. Manufacturers of any of these products who are based in the Southern African Customs Union region are required to sub- mit substantiated information indicating that the expiry of the antidumping duty would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping and material injury.