ANOTHER MILESTONE IN PAPERLESS PROCESS - Discontinuation of physical copy of Advance /EPCG Authorisations issued from 01.03.2019 onwards, for EDI ports

Dear Friends

As we are regularly updating Government of India's paper less Customs clearance initiatives in this blog, refer below long awaited AA/EPCG sanctions in digital mode. Here after no worry of misplacing duty free scripts and losing money !!!

Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Udyog Bhawan, New Delhi

Policy Circular No. 19/2015-2020

Dated: 14th February 2019

To,
All Regional Authorities (RAs) of DGFT
All Customs Authorities
All EPCs/FIEO
Members of Trade and Industry
Sub: Discontinuation of physical copy of Advance /EPCG Authorisations issued from 01.03.2019 onwards, for EDI ports
In order to improve ease of doing business and improving online transactions, it has been decided to discontinue issue of physical copy of Advance/EPCG Authorisations issued on or after 01.03.2019 by Regional Authorities, in respect of EDI ports
2.   Applicants will continue to apply for Advance/EPCG Authorisations as per current practice on DGFT website (www.dgft.gov.in). Regional Authorities will not issue any hard copy of authorisation to the applicants. Instead, in case of approval by the RA, the applicant will get the following message on the Mobile and email address (as filled in the eCommunication for eAuthorisation window) that,
"Authorisation No... ... . ...dated... .. .....has been issued against RA File No... ... ... . .. ........No Authorisation on security paper is required to be issued. You can print/view Authorisation details online.
3.   In order to take printout of the authorisation, the applicant needs to log on DGFT website (www.dgft.gov.in) choosing respective scheme. After login, in the first window, details of all applications submitted during the last one year will appear. For getting the status in respect of any particular file, applicant needs to double click on that file. In case authorisation has been issued by the RA, the applicant can print/save the Authorisation. On the basis of PDF copy of Authorisation, the exporter can approach the Customs Authority concerned at registered EDI port for execution of BG/LUT, as the case may be. In such cases the Customs Authority shall not insist for Authorisation on the security paper as was the practice so far.
4.   Only the latest amended version of the Authorisation is available in the System in pdf format for print. Exporters are advised to print/save the Authorisation so issued/amended by the DGFT RA, on an immediate basis, at every stage [whether fresh issue or amendment] for their record/future use.
5.   RA will continue to examine the application as per current practice and, after approval, shall take a print out of the Authorisation on plain paper and keep the same in the relevant file. DGFT RAs shall also, as is being done earlier, continue to send the Authorisation details to other Agencies/Departments wherever required [a system generated version may be used by the RA for this purpose].
It is being emphasized that henceforth Regional Authority shall ensure that all data/information (including additional conditions or endorsements, if any) relating to the AA/EPCG so issued is transmitted to DGFT server at the end of each working day through ECOM client server [as there is no scope for a paper copy]. Any amendment(s) made in AA/EPCG will be done by the Regional Authority on T + 2 working day [where T is the earlier transmission date for the Authorisation] to take care of the systems transmission lag.
6.   The applicant intending to procure goods from domestic sources shall make request for issue of Invalidation/ARO to the RA concerned. In such cases, as per the current practice, RA shall amend Authorisation making quantity and value invalid for direct import and issue the Invalidation Letter /ARO [endorsing one copy to supplier of goods and another copy to RA of the supplier]. In all such cases, this will also be done by the Regional Authority on T + 2 working day [where T is the earlier transmission date for the Authorisation] to ensure data transmission to the DGFT/Customs server without any error.
7.   No TRA facility under such Advance/EPCG Authorisations issued from 01.03.2019 onwards will be available from EDI ports to non-EDI ports.
8.   In case an applicant chooses a non EDI port as Port of Registration while filing application for Advance/EPCG Authorisation, existing system of printing of Authorisation on security paper will continue.
9.   Difficulties, if any, in implementation of these provisions may please be brought to the notice of this Directorate immediately.
This is issued with the approval of Director General Foreign Trade.

(Vijay Kumar)

Additional Director General of Foreign Trade