Customs
- Thread starter Liam Devlin
- Start date
mad13142000
SOC-13
Yeha, I know I posted that industrial areas would be part of the possible sections a port might have...I can see them being used for duty free value adding...In addition to manufacturing items needed by a starport but not available at the world's TL.
I also see warehousing either set up by the SPA or owned by a Megacorp with Imperial charter, that enables shippers to transship cargo for other routing without having to pay duty or import taxes. (think of FedEx - Memphis doesn't tax stuff going through the big sorting warehouse there (assume they could, OK?) because the stuff is just being sorted and then routed back to their destination. -Surely some shippers in OTU would utilize similar tactics for moving needed cargo...)
-MADDog
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In my next life, I want to be a Supervillan in Gotham City...Having Batgirl beat me up episode after episode
(It's late and TVLand is on...)
I also see warehousing either set up by the SPA or owned by a Megacorp with Imperial charter, that enables shippers to transship cargo for other routing without having to pay duty or import taxes. (think of FedEx - Memphis doesn't tax stuff going through the big sorting warehouse there (assume they could, OK?) because the stuff is just being sorted and then routed back to their destination. -Surely some shippers in OTU would utilize similar tactics for moving needed cargo...)
-MADDog
-------------------------------------------------
In my next life, I want to be a Supervillan in Gotham City...Having Batgirl beat me up episode after episode
(It's late and TVLand is on...)
Antares Administration
SOC-12
Yes, but it's not as strong a case as manufacturers and couriers. In real life, shipping liner companies, air cargo companies and courier companies like this sort of arrangement, but remember that cargo in transit (not being opened) is normally exempt from duty, i.e. a container of toys from Malaysia to Switzerland will enter port in France, Germany, or Italy for transshipment (transfer from sea to rail or road). France, Germany, or Italy consider the shipment to be under bond and consigned to an external customer, so tariffs are never charged. However, goods that are contraband in the intermediate country, and legimitate in the point-of-origin and point-of-destination countries may be confiscated in transit.
The customs situation at starports exists only because of the Imperium's free trade mandate, and the inability to coordinate interstellar trade using a hundred thousand bilateral agreements between planets and the Imperium. In effect, every single ISA starport IS A FREE TRADE ZONE. It's a unilateral solution to an otherwise insurmountable problem. But the nasty side effect is that every planet has a different customs interface with their starport authority. Otherwise, all starports could be planetary starports, and interstellar cargo in transit (not destined for the planet) would still transit duty free. That's what happens real-life on Terra in the 21st century.
As a sidenote: if you have GT:Starports, take a look at Mora Imperial Downport. It is one giant Free Trade Zone, complete with warehouses, factories, etc.
Paul Nemeth
AA
So the Imperium only taxes goods when they leave the interstellar area and enter a planet? And then it would be the IMPERIUM that would establish an FTZ for factories, because the planet can't stop the Imperium from taxing goods as they leave interstellar transit.
Does the planet charge an additional duty on goods that enter planetary jurisdiction?
Does the planet charge an additional duty on goods that enter planetary jurisdiction?
Antares Administration
SOC-12
The planet only taxes imports. Exports are taxed through corporate and personal income taxes and/or sales taxes, because its domestic production generating income. Goods that go in and out the space side without crossing the landside border of the FTZ are considered 'duty free' by the planet. {This, by the way, is how 'duty free' works at airports. 
} Any planet's FTZ would be encouraged by its ISA, but the planet would have a say in its size and scope. If the planet is paranoid anti-trade, then chances are that the starport will be very small and will not include a production zone. If a FTZ does exist ON AN IMPERIAL PLANET, it could be done one of two ways, inside or outside the XT Line. If it's inside the XT Line, it's under the control of the ISA (like Mora/Spinward Marches). In that case, Customs, Immigration, and Health inspections all occur at the XT Line. If it's outside Line, then the FTZ is under the jurisdiction of the planet. Immigration and Health clearances occur at the XT Line, but Customs clearances occur at the outer FTZ boundary.
I have to go back to canon to confirm Imperial policy. It was always my understanding that the Imperium DOES NOT CHARGE TARIFFS. Its policy mandate is to encourage profitable and extensive trade between Imperial worlds. It works to actively limit the tariffs charged by governments, thereby improving trade profits and increasing trade volumes. The individual ISAs are expected to operate at a profit, earning revenues from berthing fees, etc., but no tariff is charged on incoming or outgoing goods by the ISA.
The Imperium rules the space between the planets, not the planets. The ISAs seek to encourage trade, not make it more expensive.
