Extension of time for replenishment granted so exporters can obtain precious metal replenishment for exports made before 2002.
The Director General of Foreign Trade authorised an extension of the time limit to obtain replenishment of gold, silver and platinum from nominated agencies for exports effected on or before 31 March 2002 that had been eligible under the earlier Exim Policy provision; the extension responds to exporters who missed the earlier transitional deadline due to belief that applications awaited realization of export proceeds, and permits them to procure replenishment within the newly specified period.

Inter unit transfer of duty free capital and manufactured goods permitted between export units, subject to prior permission for capital goods.
The Exim Policy permits duty-free transfer of manufactured goods between EOU/EPZ/EHTP/STP/SEZ units and allows transfer or loan of capital goods between such units with prior permission of the concerned Development Commissioner or Customs authorities; administrative reliance is authorised pending amendment of the implementing customs notification and a public notice is to be issued.

MRP valuation rules clarify scored-out labels are ignored and multi-pack valuation uses pack or aggregate MRPs.
Section 4A valuation: a scored-out MRP is ignored. For multi-piece packages, if individual items are marked not to be sold separately or are inseparably packed, use the multi-pack MRP; if items can be sold separately and display MRPs, use the aggregate of individual MRPs. If item MRPs are scored out or a free item lacks an MRP, use the multi-pack MRP. The circular references multi-piece package definitions and packaging declaration requirements.

Sports requisites exemption confirmed for materials used to lay synthetic tracks and indoor wooden flooring, allowing duty relief.
Materials imported for laying synthetic athletic tracks and wooden flooring systems for indoor stadia qualify for the sports requisites exemption under notification No.146/94-Cus rather than the scheme-specific provisions of notification No.21/2002-Cus. The Board held that synthetic tracks and artificial surfaces are essential for playing sports and therefore are sports requisites, and the materials required to lay them are either requisites or consumables related to sports requisites; the exemption provision is broad and should not be narrowly construed. Customs formations are to apply this position and decide pending cases.

Duty-free import eligibility for reusable plastic containers requires re-export within prescribed period and identity documentation.
Reusable plastic trays qualify as durable containers eligible for duty exemption if re-exported within the prescribed period and documentary evidence is furnished to the satisfaction of the Assistant Commissioner. To address identification challenges, importers must declare colour, dimensions, weight and any engraved identification number for each tray type, may provide attested photographs at their expense, and consignments may be inspected at random; identity at export may be verified using these parameters with a permissible variation threshold.

Service fees for mutual funds revised under amendment regulations, introducing a tiered fee structure and related schedule changes.
The amendment substitutes a new clause in the Second Schedule establishing a tiered service fee structure payable by mutual funds linked to net assets as on 31st March and makes the revised structure effective from the financial year 2003-2004; it renumbers certain clauses in the Eighth Schedule, notes that separate enquiry-and-penalty procedure regulations have been notified and appends a footnote listing prior amendments to the principal Mutual Funds Regulations.

Amendment to Schedule XIII notified; compliance for companies in special economic zones and IEPF committee changes forwarded.
The Department of Company Affairs forwards two Gazette notifications for action: an amendment to Schedule XIII of the Companies Act, 1956 concerning companies in Special Economic Zones, and an amendment to the committee that administers the Investor Education and Protection Fund, directing Regional Directors and Registrars of Companies to note the changes and acknowledge receipt.

Pre-shipment inspection requirement: export consignments of honey, marine, milk and egg products must carry inspection certificates.
Pre-shipment inspection and compulsory certification are required for exports of honey, marine products, milk products and egg products under the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963; notified items cannot be exported unless accompanied by a certificate of inspection issued by an Export Inspection Agency or a government-recognised agency, and customs will permit clearance of such consignments only upon production of that inspection certificate for verification.

Interest on warehoused goods: the previously notified higher rate remains in force; the lower rate applies only under a different provision.
The later notification fixing a lower interest rate applies only to the separate provision dealing with delayed payment and does not apply to goods warehoused under the warehousing provision. The previously notified higher rate for warehoused goods remains in force and is within the statutory permissible range; authorities must continue to apply and communicate this position to relevant parties.

Exemption for cold storage installation applies to non-manufacturer users where concessional removal procedures are complied with.
The circular clarifies that the exemption for specified goods supplied for installation of cold storage, cold room or refrigerated vehicles to preserve, store or transport agricultural produce under notification No. 6/2002-Central Excise applies to recipients who are not manufacturers, provided the goods are cleared for the intended purpose and the procedural requirements of the Central Excise (Removal of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty for Manufacture of Excisable Goods) Rules, 2001 are complied with.

Extended realisation period for export proceeds allows exporters of specified products longer time to repatriate full export value.
Authorised dealers are to allow manufacturer exporters, merchant exporters and traders of the Annexure products an extended period from the date of shipment to realise and repatriate the full value of exports for shipments made up to the announced cut off; authorised dealers must inform constituents and implement the facility under the Reserve Bank's exchange control directions.

