S/C/N/766  
18 September 2014  
(14-5215) Page: 1/2  
Council for Trade in Services  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION PURSUANT TO ARTICLE III:3 OF THE 
WTO AGREEMENT ON TRADE IN SERVICES 
The following notification from the delegation of  South Africa, dated 12 September 2014, is being 
circulated to the members of the Council for Trade in Services. 
 
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 1  MEMBER NOTIFYING 
South Africa 
2  NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE(S) 
Article III, paragraph 3, of the General Agreement on Trade in Services 3  DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE 
2013 
3.1  Duration 
Indefinite 
4  AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE MEASURE 
National Department of Environmental Affairs (South Africa) 5  DESCRIPTION OF THE MEASURE 
The National Environmental Laws Second Amendm ent Act, 2013 (Act no 30 of 2013) provides for 
the amendment of: the National Environmental Ma nagement Act, 1998, so as to amend certain 
definitions; to adjust the timeframes for the pr eparation of environmental implementation plans 
and environmental management plans; to provid e for the process and procedure for submitting 
environment outlook reports; to empower the Minister or MEC to develop norms or standards for 
listed activities and non-listed activities; to empower the Minister to restrict or prohibit development in specified geographical areas; to empower the Minister to take a decision in place 
of the MEC under certain circumstances; to provide legal clarity on the applicability of section 24G 
to the unlawful commencement of a waste manageme nt activity under the National Environmental 
Management: Waste Act, 2008; to increase the section 24G administrative fines and to exclude payment of section 24G administrative fines for certain persons; to provide for no exemptions 
from the requirements to obtain an environmental authorisation; to adjust the provisions relating 
to the duty of care and remediation of environm ental damage; to provide for textual amendments 
to the provisions on the powers of environmental management inspectors; to insert a provision to 
regulate products having a detrimental effect on the environment; to add provisions regarding the 
delivery of documents; to provide that the Act binds the State without any exception; and to correct certain obsolete provisions. 
 S/C/N/766 
 
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  National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Ac t, 2004, so as to amend certain definitions; to 
effect certain textual amendments to the provisions on protection of species; to revise the purpose and application of Chapter 6; to revise the provis ions in respect of the Bioprospecting Fund; to 
repeal the appeal provisions; to add offences and penalties; and to empower the Minister to 
declare amnesty in certain circumstances. 
National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act, 2004, so as to align the penalties with other 
specific environmental management Acts; National Environment Management Laws Amendment 
Act, 2008, so as to correct an incorrect citation. 
National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2009, so as to correct an incorrect 
citation, and to provide for matters connected therewith. 
6  MEMBERS SPECIFICALLY AFFECTED 
None 
7  TEXTS AVAILABLE FROM 
http://www.environment.gov.za  
 
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