Amendment to Foreign Trade Policy procedures updates exporter listing under Handbook of Procedures as a public notice.
Amendment to the Handbook of Procedures updates an Appendix under the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-09 by administrative Public Notice dated 31 December 2004, exercising powers under paragraph 2.4; the change records the inclusion of Alex Stewart International Corporation B.V., Rotterdam, in the Appendix and is issued in the public interest with an internal file reference for administrative record.

ECOM password-based system abolition extended; deadline deferred and cessation scheduled by DGFT via departmental circular for transition.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade directs that the abolition of the ECOM password based system is deferred from the previously scheduled last-day deadline and will be abolished on the later date specified in the departmental circular, constituting an administrative extension of the termination timetable for the legacy authentication mechanism.

DEPB rate amendments for textiles update export entitlement rates and applicable value caps under the Foreign Trade Policy.
Public Notice No. 39 amends the DEPB Schedule for the Textile Product Group under powers of the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures by specifying revised DEPB rates and, where applicable, per piece or per weight value caps for numerous textile articles classified by material and product type; entries with value caps include variants with embroidery, metallised yarn or lining. A corrigendum corrects an editorial phrase to read "additions/amendments."

Duty Free Credit Entitlement deadline extended; Status Holders may submit entitlement applications until the revised end-of-March filing date.
The deadline for filing applications for the Duty Free Credit Entitlement Certificate for Status Holders for the period 2003-04, as prescribed in Para 3.2.6 A-IV of the Handbook of Procedure Volume I (2002-07), has been administratively extended so that such applications may be submitted until the revised cutoff date, this extension having been issued with executive approval.

Import port restriction for metallic waste and scrap now specifies permitted ports, altering authorised entry points for such consignments.
Amendment prescribes that imports of metallic waste and scrap in unshredded, compressed and loose form are permitted only through a specified list of ports and ICDs, and deletes Paragraph 2.32(i)(I)(c) of the Handbook of Procedures, thereby altering authorised entry points and associated import compliance requirements.

Pathogen-free import restrictions: SPF egg imports limited to countries free of avian influenza and subject to health protocol.
Amendment substitutes SION entry E-59 for Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) Eggs, specifying export/import composition and prescribing that imports be permitted only from countries free of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. Imports must comply with the General Notes on Import Policy in the ITC (HS) Classification, meet phytosanitary requirements, and be accompanied at import by a Health Protocol from the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

Inclusion in Appendix: Intertek Group Plc added as a notified testing agency under foreign trade policy powers.
Under paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-09, the Director General of Foreign Trade issues a public notice adding Intertek Group Plc., with full contact details, to Appendix 28 of the Handbook of Procedures (Vol. I). The inclusion is made by exercise of the Director General's powers and published for public information.

Exporter flexibility to fix price and repay gold loan within prescribed period after export under amended handbook provisions.
The amendment grants exporters the flexibility to fix the price and to repay gold loans within 180 days from the date of export, by substituting the first sentences of Handbook sub-paragraphs 6.5.3 and 7.9.5. The change is effected under paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-2009, through a public notice, thereby establishing a uniform time-bound repayment mechanism for gold loans linked to export transactions.

Addition of inspection agencies: two private firms added to the Handbook roster authorizing their inspection designation.
Addition to the official list of recognized inspection agencies under Appendix 28 of the Handbook of Procedures, Vol. I pursuant to paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy: two firms-SGS Lanka Private Limited (Colombo) and Alex Stewart International (Australia) Pvt. Ltd. (Burwood, NSW)-are added to Appendix 28, authorizing their designation for inspection-related functions and updating the Handbook's roster of approved inspection service providers.

Advance licence issuance on self-declaration allowed where SION absent, with specified exclusions and NOC for biotech items.
The amendment permits issuance of Advance licences where SION are not fixed based on self-declaration and an undertaking for final adjustment by ALC, while excluding Advance licences for imports of horn, hoof and other animal organs, pepper, items notified by the licensing authority, and exports of perfumes, perfumery compounds and feed ingredients containing vitamins (which must follow the alternative application route). Licences involving biotechnology items require a No Objection Certificate from the competent biotechnology authority.

