New pre-shipment regulations postponed
GOVERNMENT has postponed until January next year the implementation of the new pre-shipment regulations under the Consignment-Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) programme.
The regulations, which saw new goods listed on those requiring pre-shipment inspections, were supposed to have started on Friday last week.
In a statement, the ministry said in order to facilitate the smooth implementation of the programme, new harmonised system (HS) codes that have been added in the Statutory Instrument will come into effect on 1 January 2024.
“Please be advised that SI 132 of 2015, and SI 124 of 2020, which govern the implementation of the consignment-based assessment (CBCA) will now be implemented by the new SI 186 of 2023 and 187 of 2023,” said the ministry in a statement.
“The transition arrangement will run from 21 October 2023 to 31 of December 2023. Therefore, from 1 January 2024, all regulated products listed in both statutory instruments will be subjected to full pre-export verification and destination inspection.”
The Government introduced the CBCA regulations in December 2015, which requires goods to be tested for conformity with required standards prior to importation into Zimbabwe.
The programme was adopted to reduce hazardous and substandard imported products and improve customs duty collection.
Bureau Veritas was appointed by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce for the verification and the assessment of conformity of goods in exporting countries.
Under the new regulations, a penalty fee for importing without a conformity assessment has been reduced to 12 percent from 15 percent of the value of the goods.
As part of the new import dispensation, all products regulated by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Zimbabwe exported into Zimbabwe must be accompanied by a CBCA certificate.
The categories of goods regulated under the programme include food and agriculture, building and civil engineering, petroleum and other fuels, packaging material, electrical/electronic products, body care, automotive and transportation, clothing and textile and toys. —chronicle
