Bill S-2
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S-2
First Session, Fortieth Parliament,
57 Elizabeth II, 2008
SENATE OF CANADA
BILL S-2
An Act to amend the Customs Act
first reading, December 2, 2008
THE LEADER OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THE SENATE
90453
SUMMARY
This enactment amends the Customs Act to clarify certain provisions and to make technical amendments to others. It also imposes additional requirements in customs controlled areas, amends provisions respecting the determination of value for duty, and modifies the advance commercial reporting requirements. Finally, it provides that regulations may incorporate material by reference.
Available on the Parliament of Canada Web Site at the following address:
http://www.parl.gc.ca
http://www.parl.gc.ca
1st Session, 40th Parliament,
57 Elizabeth II, 2008
senate of canada
BILL S-2
An Act to amend the Customs Act
Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
R.S., c. 1 (2nd Supp.)
CUSTOMS ACT
1998, c. 19, s. 262(1)
1. Subsection 2(4) of the French version of the Customs Act is replaced by the following:
Délégation
(4) Le ministre peut autoriser un agent ou une catégorie d’agents à exercer les pouvoirs et fonctions, y compris les pouvoirs et fonctions judiciaires ou quasi judiciaires, qui lui sont conférés en vertu de la présente loi.
2001, c. 25, s. 11
2. (1) Paragraph 11.3(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(a) has been authorized by the Minister; or
(2) Section 11.3 of the Act is renumbered as subsection 11.3(1) and is amended by adding the following:
Amendment, etc., of authorization
(2) The Minister may amend, suspend, renew, cancel or reinstate an authorization.
2001, c. 25, s. 11
3. (1) The portion of subsection 11.4(1) of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Presentation and reporting — when leaving customs controlled area
11.4 (1) Subject to subsection (2), every person who is leaving a customs controlled area shall, if requested to do so by an officer,
2001, c. 25, s. 11
(2) Paragraph 11.4(1)(b) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(b) report in the prescribed manner any goods that he or she has acquired through any means while in the customs controlled area;
(b.1) present those goods and remove any covering from them, unload any conveyance or open any part of it, or open or unpack any package or container that an officer wishes to examine; and
2001, c. 25, s. 11
(3) Paragraph 11.4(1)(c) of the French version of the Act is replaced by the following:
c) répondre véridiquement aux questions que lui pose un agent dans l’exercice des fonctions que lui confère la présente loi ou une autre loi fédérale.
2001, c. 25, s. 11
(4) Subsection 11.4(2) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Presentation and reporting — within customs controlled area
(1.1) Every person who is in a customs controlled area shall, if requested to do so by an officer,
(a) present himself or herself in the prescribed manner to an officer and identify himself or herself; and
(b) answer truthfully any questions asked by an officer in the performance of his or her duties under this or any other Act of Parliament.
Non-application of subsections (1) and (1.1)
(2) Subsections (1) and (1.1) do not apply to persons who are required to present themselves under section 11 or report goods under section 12.
2001, c. 25, s. 11
4. Paragraphs 11.5(a) to (e) of the Act are replaced by the following:
(a) prescribing the persons or classes of persons who may be granted access under paragraph 11.3(1)(b); and
(b) respecting the manner in which a person must present himself or herself under paragraphs 11.4(1)(a) and (1.1)(a) and report goods under paragraph 11.4(1)(b).
1992, c. 28, s. 3(1)
5. Paragraph 12(3)(b) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(b) in the case of goods, other than goods referred to in paragraph (a) or goods imported as mail, on board a conveyance arriving in Canada, by prescribed persons; and
6. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 12:
Advance information
12.1 The Governor in Council may make regulations
(a) requiring persons to give, before a conveyance’s arrival in Canada, information about the conveyance and the persons and the goods on board the conveyance;
(b) respecting the information that must be given;
(c) prescribing the persons or classes of persons who must give the information;
(d) prescribing the circumstances in which the information must be given; and
(e) respecting the time within which and the manner in which the information must be given.
7. Paragraph 48(1)(c) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(c) when any part of the proceeds of any subsequent resale, disposal or use of the goods by the purchaser is to accrue, directly or indirectly, to the vendor, the price paid or payable for the goods includes the value of that part of the proceeds or the price is adjusted in accordance with paragraph (5)(a); and
8. (1) The portion of subsection 49(1) of the French version of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Fixation de la valeur en douane fondée sur la valeur transactionnelle de marchandises identiques
49. (1) Sous réserve des paragraphes (2) à (5), la valeur en douane des marchandises, dans les cas où elle n’est pas déterminée par application de l’article 48, est, si elle est déterminable, la valeur transactionnelle de marchandises identiques vendues pour exportation au Canada et exportées au même moment ou à peu près au même moment que les marchandises à apprécier, pourvu que cette valeur transactionnelle soit la valeur en douane des marchandises identiques vendues :
(2) Paragraph 49(1)(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(a) at the same or substantially the same trade level as the goods being appraised; and
(3) Paragraph 49(1)(b) of the French version of the Act is replaced by the following:
b) en une quantité égale ou sensiblement égale à celle des marchandises à apprécier.