Deemed export benefits conditioned on recipient non-availment of CENVAT, with prescribed declarations and claim procedures.
Deemed export benefits are permitted only if the recipient has not availed CENVAT credit; suppliers must furnish recipient non-availment declarations with Central Excise registration details or a recipient declaration of non-registration, and a supplier declaration on excisability and CENVAT/rebate non-availability. Claim procedures are specified: certain supplies require claims against banked payments in Appendix-22A within six months of payment; other supplies allow claims based on proof of supply or payment, filed monthly, quarterly, or half-yearly as chosen, within six months from the end of the chosen period, including part payment claims. Appendix 12(B) is amended to include these document requirements.

Self-declared Advance licences allowed where SION absent, subject to final adjustment under ALC-fixed Adhoc or SION.
The amendment deletes specified Standard Input Output Norms and permits the licensing authority to issue Advance Licences where SION are not fixed based on applicant self-declaration and an undertaking, with a final adjustment to be made according to Adhoc norms or SION fixed by the ALC; issuance is expressly excluded for imports of horn, hoof and other animal organs, pepper, and any items the DGFT may notify.

Standard Input Output Norms amendments expand and revise SION entries affecting chemical, textile, plastic and food import-export inputs.
DGFT, invoking powers under the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures, amends the Standard Input Output Norms in Handbook of Procedures Vol.2 by making substitutions, corrections and deletions listed in Annexure A, and by adding new SION entries: chemical and allied products A-3471 to A-3490 (Annexure B), textile products J-363 to J-368 (Annexure C), and miscellaneous products K-169 to K-170 (Annexure D), each specifying export items and corresponding permitted import inputs and quantities for incorporation into the Handbook.

Preferential tariff rate quota for raw sugar exports maintained; designated agency export certification procedures continue unchanged.
Allocation of a preferential tariff rate quota for raw sugar exports to the USA is made under the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-2009 in favour of M/s. Indian Sugar Exim Corporation Ltd., the designated agency for exports to EU and USA, referencing the applicable ITC(HS) Schedule classification; existing procedures for issuance of GSP certificates and other export-specific certification requirements continue to apply.

Advance licence documentation compliance: submit Annexure I technical and licence documents or risk administrative return of application.
Submission of complete technical and commercial information in conformity with Annexure I to Appendix 10 is required for Advance Licence applications under Para 4.7. The Advance Licensing Committee noted deficiencies, especially non submission of Annexure I documents for Chemicals & Plastics and missing self certified Drug Manufacturing Licence copies. A revised Annexure I checklist is attached; applicants must provide the specified product specific technical disclosures, process flow, material balances, yields, solvent recovery, purity data and relevant licences, otherwise applications may be returned or rejected.

Digital signature requirement: traders must adopt the new electronic filing system to replace the password-based ECOM before the cutoff.
The notice requires traders to obtain digital signatures and migrate from the ECOM password-based filing system to the new electronic filing process promptly, urging early compliance to avoid last-minute congestion and processing disruptions when the ECOM system is discontinued.

GSP Certificate jurisdiction clarified: file applications with the licensing authority for the applicant's registered office, branch, or factory.
Applications for a GSP Certificate must be submitted by the registered/head office, branch office, or factory to the licensing authority having territorial jurisdiction over that office or factory; only applications meeting this jurisdictional filing requirement will be processed, while other applicants should approach the concerned licensing authorities or other designated issuing agencies listed in the relevant appendix.

Repayment flexibility for exporter's gold loan; price fixation allowed within specified post-export period under DGFT notice.
The amendment permits the exporter discretion to fix the price and to repay the Gold Loan within the prescribed repayment window measured from the date of export, as a procedural adjustment to export financing terms under the Handbook of Procedures.

DEPB schedule amendment updates engineering product classifications and inserts distinct DEPB entries with specified rates and caps.
Amendment to the DEPB Schedule for Engineering Product Code 61: the export item description at Sr. No. 497 is amended to specify thin-walled engine bearing bushings and thrust washers in steel-backed copper-based high tin alloy. Entry Sr. No. 530 is deleted and replaced, effective 06.10.2004, by 530A for forged alloy steel machined parts/components ( 90% by weight) with DEPB rate 10% and value cap Rs.175/Kg, and 530B for forged stainless steel machined parts/components ( 90% by weight) with DEPB rate 10% and value cap Rs.400/Kg.

Deemed export benefits for nuclear power project supplies apply based on date of supply, subject to policy conditions.
Deemed export benefits for supplies to nuclear power projects apply to supplies made on or after 21.12.2001 and are determined by the date of supply irrespective of the contract date, subject to fulfillment of Policy and Handbook parameters and timely submission of prescribed application and documents. If the project authority has paid the excise duty component to the supplier, the benefit will be given to the project authority upon a supplier disclaimer.