OLAF – The European Commissions’s fraud investigations office is currently inspecting solar panel manufacturing facilities (panels of photovoltaic cells) in Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan in order to verify the validity of the origin of solar panels. The non-preferential origin is important because of the high antidumping duties currently applicable to solar panels of Chinese origin. More information available.
Under Article 32 of the European Customs Code, the costs of transport to the European Union are a part of the customs value, which means that they should be added when such costs are not already part of the price actually paid or payable. Similarly article 8(2) Read more
Just recently, the Court of Appeal in Amsterdam ruled on the customs tariff of LED Lights Bulbs. More specifically, the question was whether LED-light bulbs ought te be classified under: Read more
This January, a German court ruled that the cost of quality controls, which an importer paid to a third party (a quality testing agency ) should indeed be included in the customs value ( FG Düsseldorf 4K 188/13) Read more
One of the effects of the antidumping duties on Chinese solar panels, is that factories in China are considering to relocate their productions facilities to other countries. Malaysia, Vietnam and even South Africa are, so I have heard, suitable alternatives. Read more
On 26 November the EU Commission issued Implementing Regulation 1212/2013 for the mandatory classification of heartbeat measuring equipment under CN-tariff code 9031.80.38. The reasons being that the equipment is composite goods made up of components classified under Chapter 90 Read more
When is something a ‘part or accessory’
Just recently, the Wold Customs Organisation (WCO) published a classification opinion about the tariff classification of a tripod (three legged camera support) for photo camera’s such as e.g. these: Read more
Although the results from the investigation into the actual dumping of porcelain and ceramics on the European Market are strongly doubted, the European Commission does impose provisional antidumping duties on porcelain and ceramic from Chinese origin. Read more
14 December 2012 will be a very important day for Health Claims on Nutrition and Food Supplements, and that day is approaching fast. From 14 December, only a very restricted number of permitted health claims may be used to promote or advertise food or nutritional products. Read more
A Dutch Court of appeal recently gave a decision in a case involving Fluoramfetamine. This chemical fell under the somewhat misleading category ‘legal highs’, which means that the chemical is not listed under the local Drug Abuse Act. Read more
