How will Steel Building Projects’ SADC Accreditation benefit you?

In a nutshell: In terms of intra-SADC trade, Prefabricated Steel Buildings fall under HS (Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System) Code 9406 (or Grubel-Lloyd index 0.03) and are exempt from customs duty by the importer.

Now this could amount to quite a substantial amount of money!

As you are in all probability aware that the import duties of any particular country is always a bit of maze. We would therefore suggest that you confirm the exact status in regards to importing steel buildings into your country by contacting your local Chamber of Commerce for assistance in this regard.

WHICH COUNTRIES MAKE UP THE SADC?

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been in existence since 1980. At the present moment, member countries are:

· Angola,

· Botswana,

· Democratic Republic of Congo,

· Lesotho,

· Malawi,

· Mauritius,

· Mozambique,

· Namibia,

· South Africa,

· Swaziland,

· Tanzania,

· Zambia and

· Zimbabwe.

· Madagascar was also a member – but was suspended from the SADC in March 2009 after the country’s president was forced out of office.

FREE TRADE AREA

A FTA is a group of countries in which import tariffs (or duties) and non-tariff barriers are eliminated on substantially all trade between them. Because Import tariffs increase consumer prices and reduce the level of trade the SADC regards the establishment of a FTA as being key to its mandate as a step along the path towards deeper regional economic integration. Members maintain their own tariffs on non-members. The FTA also includes measures directly aimed at facilitating trade by reducing red tape and paperwork at the borders and providing a framework for improving the movement of goods throughout the region.

TARIFF CATEGORIES

From January 2008, when SADC attained the status of an FTA, producers and consumers do not pay import tariffs on an estimated 85% of all trade in community goods in the initial 12 countries. The remaining tariff lines will be almost completely phased out by 2012.

Given that not all products qualify as being duty-free under a free trade agreement, a considerable amount of time was spent on negotiating the rules of origin, which were eventually agreed to as being product specific.

A SADC Certificate of Origin, which authenticates goods that originate from the region, is currently being used by the member states.

These rules of origin are to ensure that goods not originating from within the region do not enjoy tariff preference.

Sources: SADC, SADC Trade, TIPS, SA Trade Hub, www.allafrica.com

Not All buildings Are Created Equal -

Quality Will Remain Long After The Price Is Forgotten.