Track and Trace system implementation deadline extended, postponing mandatory parent-child packaging reporting for pharmaceutical exports.
Extension of the implementation date for the Track and Trace system by amending Para 2.90A of the Handbook of Procedure under Paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy, postponing the mandatory requirement to maintain and upload the Parent-Child relationship across packaging levels for exported drug consignments to the Central Portal; the extension applies to both SSI and non-SSI manufactured drugs.

Certificate of Origin details must be uploaded, declared and defaced in the Bill of Entry to claim preferential duty treatment.
Importers claiming preferential rates must enter item-wise COO details in the Bill of Entry (BE_SW_INFO_TYPE), upload the relevant Certificate of Origin to e Sanchit and declare its IRN, file the self-declaration codified as CUF02 in BE_STATEMENT, populate specified COO fields (issuing country code, COO number|issue date, origin criteria codes, accumulation indicator), enter appropriate transit country codes, and ensure mandatory electronic defacement of each COO before Out of Charge; Annexure 2 maps PTA/FTA notifications to COO document codes. These ICES changes took effect 21.09.2020.

Manufacturing in warehouse: ICES now maps IEC warehouses and updates BE fields so Ex Bond BEs attract no interest for home clearance.
ICES changes require mapping importer IECs to licensed Sec 65 warehouse codes and an updated BE message format with BE_ITEM_SW_CTRL item-level fields (fixed 'SEC65' control code, warehouse code, warehousing date, GST invoice number and date, finished goods description, quantity, UQC and CTH fragment) to validate Ex-Bond Bills of Entry for home clearance after manufacturing in a Sec 65 warehouse so that such Ex-Bond BEs attract no interest; a system option also allows re-crediting the Warehouse BE ledger on re-export.

Write-off of shares: FPIs may now write off all unsellable holdings when surrendering registration, subject to prescribed process.
Write-off of shares held by Foreign Portfolio Investors is expanded to permit FPIs to write off shares of any company they are unable to sell when surrendering registration, replacing the prior limitation to unlisted, illiquid, suspended, or delisted shares; the write-off must follow the process set out in paragraph 17 of Part C of the Operational Guidelines and custodians are to notify their FPI clients.

Alternate Risk Management Framework mandates alternative margining and pricing when commodity futures approach near zero or negative prices.
An Alternate Risk Management Framework applies when commodity futures approach near zero or negative prices: activation follows CC review upon specified triggers; prices are modelled as normally distributed with EWMA volatility on absolute price differences; initial margin floors include an absolute currency floor plus percentage floor on absolute prices; spread margin benefits are withdrawn; option pricing models suitable for negative underlyings are used; pre expiry and Extreme Loss Margins may be levied; deactivation requires cessation of triggers, time lag, exit thresholds, and margin convergence.

Ex-bond bill validation under Section 61: new ICES mapping and BE message requirements prevent interest on home-clearance after warehouse manufacturing.
ICES changes require IEC-warehouse mapping to record warehouses licensed under MOOWR and validate Ex-Bond Bills of Entry filed with a Section 65 declaration so items cleared for home consumption after manufacturing attract no interest; the BE_ITEM_SW_CTRL table and updated BE message format must be used for each item, and ACB role functionality allows re-crediting the Warehouse BE ledger on export by entering Shipping Bill details.

Unit of Quantity Code mismatch relief allows filing of export shipping bills despite non matching licence UQCs during a transitional period.
The system now permits filing of Shipping Bills where the item UQC does not match the UQC in the corresponding licence, subject to a limited transitional relaxation. Exporters must declare standard UQCs in the Shipping Bill item table while recording quantities in the licence table in the licence's UQC. Affected licences are to be amended and retransmitted with standard UQCs; operational issues should be reported to the Additional Commissioner and the measure is a standing order for officers.

Unit of Quantity Code flexibility allows filing of export Shipping Bills despite UQC mismatch, with standard UQCs required in item entries.
Customs has permitted filing of export Shipping Bills even when the item UQC in the Shipping Bill does not match the UQC shown in the associated licence by modifying system validations; exporters must nevertheless declare standard UQCs in the Shipping Bill item table and record licence quantities in the licence table using the licence UQC. The concession is time-limited to licence Shipping Bills filed within the announced relaxation period, with future licences to use standard UQCs and operational issues reportable to the Additional Commissioner.

Unit quantity code alignment permits temporary licence Shipping Bill filing despite mismatched legacy licence units.
For licences already issued with non-standard UQCs, the electronic system permits Shipping Bill filing despite a UQC mismatch until 30 October 2020. Exporters must declare standard UQCs in the Shipping Bill item table, while stating quantity in the licence table according to the UQC specified in the licence. The relaxation is limited to licence Shipping Bills filed within the specified period.