(4) Paragraphs 49(2)(a) to (c) of the English version of the Act are replaced by the following:
(a) at the same or substantially the same trade level as the goods being appraised but in different quantities;
(b) at a trade level different from that of the goods being appraised but in the same or substantially the same quantities; or
(c) at a trade level different from that of the goods being appraised and in different quantities.
(5) Paragraph 49(3)(b) of the English version of the Act is replaced by the following:
(b) if the transaction value is in respect of identical goods sold under the conditions described in any of paragraphs (2)(a) to (c), differences in the trade levels of the identical goods and the goods being appraised or the quantities in which the identical goods were sold and the goods being appraised were imported or both, as the case may be.
9. (1) The portion of subsection 50(1) of the French version of the Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:
Valeur en douane fondée sur la valeur transactionnelle de marchandises semblables
50. (1) Sous réserve des paragraphes (2) et 49(2) à (5), la valeur en douane des marchandises, dans les cas où elle n’est pas déterminée par application de l’article 48 ou 49, est, si elle est déterminable, la valeur transactionnelle de marchandises semblables vendues pour exportation au Canada et exportées au même moment ou à peu près au même moment que les marchandises à apprécier, pourvu que cette valeur transactionnelle soit la valeur en douane des marchandises semblables vendues :
(2) Paragraph 50(1)(a) of the Act is replaced by the following:
(a) at the same or substantially the same trade level as the goods being appraised; and
(3) Paragraph 50(1)(b) of the French version of the Act is replaced by the following:
b) en une quantité égale ou sensiblement égale à celle des marchandises à apprécier.
2001, c. 25, s. 60
10. Subsections 99.2(1) and (2) of the Act are replaced by the following:
Search of persons
99.2 (1) An officer may search any person who is in or is leaving a customs controlled area, other than a prescribed person or a member of a prescribed class of persons who may be searched under subsection (2), if the officer suspects on reasonable grounds that the person has secreted on or about their person anything in respect of which this Act or the regulations have been or might be contravened, anything that would afford evidence with respect to a contravention of this Act or the regulations or any goods the importation or exportation of which is prohibited, controlled or regulated under this or any other Act of Parliament.
Search of prescribed persons
(2) An officer may, in accordance with the regulations, search any prescribed person or member of a prescribed class of persons who is in or is leaving a customs controlled area.
2001, c. 25, s. 60
11. Section 99.3 of the Act is replaced by the following:
Non-intrusive examination of goods
99.3 (1) An officer may, in accordance with the regulations and without individualized suspicion, conduct a non-intrusive examination of goods in the custody or possession of a person who is in or is leaving a customs controlled area.
Other examination of goods
(2) An officer may examine any goods in the custody or possession of a person who is in or is leaving a customs controlled area and open or cause to be opened any baggage, package or container and take samples of the goods in reasonable amounts, if the officer suspects on reasonable grounds that this Act or any other Act of Parliament administered or enforced by the officer or any regulations made under it have been or might be contravened in respect of the goods.
Examination of abandoned goods
(3) An officer may, at any time, open or cause to be opened, examine and detain any goods, baggage, package or container that is found abandoned or that is not in the possession of any person in a customs controlled area.
2001, c. 25, s. 61
12. Subsection 107.1(1) of the Act is replaced by the following:
Passenger information
107.1 (1) The Minister may, under prescribed circumstances and conditions, require any prescribed person or prescribed class of persons to provide, or to provide access to, within the prescribed time and in the prescribed manner, prescribed information about any person on board a conveyance.
2001, c. 25, s. 68
13. Paragraph 127.1(1)(b) of the French version of the Act is replaced by the following:
b) il y a eu infraction, mais le ministre est d’avis qu’une erreur a été commise concernant la somme établie, versée ou réclamée en garantie et que celle-ci doit être réduite.
2001, c. 25, s. 75
14. Subsection 139.1(4) of the French version of the Act is replaced by the following:
Signification au ministre
(4) Au plus tard le quinzième jour précédant la date d’audition de la requête, le requérant signifie au ministre, ou à l’agent que celui-ci désigne pour l’application du présent article, un avis de la requête et de l’audition.
