SACU DEVELOPMENTS

November 2004

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN SACU

New SACU Agreement in force - 15 July 2004

Progress in establishing and operationalising SACU institutions;

Commission operational;

SACU Secretariat established in Windhoek;

Member States considering SACU Headquarters Agreement with Namibia;

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN SACU

Workshop on Competition Policy (Art. 40) and Unfair Trade Practices (Art. 41), 0 August 2004;

Transitional arrangements agreed;

SACU Logo – with dti assistance – being designed

RECENT COUNCIL DECISIONS

• Ministers of Trade now members of Council;

• Council confirmed SA will continue managing revenue pool until July 2006;

• New revenue sharing formula in force;

• Final decision on either R2 or R3 options for revenue pool management at September 2004 Council meeting;

• Review of operations of new formula in three years;   

RECENT COUNCIL DECISIONS• Standing agenda items for Council meetings: Taxation

harmonisation and Single Border Crossing;

• Secretariat to have three directorates: Corporate Services; Trade Facilitation; and Policy Development;

• Recruitment upon completion of job descriptions and conditions of service;

• ITAC to continue (for 1 year) processing SACU tariff applications, and empower BLNS on tariff matters;

• Commission and Secretariat to complete work on annexes on Tariff Board and National Bodies.

SACU WORK PROGAMME

Trade Ministers to play a role in SACU strategic direction;

Ensure SACU structures (the Council, Customs Union Commission and technical liaison committees) work;

SACU Tariff Board yet to be appointed: Transitional measure is ITAC carry out duties of Tariff Board;

Annexes to elaborate key provisions of SACU Agreement: Tariff Board;Tribunal; Industrial Development Policies