ONLINE TARIFF TOOL TO FACILITATE TRADE

MBABANE – Delays in obtaining information on goods classification and applicable duties and taxes will now be a thing of the past.

This follows’ the country’s decision to lead the way by launching an online tariff tool before guests who included Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo and his Finance counterpart Neal Rijkenberg as well as international guests from partners who included World Customs Organisation Secretary Kunio Mikuriya. 

The launch was held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane yesterday, with most of the guests who included Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Executive Secretary Paulina Mbala Elag and minister Khumalo participating virtually. 

The online tool, which is part of the European Union-World Customs Organisation’s programme for harmonised system in Africa, is dubbed e-Customs Tariff for Eswatini. 

It is user-friendly and can be easily accessed through the Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA) website. One just needs to click the Customs and Excise link on the website and access the tool.

For businesses, it comes with countless benefits. Traders will have easy access to the tariff at anytime and anywhere, provided they have internet connection. 

It reduces delays in obtaining information on goods classification and applicable duties and taxes. Users will receive up-to-date information on changes taking place in the tariff as amendments will be automatic and available online.  

Traders will further be timely informed and no adjustments to transactions will be required as updates will be timeous. Among the features is a duty estimator that will assist the business community to properly plan and budget before committing on any business transactions. 

Traders

There is also a link to the national Trade Information Portal (the information in the portal will always be up-to-date and this will assist traders in the classification of goods and will help them know the current applicable rates as information will be availed online).

In his address, Minister Khumalo applauded the partnership between the World Customs Organisation, European Union and SRA for making the online tariff  a reality. “We have recently embarked on a process to review Eswatini’s needs and  priorities under the MERCATOR Programme for the period 2020-2022, which also responds to the Post-COVID Border Environment. 

“I further appreciate the  EU-WCO Harmonised System (HS) in Africa (popularly  known as the HS-Africa Programme) under which this project  has been funded. The fact that Eswatini is the first WCO member state in Africa to implement the online tariff is but a great source of pride and honour for us all,” said the minister.

The minister further celebrated the Global Trade Solutions’ continued partnership with the SRA. “The role of Customs is changing very fast and this demands that we all be up to the task of responding to the ever-changing environment,” said the minister.

The minister further shared that SRA was working on a system for advance rulings, and that it is also being supported by WCO. 

Minister Rijkenberg, on other hand, shared that the platform was one of tools that are also very good examples of digital solutions for trade facilitation. “I am also pleased to see the SACU family participating in this event. I have been informed that engagements of rolling out this initiative to all SACU members  have  been  initiated  and  this  will  of course contribute to the overall SACU-Customs Modernisation Agenda,” said the minister.

Representatives from European Union delegation, Global Trade Solution and the AeTrade Group, all lauded SRA for the initiative. 

SRA Commissioner General Dumisani Masilela also made a stop on the podium and highlighted that the company was in pursuit of 100 per cent voluntary compliance.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: