Zim cancels Exemption Letters for importers

HARARE – The Zimbabwean government has cancelled the exemptions letters issued to importers, but without expiry dates, under the Consignment Based Conformity Assessment (CBCA) programme 2022.

The CBCA programme is an initiative the government introduced to avert the dumping of sub-optimal imported products into Zimbabwe by ensuring pre-shipment inspections are conducted before the imported goods enter the country. Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued exemption letters for goods entering the county under the CBCA programme with the intention to facilitate imports at the height of the pandemic.

As part of efforts to contain the viral infection, countries around the world in line with the World Health Organisation ( WHO) guidelines embarked on travel restrictions and national lockdowns, a development that impacted on trade and investment globally.

Last week, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued a public notice stating that the exemption letters that were issued to importers under the CBCA programme before June this year with no expiry dates have been withdrawn.

“In order to avoid misuse of such letters, please be advised that all exemption letters that were issued by the Ministry before 1st of June 2022 will expire on September 30, 2022,” the notice read in part.

Upon satisfactory verification, a CBCA certificate will be issued for the consignment and the certificate would be presented for customs clearance on arrival in Zimbabwe.

Goods that will arrive in the country without a CBCA certificate would be subject to inspection by authorities at Zimbabwe’s ports of entry.