Canada, SA Sign Customs Agreement

(Times Live)

Canada and South Africa have signed an agreement to facilitate customs administration between the two countries.

Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and Canadian High Commissioner Adèle Dion signed the mutual administration agreement, the SA Revenue Service said in a statement.

The agreement consists of forms of practical co-operation, including assisting in applying customs laws and the appearance of customs officers as witnesses as experts in court cases in other countries.

"The agreement signed also enables for the advance electronic transmission of customs data between South Africa and Canada.

"... [This] allows for comparing of data at a transactional level and identifies non-compliance but also helps in identifying and rewarding compliant traders," the statement read.

National and international co-operation in customs administration was essential to keep pace with the increase in international trade, the growth in "transfrontier organised crime" and the threat of terrorism.

South Africa was the top export destination for Canadian goods in Africa in 2006, accounting for 33.5 percent of total exports of Canadian goods to the continent.