December Bulletin
Tariff Changes 2018
Jan 1, 2018, there will be a few tariff changes. The 2018 Tariff reflects changes to the Harmonized System (HS) from the World Customs Organization (WCO), Department of Finance Canada and Statistics Canada as well as scheduled rate reductions contained within the legislation of individual free trade agreements. The changes reflect international standards and trade patterns. You can review the changes here.
Affirmation of Advance and National Customs Rulings
As a result of the 2018 tariff changes some tariff rulings issued to your company may require adjustment. Review CN17-37 , paragraph 6 regarding affirming an existing tariff classification should it be affected by the tariff changes of Jan 1, 2018. A&A will be happy to help you with any affirmation of rulings required.
Verification Priorities
Twice a year CBSA publishes a list of products for post verification for compliance purposes. CBSA manages trade compliance with tariff classification, origin and valuation. There are two post-release programs: random verification and verification priorities.
See what CBSA will be targeting this year. If you have any questions, our Consulting Team will be happy to help you.
CETA – Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement
The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) came into force on September 21, 2017, eliminating most of the customs duties on goods imported into Canada from the European Union or the member states either immediately, or via a tariff phase-out through stages.
The European Union countries consist of 28 countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
View our previous notice on CETA.
Import / Export
It’s always a good idea to research admissibility of your goods before they ship.
When importing or exporting, there are a few additional Government agencies/divisions that may need to be involved in the process, along with Customs. You may need to confirm if these additional agencies or divisions also have requirements in order for your goods to be imported or exported from Canada. Most additional requirements are needed before the goods can leave the Country. Below is a list of some of the most common agencies/divisions involved with importing/exporting goods to or from Canada.
- Health Canada https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada.html
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) https://www.inspection.gc.ca/eng/1297964599443/1297965645317
- Transport Canada https://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/menu.htm
- Global Affairs https://www.international.gc.ca/international/index.aspx?lang=eng
- CBSA SIMA enforcement ( handles Anti-dump & Countervailing duties ) https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/sima-lmsi/menu-eng.html
- RCMP ( firearms, weapons & ammunition) https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/import-importer-eng.htm
Proposed Excise Duty Framework for Cannabis Products
Bill C-45, “an Act respecting cannabis and to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code, and other Acts” (referred to as the “Cannabis Act”) was introduced in Parliament on April 13, 2017, outlining the framework for legal possession, production, distribution, and sale of cannabis, with an intention to bring this Act into force no later than July 2018 (subject to Parliamentary approval and Royal Assent). As part of the Government’s commitment to legalize, regulate, and restrict access to cannabis, it is proposed to introduce a new excise duty framework that imposes duties on cannabis products. For more info: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XSVsvWfcg8ZFN4quLvf6BcTZdRUBEkD8DXyAf_L2gr4/edit#
Proposals for the regulation of vaping products
Health Canada is considering introducing regulations on vaping products pursuant to the proposed Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (TVPA). The proposed TVPA is part of Bill S-5, an Act to amend the Tobacco Act and the Non-smokers’ Health Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, which was presented to Parliament in November 2016. For more info;
For clarification on any of these topics, please contact one of our Compliance Specialists:
Tamra Johnson
tjohnson@www.aacb.com
604-542-7203
Wayne Smith
wsmith@www.aacb.com
604-542-7205
Margaret Klatt
mklatt@www.aacb.com
604-542-7281