KUWAIT CITY: In a crucial verdict applicable to many companies, individuals and car dealers, the Partial Civil Commercial Section at the Court of First Instance chaired by Judge Sami Al- Huraiti ruled that Ministry of Finance and General Customs Department does not have the right to collect customs tariff on vehicles whose customs duties are already paid in a GCC country.
The lawsuit filed by Attorney Abdul-Aziz Al-Benwan indicated that his client bought a Germanmade vehicle in Bahrain and paid full customs duty through his Bahraini agent.
The land border officials in Kuwait changed the car number plate from Bahraini to Kuwaiti and demanded payment of another customs duty.
The lawyer came out with a surprise when he produced a copy of customs agreement among the GCC countries stipulating that customs duty should be paid just once within the region if the entire transaction is completed inside any of the GCC countries.
He presented all documents proving full payment of the customs duty in Bahrain and the judge ruled that the Finance Ministry and General Customs Department should refund the customs duty in favor of the plaintiff. He declared the judgment will be applicable to similar transactions henceforth.