2005, c. 38, s. 82
15. Section 149.1 of the French version of the Act is replaced by the following:
Preuve de l’absence d’appel
149.1 Constitue la preuve des énonciations qui y sont renfermées l’affidavit d’un agent — souscrit en présence d’un commissaire ou d’une autre personne autorisée à le recevoir — indiquant qu’il a la charge des registres pertinents, qu’il a connaissance de la pratique de l’Agence ou de l’Agence du revenu du Canada, selon le cas, qu’un examen des registres démontre qu’un avis de cotisation prévu à la partie V.1 a été posté ou autrement envoyé à une personne un jour donné, en application de la présente loi, et que, après avoir fait un examen attentif des registres et y avoir pratiqué des recherches, il lui a été impossible de constater qu’un avis d’opposition ou d’appel concernant la cotisation a été reçu dans le délai imparti à cette fin.
2001, c. 25, s. 85(1)
16. Paragraph 164(1)(b) of the Act is repealed.
17. The Act is amended by adding the following after section 164:
Incorporation by reference
164.1 (1) A regulation made under this Act may incorporate by reference any material regardless of its source and either as it exists on a particular date or as amended from time to time.
Incorporated material is not a statutory instrument
(2) Material that is incorporated by reference in a regulation is not a statutory instrument for the purposes of the Statutory Instruments Act.
COMING INTO FORCE
Order in council
18. Section 5 comes into force on a day to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.
Published under authority of the Senate of Canada
Available from:
Publishing and Depository Services
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Available from:
Publishing and Depository Services
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Explanatory Notes
Customs Act
Clause 1: Existing text of subsection 2(4):
(4) The Minister may authorize an officer or a class of officers to exercise powers or perform duties of the Minister, including any judicial or quasi-judicial powers or duties of the Minister, under this Act.
Clause 2: (1) Relevant portion of section 11.3:
11.3 No owner or operator of a facility where a customs controlled area is located shall grant or allow to be granted access to the customs controlled area to any person unless the person
(a) has been authorized by the Minister in accordance with regulations made under section 11.5; or
(2) New.
Clause 3: (1) to (3) Relevant portion of subsection 11.4(1):
11.4 (1) Subject to subsection (2), every person leaving a customs controlled area, other than for the purpose of boarding a flight with a destination outside Canada, shall
...
(b) report in the prescribed manner and make available to the officer any goods that he or she has acquired through any means while in the customs controlled area; and
(c) answer truthfully any questions asked by an officer in the performance of his or her duties under this or any other Act of Parliament.
(4) Existing text of subsection 11.4(2):
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to
(a) persons who are required to present themselves under section 11 or report goods under section 12; or
(b) prescribed persons or members of prescribed classes of persons in prescribed circumstances.
Clause 4: Existing text of section 11.5:
11.5 The Governor in Council may make regulations
(a) respecting the authorization of persons under paragraph 11.3(a);
(b) prescribing persons or classes of persons who may be granted access under paragraph 11.3(b);
(c) respecting the circumstances in which an authorization under paragraph 11.3(a) may be amended, suspended, renewed, cancelled or reinstated;
(d) respecting the manner in which a person must present himself or herself under paragraph 11.4(1)(a) and report goods under paragraph 11.4(1)(b); and
(e) prescribing for the purposes of paragraph 11.4(2)(b) persons or classes of persons who are exempt from the requirements imposed by subsection 11.4(1) and the circumstances in which they are exempted.
Clause 5: Relevant portion of subsection 12(3):
(3) Goods shall be reported under subsection (1)
...
(b) in the case of goods, other than goods referred to in paragraph (a) or goods imported as mail, on board a conveyance arriving in Canada, by the person in charge of the conveyance; and
Clause 6: New.
Clause 7: Relevant portion of subsection 48(1):
48. (1) Subject to subsections (6) and (7), the value for duty of goods is the transaction value of the goods if the goods are sold for export to Canada to a purchaser in Canada and the price paid or payable for the goods can be determined and if
...
(c) where any part of the proceeds of any subsequent resale, disposal or use of the goods by the purchaser thereof is to accrue, directly or indirectly, to the vendor, the price paid or payable for the goods includes the value of that part of the proceeds or such price is adjusted in accordance with subparagraph (5)(a)(v); and
Clause 8: (1) to (4) Existing text of subsections 49(1) and (2):
49. (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (5), where the value for duty of goods is not appraised under section 48, the value for duty of the goods is, if it can be determined, the transaction value of identical goods, in a sale of those goods for export to Canada, if that transaction value is the value for duty of the identical goods and the identical goods were exported at the same or substantially the same time as the goods being appraised and were sold under the following conditions:
(a) to a purchaser at the same or substantially the same trade level as the purchaser of the goods being appraised; and
(b) in the same or substantially the same quantities as the goods being appraised.
(2) Where the value for duty of goods being appraised cannot be determined under subsection (1) because identical goods were not sold under the conditions described in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b), there shall be substituted therefor, in the application of subsection (1), identical goods sold under any of the following conditions:
(a) to a purchaser at the same or substantially the same trade level as the purchaser of the goods being appraised but in quantities different from the quantities in which those goods were sold;
(b) to a purchaser at a trade level different from that of the purchaser of the goods being appraised but in the same or substantially the same quantities as the quantities in which those goods were sold; or
(c) to a purchaser at a trade level different from that of the purchaser of the goods being appraised and in quantities different from the quantities in which those goods were sold.
(5) Relevant portion of subsection 49(3):
(3) For the purposes of determining the value for duty of goods being appraised under subsection (1), the transaction value of identical goods shall be adjusted by adding thereto or deducting therefrom, as the case may be, amounts to account for
...
(b) where the transaction value is in respect of identical goods sold under the conditions described in any of paragraphs (2)(a) to (c), differences in the trade levels of the purchasers of the identical goods and the goods being appraised or the quantities in which the identical goods and the goods being appraised were sold or both, as the case may be.
Clause 9: (1) to (3) Existing text of subsection 50(1):
50. (1) Subject to subsections (2) and 49(2) to (5), where the value for duty of goods is not appraised under section 48 or 49, the value for duty of the goods is, if it can be determined, the transaction value of similar goods, in a sale of those goods for export to Canada, if that transaction value is the value for duty of the similar goods and the similar goods were exported at the same or substantially the same time as the goods being appraised and were sold under the following conditions:
(a) to a purchaser at the same or substantially the same trade level as the purchaser of the goods being appraised; and
(b) in the same or substantially the same quantities as the goods being appraised.
Clause 10: Existing text of subsections 99.2(1) and (2):
99.2 (1) An officer may search any person leaving a customs controlled area, other than a prescribed person or a member of a prescribed class of persons who may be searched under subsection (2), if the officer suspects on reasonable grounds that the person has secreted on or about their person anything in respect of which this Act or the regulations have been or might be contravened, anything that would afford evidence with respect to a contravention of this Act or the regulations or any goods the importation or exportation of which is prohibited, controlled or regulated under this or any other Act of Parliament.
(2) An officer may, in accordance with the regulations, search any prescribed person or member of a prescribed class of persons leaving a customs controlled area.
Clause 11: Existing text of section 99.3:
99.3 (1) An officer may, in accordance with the regulations and without individualized suspicion, conduct a non-intrusive examination of goods in the custody or possession of a person leaving a customs controlled area.
(2) An officer may examine any goods in the custody or possession of a person leaving a customs controlled area and open or cause to be opened any baggage, package or container and take samples of the goods in reasonable amounts, if the officer suspects on reasonable grounds that this Act or any other Act of Parliament administered or enforced by the officer or any regulations made under it have been or might be contravened in respect of the goods.
(3) An officer may, at any time, open or cause to be opened, inspect and detain any baggage, package or container found abandoned in a customs controlled area.
Clause 12: Existing text of subsection 107.1(1):
107.1 (1) The Minister may, under prescribed circumstances and conditions, require any prescribed person or prescribed class of persons to provide, or provide access to, prescribed information about any person on board a conveyance in advance of the arrival of the conveyance in Canada or within a reasonable time after that arrival.
Clause 13: Relevant portion of subsection 127.1(1):
127.1 (1) The Minister, or any officer designated by the President for the purposes of this section, may cancel a seizure made under section 110, cancel or reduce a penalty assessed under section 109.3 or an amount demanded under section 124 or refund an amount received under any of sections 117 to 119 within thirty days after the seizure, assessment or demand, if
...
(b) there was a contravention but the Minister considers that there was an error with respect to the amount assessed, collected, demanded or taken as security and that the amount should be reduced.
Clause 14: Existing text of subsection 139.1(4):
(4) The applicant, no later than fifteen days before the day fixed for the hearing, must serve notice of the application and of the hearing on the Minister, or an officer designated by the Minister for the purposes of this section.
Clause 15: Existing text of section 149.1:
149.1 An affidavit of an officer, sworn before a commissioner or other person authorized to take affidavits, setting out that the officer has charge of the appropriate records and has knowledge of the practice of the Agency or the Canada Revenue Agency, as the case may be, and that an examination of the records shows that a notice of assessment under Part V.1 was mailed or otherwise sent to a person under this Act and that, after careful examination and search of the records, the officer has been unable to find that a notice of objection or of appeal from the assessment was received within the time allowed for the notice, is evidence of the statements contained in the affidavit.
Clause 16: Relevant portion of subsection 164(1):
164. (1) The Governor in Council may make regulations
(a) [Repealed, 1998, c. 19, s. 264]
(b) requiring, in any circumstances that may be prescribed, the owner or person in charge of a conveyance to give advance notice of the time and place of its arrival in Canada and any other information relating to its passengers and goods or its movement inside or outside Canada that may be prescribed, and prescribing the time within which and the manner in which the notice is to be given;
Clause 17: New.