In Customs Import Processing Charges – Update 2 published on 25th November, 2013, I reported the legislation to implement the planned increases to the Customs IPC would be tabled in Parliament with an expected implementation date of 1st January, 2014.
On Friday, 13 December, 2013, advice was received that the Import Processing Charges Amendment Bill 2013 passed through both Houses unaltered. The new charges will come into effect on 1st January, 2014.
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (“ACBPS”) on 1st December, 2013, issued ACBPS Notice 2013/63 which clarifies the scale of charges, and the following is an extract from that Notice:
“The charging arrangements that will apply from 1 January 2014 … are as follows:
– for all consignments valued at more than $1,000.00 but less than $10,000.00, the current rates of import processing charges will continue to apply;
– for sea consignments lodged electronically with a value of $10,000.00 or more, the import processing charge will increase from $50.00 to $152.60;
– for sea consignments lodged manually with a value of $10,000.00 or more, the import processing charge will increase from $65.75 to $152.60;
– for air and post consignments lodged electronically with a value of $10,000.00 or more, the import processing charge will increase from $40.20 to $122.10;
– for air and post consignments lodged manually with a value of $10,000.00 or more, the import processing charge will increase from $48.85 to $122.10.
There will continue to be no import processing charge for consignments valued at $1,000.00 or less.”
As this ACBPS Notice was issued prior to the legislation passing through Parliament, it is expected ACBPS will shortly issue further information to advise industry and importers of any special transitional arrangements to apply to import declarations that will likely be submitted towards the end of December, 2013, for shipments arriving early January, 2014.
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