In a significant development, the Directorate General of Customs Valuation in Karachi has released new customs values for the import of glassware and porcelain ware from several countries, including China, Iran, UAE, Thailand, Egypt, Korea, and Indonesia.
The move comes after a series of disputes and appeals from importers who had expressed dissatisfaction with the previous customs values determined under Valuation Ruling 1774 of 2023.
Initially, the Directorate had upheld the initial valuation ruling, dismissing the importers' objections.
However, undeterred by this decision, the importers filed an appeal with the Customs Appellate Tribunal, which ultimately set aside the impugned Valuation Ruling and the Order-in-Revision by the Director General of Customs Valuation.
Market trends
With no valuation ruling in place after the Tribunal's order, the Directorate General initiated a thorough assessment of the customs values for the subject goods.
This re-evaluation was based on a comprehensive analysis of import data and changes in international market trends.
Importers seek fair valuation
During the deliberations on the valuation of these goods, importers strongly asserted that the previously determined customs values were excessively high and not reflective of the actual transactional values of the items.
To support their claims, some importers submitted export General Declarations (GDs), invoices, and Bill of Lading documents.
Claims of discounts
Importers further argued that local manufacturers had recently announced a substantial 40% discount on their products. This, they contended, indicated a lower value for the imported goods in question.
However, they were asked to provide concrete evidence of these discounts, which they failed to do. Additionally, importers highlighted the impact of reduced freight rates from China, suggesting that this factor should be taken into consideration during the re-determination of customs values for these subject goods.