Verification of Advance Licence: Customs must confirm export records before cancelling bonds or allowing import benefits.
Customs must verify export details shown in DGFT redemption letters or "No Bond" certificates against Customs records before discharging Bonds/Bank Guarantees/LUTs or allowing imports under Advance Licences. Only licence holders, authorised employees or authorised CHAs may submit verification documents; persons submitting under "Self" must obtain an Inspector issued identification number and present specified authorisations. Submissions require prescribed documentary checklists including DEEC statements, original shipping bills, bills of lading, customs attested invoices and bank realisation certificates. Verification registers, triplicate acknowledgements and next day processing timelines govern receipt, verification and return of licences, and separate procedures apply for post export and pre export (redeemed) licences.

Cross-currency derivative reporting: consolidated half-yearly returns required from authorised dealers, with detailed recordkeeping for audit.
Authorised dealers must consolidate resident cross-currency derivative transactions into a prescribed half-yearly report showing product, number of transactions and notional principal in USD, submit it to the specified Exchange Control Department office (first for period ending 31 December 2002), and maintain detailed transaction records to enable audit and inspection under foreign exchange regulatory directions.

Standard Input Output Norms amendment updates SIONs, revising input lists, quantities, and entitlement rules for exports.
Director General of Foreign Trade, under Paragraph 2.4 of the Export and Import Policy, issues amendments to the Handbook of Procedures, Vol.2 revising Standard Input Output Norms by adding new SION entries for chemicals, engineering and miscellaneous products, substituting input lists and quantities for numerous entries, restoring certain norms, correcting descriptions and units, extending selected validities, and specifying procedural prerequisites and pro rata/net to net entitlement rules.

Deemed export benefits extended to cupro nickel coin supplies; penalty for delayed IEC modification reduced accordingly.
Amendments to the Handbook add 6.2(bb) listing prototypes, technical samples, technical data, office equipment and related spares as permitted items; grant deemed export benefits for supply of cupro nickel coin blanks to a Government mint when manufactured in India and subject to Customs Notification condition at S.No.191; reduce the penalty for delayed IEC change notification allowing condonation on payment of a lower fixed penalty; and revise Appendix 10A (DEPB Data Sheet), Appendix 12 (Project Authority Certificate) and Appendix 12A (Certificate of Payments) to reflect these changes and documentary requirements for DEPB fixation tied to notified SIONs.

Third-party exports: require both parties' names on shipping bills; customs letter allows temporary abeyance for pending DEEC books.
Third-party exports require shipping bills to show the names of both the exporter/manufacturer and exporter(s); no other condition is necessary. Where Customs issues a specific letter stating DEEC books or related documents are pending audit, abeyance against refusal memos under advance licence files (VABAL or QBAL) shall be granted within three days for up to three months from the Customs letter date, with further abeyance conditional on a fresh Customs letter. The office will stop requesting Appendix-2, IEC copy, and RCMC except on the first application in a financial year.

Prior permission for private foreign exchange releases required; regional nodal officers to process applications by fax or email.
Authorised dealers must obtain prior permission from the Reserve Bank before releasing foreign exchange above the prescribed annual limit for private visits (excluding Nepal and Bhutan). Regional Offices have nominated nodal officers to ensure same day disposal of such applications; applications may be forwarded by fax or e mail and central contact details are provided for difficulties. The instructions are issued under the Foreign Exchange Management Act and authorised dealers are to inform their constituents.

Amendments to companies law prospectus and secretary qualification rules circulated for registrar and regional compliance.
The Ministry circulated Gazette notifications amending Schedule II on prospectus provisions and issuing a corrigendum to the rules on appointment and qualifications of company secretaries, directing Regional Directors and Registrars of Companies to note the changes and acknowledge receipt.

State of Origin Code: exporters must provide code in shipping bills to ensure accurate state-level export data reporting.
Exporters must furnish the State of Origin Code in shipping bills to enable DGCI&S to compile reliable export statistics and for Customs to report State/UT export figures in Daily Trade Returns; this data is necessary for disbursing ASIDE grants to States and Union Territories based on export shares and growth, and all export stakeholders are directed to ensure shipping bills include the State of Origin Code when submitted to Customs.

Line of credit financing for exports: 90% pre-shipment coverage with 10% buyer advance under irrevocable letters of credit.
Exim Bank's line of credit finances Indian exports of specified goods and related services to buyers in the borrower's country, subject to domestic laws; contracts require Exim Bank approval, must be in U.S. dollars and meet a minimum value, and may be financed up to 90 per cent of the f.o.b./c.& f./c.i.f. price with a 10 per cent buyer advance and the balance paid pro rata under an irrevocable letter of credit. Negotiating banks may pay beneficiaries in Indian Rupees against conforming documents (including inspection certificates) and are reimbursed by Exim Bank in U.S. dollars according to whether negotiations were effected with or without reserve.