New Public Notice to all Importers: Waiver of PVoC Surcharge fees on newly tagged commodities for the period 13th December 2021 to 13th March 2022

Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has an obligation to protect public health & safety and to ensure that consumers get quality products that match value for money. The Bureau also has the mandate to promote fair trade and contribute to national development. This is achieved through formulation, implementation and enforcement of standards for both locally manufactured and imported products for the Ugandan market as well as ensuring that national industrial policies are streamlined into available regulations and procedures.

Due to the formulation and development of a number of standards, the Bureau has expanded the scope of commodities it regulates. This has increased the number of import commodities tagged for its intervention on the Uganda Electronic Single Window. This development has affected a number of importers who were unaware that their import commodities are regulated by UNBS. These importers have engaged UNBS concerning their consignments, which are currently stuck in the Bonds and those already in transit, which did not undergo PVoC in the countries of export and are hence liable to surcharge fees, which they can hardly meet due to financial constraints.

In consideration of the above challenge, UNBS is providing an exemption period of three (3) months against PVoC requirements basing on the following terms.

1. Importers with affected consignments shall be required to personally approach the UNBS head office at Bweyogerere with the following;
2. An official request for waiver addressed to the Manager, Imports Inspection Department.
3. A declaration of all affected consignments including those in transit by proof of; the affected commodity’s customs declaration (IM4), the bill of lading/airway bill and the commercial invoice.
4. The importer’s official identification document for imports declared in personal names or a certificate of incorporation, Company Form 20 and one director’s official identification document for imports declared in company names.
5. To qualify for this exemption, the importer shall have to sign a commitment with the Bureau that all his/her future consignments covered by compulsory Uganda standards shall comply to all UNBS requirements on expiry of the waiver period.
6. The affected commodities shall be subjected to destination inspection and testing (where applicable) to ensure they meet quality and safety standards requirements before release.
7. The condition above is subject to payment of destination inspection and testing fees (where applicable) as per the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (Inspection & Clearance of Imports) Regulations, 2018. These fees are payable through the bank using a UNBS generated BAPF.
8. All consignments to benefit from this waiver must be notified to UNBS by proof of the documents required in (i) & (ii) above by the 13^th day of March 2022.
9. Consignments undeclared to the Bureau during this grace period will not qualify to benefit from this exemption.
10. The commodities to benefit from this waiver must be those newly tagged for UNBS inspection and hence covered by any of the following HS codes.

For any other inquiries, contact UNBS through the following; Mr. Abubaker Bakulumpagi: 0703659073 and Email: abubaker.bakulumpagi@unbs.go.ug, Mr. Samuel Tumwesigye: 0704585351 and Email: samuel.tumwesigye@unbs.go.ug or Mr. Kasim Kata: 0772675203 and Email: Kasim.kata@unbs.go.ug

NOTE: THIS NOTICE CANCELS AND REPLACES THE ONE ISSUED ON THE 22^ND DECEMBER 2021

Dated: 29^th December 2021

Eng. John Paul Musimami

Ag. Executive Director

UGANDA NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS