TMI BlogInterpretative NotesX X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ote to rule 3 Price actually paid or payable The price actually paid or payable is the total payment made or to be made by the buyer to or for the benefit of the seller for the imported goods. The payment need not necessarily take the form of a transfer of money. Payment may be made by way of letters of credit or negotiable instruments. Payment may be made directly or indirectly. An example of an indirect payment would be the settlement by the buyer, whether in whole or in part, of a debt owed by the seller. Activities undertaken by the buyer on his own account, other than those for which an adjustment is provided in rule 10, are not considered to be an indirect payment to the seller, even though they might be regarded as of benefit to the seller. The costs of such activities shall not, therefore, be added to the price actually paid or payable in determining the value of imported goods. The value of imported goods shall not include the following charges or costs, provided that they are distinguished from the price actually paid or payable for the imported goods: (a) Charges for construction, erection, assembly, maintenance or technical assistance, undertaken after ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... action value. 2. Rule 3(3)(a) provides that where the buyer and the seller are related, the circumstances surrounding the sale shall be examined and the transaction value shall be accepted as the value of imported goods provided that the relationship did not influence the price. It is not intended that there should be an examination of the circumstances in all cases where the buyer and the seller are related. Such examination will only be required where there are doubts about the acceptability of the price. Where the proper officer of customs has no doubts about the acceptability of the price, it should be accepted without requesting further information from the importer. For example, the proper officer of customs may have previously examined the relationship, or he may already have detailed information concerning the buyer and the seller, and may already be satisfied from such examination or information that the relationship did not influence the price. 3. Where the proper officer of customs is unable to accept the transaction value without further inquiry, he should give the importer an opportunity to supply such further detailed information as may be necessary to enable hi ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... e factors may vary from case to case, it would be impossible to apply a uniform standard such as a fixed percentage, in each case. For example, a small difference in value in a case involving one type of goods could be unacceptable while a large difference in a case involving another type of goods might be acceptable in determining whether the transaction value closely approximates to the "test" values set forth in rule 3(3)(b). Notes to rule 4 1. In applying rule 4, the proper officer of customs shall, wherever possible, use a sale of identical goods at the same commercial level and in substantially the same quantities as the goods being valued. Where no such sale is found, a sale of identical goods that takes place under any one of the following three conditions may be used: (a) a sale at the same commercial level but in different quantities; or (b) a sale at a different commercial level but in substantially the same quantities; or (c) a sale at a different commercial level and in different quantities. 2. Having found a sale under any one of these three conditions adjustments will then be made, as the case may be, for : (a) quantity factors only; ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ases made in larger quantities. Sale quantity Unit price Number of sales Total quantity sold at each price 1-10 units 100 10 sales of 5 units, 5 sales of 3 units 65 11-25 units 95 5 sales of 11 units 55 Over 25 units 90 1 sale of 30 units, 1 sale of 50 units 80 The greatest number of units sold at a price is 80, therefore, the unit price in the greatest aggregate quantity is 90. 3. As another example of this, two sales occur. In the first sale 500 units are sold at a price of 95 currency units each. In the second sale 400 units are sold at a price of 90 currency units each. in this example, the greatest number of units sold at a particular price is 500, therefore, the unit price in the greatest aggregate quantity is 95. 4. A third example would be the following situation where various quantities are sold at various prices. (a)Sales Sale quantity Unit price 40 units 100 30 units 90 15 units 100 50 units 95 25 units 105 35 units 9 ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... , goods are made in sufficient quantity to establish the unit price. 11. Where the method in rule 7(3) is used, deductions made for the value added by further processing shall be based on objective and quantifiable data relating to the cost of such work. Accepted industry formulas, recipes, methods of construction, and other industry practices would form the basis of the calculations. 12. It is recognized that the method of valuation provided for in rule 7(3) would normally not be applicable when, as a result of the further processing, the imported goods lose their identity. However there can be instances where, although the identity of the imported goods is lost, the value added by the processing can be determined accurately without unreasonable difficulty. On the other hand, there can also be instances where the imported goods maintain their identity but form such a minor element in the goods sold in the country of importation that the use of this valuation method would be unjustified. In view of the above, each situation of this type must be considered on a case-by-case basis. Note to rule 8 1. As a general rule, value of imported goods is determined under thes ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... general expenses are high, the producer's profit and general expenses taken together may nevertheless be consistent with that usually reflected in sales of goods of the same class or kind. Such a situation might occur, for example, if a product were being launched in India and the producer accepted a nil or low profit to offset high general expenses associated with the launch. Where the producer can demonstrate a low profit on his sales of the imported goods because of particular commercial circumstances, his actual profit figures should be taken into account provided that he has valid commercial reasons to justify them and his pricing policy reflects usual pricing policies in the branch of industry concerned. Such a situation might occur for example, where producers have been forced to lower prices temporarily because of an unforeseeable drop in demand, or where they sell goods to complement a range of goods being produced in India and accept a low profit to maintain competitivity. Where the producer's own figures for profit and general expenses are not consistent with those usually reflected in sales of goods of the same class or kind as the goods being valued which are made by ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... in the "condition as imported" in rule 7(1) could be flexibly interpreted; the ninety days requirement could be administered flexibly. Note to rule 10 In rule 10(l)(a)(i), the term "buying commissions" means fees paid by an importer to his agent for the service of representing him abroad in the purchase of the goods being valued. Rule 10(l)(b)(ii) 1. There are two factors involved in the apportionment of the elements specified in rule 10(l)(b)(ii) to the imported goods - the value of the element itself and the way in which that value is to be apportioned to the imported goods. The apportionment of these elements should be made in a reasonable manner appropriate to the circumstances and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. 2. Concerning the value of the element, if the importer acquires the element from a seller not related to him at a given cost, the value of the element is that cost. If the element was produced by the importer or by a person related to him, its value would be the cost of producing it. If the element had been previously used by the importer, regardless of whether it had been acquired or produced by such importer, the origi ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... e made under the provisions of rule 10. 5. In another case, a firm may carry the cost of the design centre outside the country of importation as a general overhead expense without allocation to specific products. In this instance, an appropriate adjustment could be made under the provisions of rule 10 with respect to the imported goods by apportioning total design centre costs over total production benefiting from the design centre and adding such apportioned cost on a unit basis to imports. 6. Variations in the above circumstances will, of course, require different factors to be considered in determining the proper method of allocation. 7. In cases where the production of the element in question involves a number of countries and over a period of time, the adjustment should be limited to the value actually added to that element outside the country of importation. Rule 10(l)(c) 1. The royalties and licence fees referred to in rule 10(l)(c) may include among other things, payments in respect to patents, trademarks and copyrights. However, the charges for the right to reproduce the imported goods in the country of importation shall not be added to the price actually ..... 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