High tensile nuts, bolts & washers: Customs values on imports revised

ISLAMABAD: Directorate General Valuation Karachi has revised customs values on the import of high tensile nuts, bolts and washers for accurate assessment of duties and taxes at the import stage.

According to a valuation ruling issued by the DG Valuation, earlier the customs values of high tensile nuts, bolts and washers were determined vide Valuation Ruling No 949/2016, dated 6 October 2016.

Representations were received from traders/stakeholders that there is an increase in the prices of this commodity and therefore valuation ruling needs revision.

This Directorate General; therefore, initiated a fresh exercise for determination of custom values of the subject goods in terms of Section 25A of the Customs Act, 1969.

During the meeting with the directorate, the importers informed that international market has showed a mixed trend of prices over the period of time but no supportive documents were submitted in this regard.

However, the manufacturers contended that the values of the subject goods should be determined on the basis of LMB prices as the values of raw material used in the making of their goods is available in LMB, adding conversion cost.

They also submitted documents in this regard.

Transaction value method provided in Section 25(1) of the Act ibid was found inapplicable because no substantial import documents were provided by the stakeholders to prove that their declared values were true transactional values.

Moreover, different values were determined by various importers for same product according to different origins.

Therefore, identical and similar goods valuation methods as provided in sub-section (5) and (6) of Section 25 ibid were examined for applicability to determine custom values of the subject goods.

The same provided some reference values but could not be exclusively and solely relied upon due to variation in data.

In line with the statutory sequential order of Section 25, this office conducted market inquiries under sub-sections (7) of Section 25 of the Customs Act, 1969, but could yield no results as prices varied significantly according to selling point in the market.

Therefore, valuation method vide Section 25(8) was examined for valuation but the same could not be applied due to non-availability of conversion and processing cost of exporting country.

Finally, clearance data of similar/identical goods, market information from surveys, online information as well as values from internationally-acclaimed publications, periodicals, bulletins etc as provided under Section 25A ibid, so gathered were utilised and analysed for determination of custom values of the subject goods under Section 25(9) of the Customs Act, 1969, the FBR added.

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