Customs Tariff, statistical code and duty rate changes for 1 July 2018

The Department has just published two Department of Home Affairs Notices setting out Customs Tariff, statistical code and duty rate changes that come into effect on 1 July 2018, summarised below.
 
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/Customsnotices/Documents/home-affairs-2018-20.pdf
https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/Customsnotices/Documents/home-affairs-2018-21.pdf
 
New Schedule 4 Item and By-law for the importation of blinded clinical trial kits and placebos to be used in clinical trials. 
As announced in the 2017-18 Federal Budget, blinded clinical trial kits and placebos imported for use in clinical trial will be eligible for a "free" rate of duty from 1 July 2018.  This has been achieved through the creation of a new concessional item, item 56, in Schedule 4 of the Customs Tariff Act 1995.  Item 56 is accompanied by newly created By-law 1800128.
 
EITA phase down 
The third scheduled phase down of customs duty rates under the Expanded Information Technology Agreement will occur on 1 July 2018. The customs duty rates for certain tariff subheadings in Chapters 32, 35.37, 39, 49, 84, 85, 90, 95 and 96 will be affected.
 
Statistical Codes 
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has made a series of changes to statistical codes for headings in Chapter 84 of the Tariff Working Pages in order to implement the National TV and Computer Recycling Scheme.  The new statistical codes will come into effect on 1 July 2018.  

Andrew Crawford - FTA / APSA