en.Wedoany.com Reported - The International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) of South Africa has released its latest steel tariff amendment, which significantly extends its coverage from raw materials to a range of finished and manufactured products, catching importers off guard.

Customs expert Clifford Evans stated last week at the Port Liaison Forum (PLF) initiated by the Cape Chamber of Commerce that this amendment published by ITAC marks an enhanced protection for downstream steel manufactured products.

ITAC's Report 764, published in early May, introduced tariff amendments covering a wide range of steel-related products. On May 15, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) published tariff schedule amendments affecting products that had been under ITAC investigation for over a year.

Evans noted that this review covers a variety of commonly used products, including hand tools, saws and saw blades, manual wrenches and screw wrenches, knives with blades, pipes, nails, corrugated nails, and reinforced safes.

"The significance lies in the fact that for years, ITAC investigations have focused on raw materials such as hot-rolled coils and similar products. Now we are looking at downstream products, i.e., actual finished manufactured goods, many of which now face higher import duties," Evans said.

The ITAC report includes a series of recommendations involving various tariffs, rebates, and import control measures. Evans believes that while the steel and textile industries have historically been under close scrutiny by ITAC, the breadth of products covered in the latest review has still surprised many importers. "I think it's not surprising that the steel industry is under investigation, but I do believe people are surprised by the range of products covered this time," he said.

A correction notice published by SARS in the Government Gazette replaced a tariff subheading included in the broad steel review, retroactively effective from May 15. This correction involves tariff subheading 7307.19.90, which was included in the steel tariff amendment published in early May.

Another amendment raised the tariff on imported steel rails from 5% to 10%, effective from May 29. SARS published this amendment in Notice No. R 7533, following ITAC's Report 751 on steel rails classified under tariff subheading 7302.10.

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