ATC190319: Report of the Select Committee on Finance on the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill [B 3 - 2019] (National Assembly- section 75), dated 19 March 2019.

NCOP Finance

Report of the Select Committee on Finance on the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill [B 3 - 2019] (National Assembly- section 75), dated 19 March 2019.
 

  1. Background

 

The proposed amendment to the Customs and Excise Bill inserts a new provision for the purpose of the administration and limitation of allowances in relation to the Carbon Tax Act. The provision facilitates the administering of those allowances and limitation of allowances as rebates, refunds or drawbacks. The proposed provision further requires that a taxpayer as defined in the Carbon Tax Act must license premises as may be prescribed by rule. The provision also regulates actions, pertaining to submission and verification of accounts, collection and payment of the carbon tax. The proposed amendment also allows the Commissioner to make rules insofar as it is necessary to regulate duties, powers and rights not regulated by the Carbon Tax Act in relation to collection and payment of the Carbon Tax.

 

  1. Committee process
    1. The National Council of Provinces (NCOP) referred the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill [B 3 - 2019] (National Assembly- section 75) to the Select Committee on Finance for consideration and report.
    2. The Committee called for public submissions on the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill [B 3 - 2019] (National Assembly- section 75).
    3. On 06 March 2019, the Committee received a briefing on the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill [B 3 - 2019] (National Assembly- section 75), from the National Treasury.

 

  1. The public hearings on the Bill were held on 12 March 2019, and the Committee received written and oral submission from the Business Unity South Africa (BUSA).
  2. The following stakeholder made written submissions but did not make oral submission:  Mr. Abdul Qayoom Bhamjee Input by stakeholders.
  1. Inputs from stakeholders

3.1              Business Unity South Africa

The Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) made the following submission on the Bill:

BUSA submits that the amended Customs and Excise Bill does not align with schedule 3 of the Carbon Tax Bill which was voted on by the Standing Committee on Finance on 05 February 2019. Their view is that enabling powers to give effect to the requirements to administer the Tax must be included in the amendments of the Customs and Excise Bill. Also, they believe that policy uncertainty is an impediment to investment and that the President has stated in a number of platforms for a that government is committed to addressing this issue. According to BUSA, the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill does not pass the test of regulatory certainty in a number of areas.

3.2              Mr. Abdul Qayoom Bhamjee

Mr Abdul Qayoom Bhamjee submits that, he trusts that duties on clothing on baby and children’s clothing will be carefully considered and reduced;

that they have been in existence for over 30 years and have really struggled to source supplies locally and that most of their type of business have ceased trade due to this problem. He further submits that there are hardly any manufacturers and that manufactures such as Keedo suddenly refuse to supply them.

Mr Bhamjee is of the view that duties, transport costs and the exchange rate renders this programme uneconomical, when they import from Spain. There is a great shortage of good fashion clothing.

 

  1. Recommendation

The Select Committee on Finance, having considered the Customs and Excise Amendment Bill [B 3 - 2019] (National Assembly- section 75), referred to it, and classified by the JTM as a section 75 Bill, reports that it has agreed to the Bill without amendments.

DA reserves its position on this report.

 

Report to be considered.

 

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