Dear Members ,

The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC)  has issued Circular No. 52/2017 dated 22.12.2017  regarding Customs procedure for export of cargo in containers and closed bodied trucks from ICDs/CFSs through Land Customs Stations (LCSs).

As you are aware, there have been  persistent concerns amongst the members exporting to Nepal/ Bangladesh  regarding congestion at  LCS border points, interventions at the border and  need for  speedier clearance.

During the course of bi-lateral discussions with Bangladesh side it has been suggested  that India may operationalize cross border trade by road through Gede LCS as a means of decongesting Petrapole border and providing speedier clearance.

CBEC has also taken into consideration the upcoming bi-lateral project being implemented under the auspices of the Asian Development Bank, pursuant to the Memorandum of Intent signed between India & Nepal dated 6th June 2017. Under the project, transit cargo from Kolkata to Nepal and vice versa shall be transported under Electronic Cargo Tracking System (ECTS).

As a part of the project, facilities for locking /unlocking ECTS seals will be provided at Kolkata Port and at the border points of Raxaul, Jogbani and Sunauli.  Commissioner of Customs, Kolkata (Port) shall be issuing a public notice regarding the procedures to be followed for ECTS services w.e.f. 1st February 2018.

Now, CBEC has decided to leverage the introduction of this new technology being provided under “Managed Service Provider” system to monitor and facilitate trans-shipment of consignments sealed at ICDs/CFSs and destined for export to Nepal or Bangladesh.

Exporters opting to avail the facility for export of goods to Bangladesh or Nepal may do so through the following ICDs / CFSs:

Procedure

Ø The exporters will be required to bring goods meant for export to the designated ICD/CFSs, and file

a Shipping Bill on EDI. The Shipping Bill shall be assessed as per EDI/RMS procedures.

Ø Three copies of the Shipping Bill shall be printed (including one transference copy). The original of the Shipping Bill shall be retained by the ICD while one copy (transference copy) shall be carried with the cargo by the driver in a sealed envelope to the LCS of exit. The goods to be exported shall be stuffed in a closed body truck or container, as is convenient to the exporter, and sealed with ECTS seal. The ECTS seal number shall be recorded in all the copies of Shipping Bill. The custodians shall be responsible for obtaining the ECTS seal from the MSP managing the transit project for Nepal cargo for this purpose.

Ø At the LCS, the transference copy of Shipping Bill shall be submitted by the driver to the proper

officer of Customs. The Customs Officer shall verify the trip report through the ECTS web application and where no alert of any unauthorized un-sealing is found, he shall record the same in the transference copy of the Shipping Bill and put his name, signature, date and retain the same at the LCS for record. The officer shall remove the ECTS e-seal and allow the movement of the container/close body truck, as the case may be, across the border for export. Simultaneously, the originating ICD/CFS shall view the same trip report on the ECTS web application and where no alert of any unauthorized un-sealing is found, he shall l take a print of the same and attach it with the original Shipping Bill along with his name, signature and date.

Ø In case the trip report indicates any unauthorized un-sealing, the matter shall be brought to the notice

of the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner/Superintendent of Customs and such container/truck shall be

subjected to 100% examination. If any deviation from the Shipping Bill or invoice is detected during

examination, adjudication proceedings may be initiated. The authorities may take appropriate action as per the existing rules.

Ø Based upon experience gained from the pilot project, the facility shall be expanded to all other ICDs in the bordering states of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and following land customs stations on a date to be specified:

A. India-Nepal border
(a) Nepalgunj,

(b) Panitanki.

B. India-Bangladesh border

(a) Ghojadanga

(b) Mahadipur

(c) Dawki

C. India-Bhutan

(a) Jaigaon

(b) Darranga

The earlier CBEC Circular 18/2002- Cus dated 13th  March 2002 as amended by 61/2003 dated 18th  July 2003 in this regard shall stand superseded with effect 1.2.2018.

Members exporting to Bangladesh/ Nepal are requested to take  note and also check for further modalities with their logistics  providers.  The relevant CBEC circular is available for download using below link-

http://www.cbec.gov.in/resources//htdocs-cbec/customs/cs-circulars/cs-circulars-2017/circ52-2017cs.pdf

Issues if any, may be communicated to the council  on e-mail id’s:  deepak.gupta@chemexcil.gov.in andbalani.lic@chemexcil.gov.in

Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
S.G BHARADI
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
CHEMEXCIL