Paul Nemeth
AA
} Any planet's FTZ would be encouraged by its ISA, but the planet would have a say in its size and scope. If the planet is paranoid anti-trade, then chances are that the starport will be very small and will not include a production zone. If a FTZ does exist ON AN IMPERIAL PLANET, it could be done one of two ways, inside or outside the XT Line. If it's inside the XT Line, it's under the control of the ISA (like Mora/Spinward Marches). In that case, Customs, Immigration, and Health inspections all occur at the XT Line. If it's outside Line, then the FTZ is under the jurisdiction of the planet. Immigration and Health clearances occur at the XT Line, but Customs clearances occur at the outer FTZ boundary.I have to go back to canon to confirm Imperial policy. It was always my understanding that the Imperium DOES NOT CHARGE TARIFFS. Its policy mandate is to encourage profitable and extensive trade between Imperial worlds. It works to actively limit the tariffs charged by governments, thereby improving trade profits and increasing trade volumes. The individual ISAs are expected to operate at a profit, earning revenues from berthing fees, etc., but no tariff is charged on incoming or outgoing goods by the ISA.
The Imperium rules the space between the planets, not the planets. The ISAs seek to encourage trade, not make it more expensive.
Paul Nemeth
AA
High tech security scanners should be able to generate a 3D view of a passenger and everything they are carrying (metallic and non-metallic). We now have reflected x-ray scanners that can scan through your clothes and see everything on your person, though not with high resolution.
Any moderately high-tech search will spot anything (metal or not) that is not cleverly disguised as something else, even if you hide it up your... pant leg.
Lower tech searches, though, would be fairly easy to fool with high tech equipment.
Bolie IV
Any moderately high-tech search will spot anything (metal or not) that is not cleverly disguised as something else, even if you hide it up your... pant leg.
Lower tech searches, though, would be fairly easy to fool with high tech equipment.
Bolie IV
Antares Administration
SOC-12
Or undesirable aliens (non-Imperials or terrorists) or contraband (drugs, protected animals, slaves, stolen property, etc).
Paul Nemeth
AA
PapaGolfWhiskey
SOC-13
Only question I have here is the search skill going to be 2d6?
why not make it compatable with TA 4/Striker
and have guards from Elite down to Green as tech/money spent on the port descreases.
Ports of equal budget may spend their money on different things.
It might be easier to base the search on the quality of the searchers. Maybe USE that is your Customs table.
Number, Quality (in t20=level), tech support (tools/toys), Administrative support (Strip searches manditory or touching passengers forbbiden?)
IMO and hoping this helps rather than complcates the issue.
notagoodusername
SOC-13
On the whole 2d6 search skill comment and the like, the book will probably* have to be T20 and CT compatible (but T20 mainly as that is QLI's system), and we can't get into confirming and finalising any rule-type stuff at the moment as we are only looking for the ideas to build a concept proposal with and use to guide us later on.
Please don't take this as a criticism of you r ideas - they are great! It's just I don't want to see people dissapointed if ideas we all liked and agreed with don't end up in the final thing*.
*= Remember that Hunter, Martin and Bruce are the Ancients, and we (Liam and I) can't speak for them.
Shane
Please don't take this as a criticism of you r ideas - they are great! It's just I don't want to see people dissapointed if ideas we all liked and agreed with don't end up in the final thing*.
*= Remember that Hunter, Martin and Bruce are the Ancients, and we (Liam and I) can't speak for them.
Shane
PapaGolfWhiskey
SOC-13
Hey no problem. Just taking my oppurtunity to jump on the bandwagon.
It was compatibility point I thought I'd raise.
I use/used the THB for my npc 'gomers' and intend to use TA 4 in the future. so it occured to me rather than ROLL for the search skill have it predicated on the NPC's you choose.
But it's just an Idea. As amatuer writer who's made a few (short fiction) sales I know how an idea can get warped or even tossed before it even reaches an outside party like an editor and his/her evil red pen.
It's offered in the spirit of brainstorming just to be in on the party with a pottentially useful contribution.
ACTUALLY getting into the book would be chocolate frosting on sugar pie.. or .. it would be if I wasn't a Diabetic.
It was compatibility point I thought I'd raise.
I use/used the THB for my npc 'gomers' and intend to use TA 4 in the future. so it occured to me rather than ROLL for the search skill have it predicated on the NPC's you choose.
But it's just an Idea. As amatuer writer who's made a few (short fiction) sales I know how an idea can get warped or even tossed before it even reaches an outside party like an editor and his/her evil red pen.
It's offered in the spirit of brainstorming just to be in on the party with a pottentially useful contribution.
ACTUALLY getting into the book would be chocolate frosting on sugar pie.. or .. it would be if I wasn't a Diabetic.
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