Customs rules require importers to provide detailed origin information and enable verification of Certificates of Origin for preferential claims.
Guidelines implement section 28DA and CAROTAR, 2020 requiring importers claiming preferential rates to hold and furnish specified information and COO support demonstrating compliance with Rules of Origin; customs must first request information from importers and may then seek verification from the Board's nodal point when doubts on genuineness or origin persist. Procedural requirements include representative COO selection, Commissioner approval for verification requests, prescribed timelines, referral to Risk Management Centre for non-compliance, and mandatory ICES data fields, eSanchit COO upload with IRN, and defacement of COOs before out-of-charge.

Import documentation: ICES mandates COO upload with IRN, CUF02 declaration, defacement marking; Sec65 Ex Bond items exempt from interest.
ICES requires IEC Warehouse mapping to validate Ex Bond Bills of Entry for goods manufactured in Section 65 warehouses; new BE item fields must be furnished item wise so such Ex Bond BE filings attract no interest. ICES also mandates item level declarations and mandatory upload of the Certificate of Origin with IRN when claiming preferential rates, a CUF02 self declaration per item, and system marking of COO defacement before Out of Charge. These operational changes take effect 21.09.2020.

Certificate of Origin requirements: upload COO with IRN, itemwise declarations, and mandatory defacement before release.
Importers claiming a preferential rate under trade agreements must make itemwise declarations in the Bill of Entry and upload the corresponding Certificate of Origin (COO) to eSanchit with IRN. Bills must record issuing country code, COO number and issue date, origin criterion (COWO/COOG/COOP) and accumulation/cumulation status; transit country must be declared when applicable. A mandatory system marking of COO defacement is required before Out of Charge; these measures take effect from 21.09.2020.

Importer duty of care for origin documentation requires provision of information and may trigger compulsory verifications.
Section 28DA and CAROTAR, 2020 require importers to retain and supply prescribed minimum information supporting a claim for preferential tariff treatment; authorities must call for that information before initiating verification with partner countries. Mere presentation of a Certificate of Origin does not absolve the importer of the duty to exercise reasonable care; failure to provide information or exercise reasonable care will be reported to RMCC and may result in compulsory verification of subsequent consignments until adequate controls are demonstrated.

Manufacturing and other operations in a Warehouse Regulations: ICES updated to waive interest on Ex Bond home clearances.
ICES has been updated to support MOOWR interest waiver for Ex Bond Bills of Entry from Section 65 warehouses by adding an IEC-Warehouse mapping option under the AC (Bonds) role to validate Sec 65 declarations, and by uploading a revised Bill of Entry message format with item level BE ITEM SW CTRL fields (Annexure I). Items properly declared under the new format will not attract interest. A re crediting option for the Warehouse BE ledger on re export via Exports details of WHBE has been added. Changes are effective from 21.09.2020.

Warehouse manufacturing: Ex-Bond bills from Sec65 warehouses attract no interest; ICES mapping and BE field updates effective 21.09.2020.
No interest is leviable on Ex Bond Bills of Entry for home consumption where manufacturing occurred in a Section 65 warehouse. ICES now requires IEC Warehouse mapping (enter IEC and 10 digit warehouse code) to validate Sec65 declarations, an updated BE message format with item level fields (fixed 'SEC65' control code, warehouse code, warehousing date, GST invoice and finished product details) for Ex Bond BEs, and an option to re credit the WBE ledger on re export by entering shipping bill details. Changes effective 21.09.2020.

Importer duty of care requires documented origin evidence and may trigger compulsory verification of subsequent consignments.
Importers claiming preferential duty must retain and furnish prescribed minimum information demonstrating how Rules of Origin criteria, including regional value content and product specific rules, are met; authorities should seek this information from the importer before initiating verification with the exporting country. Submission of a Certificate of Origin does not absolve the importer from exercising reasonable care for accuracy; failure to provide information or exercise reasonable care must be reported to the Risk Management Centre to trigger compulsory verification of subsequent consignments until adequate controls are demonstrated.

Verification of Certificates of Origin: new procedures require importer due diligence and enable cross border verification under CAROTAR.
The guidelines require importers to maintain and produce prescribed minimum information to substantiate preferential origin claims; if doubts remain about authenticity or whether goods meet Rules of Origin, customs must seek importer information first and, failing satisfaction, refer representative Certificates of Origin for verification through the Board's nodal point. Failure to provide information or exercise due diligence is reported to the Risk Management Centre to trigger compulsory verification of future consignments until adequate controls are shown. Field SOPs, timelines, signature repositories, communication channels, and training measures are prescribed.

Reasonable care in origin claims - importers must document origin compliance and risk triggering compulsory verification procedures.
Procedural guidelines require importers to retain specified minimum information proving compliance with the Rules of Origin and to exercise reasonable care in origin claims; where information is deficient or care is lacking, authorities may invoke compulsory verification of subsequent consignments. Verification must follow standard operating procedures: seek information from the importer first, prepare comprehensive verification proposals approved by the jurisdictional commissioner, forward representative Certificates of Origin with supporting documents to the Board's designated nodal point, and monitor timelines and responses while using the ICES repository for specimen signatures/seals.

Physical verification of business premises governs Aadhaar-linked registration scrutiny, reporting, and the prohibition on deemed registration without Aadhaar.
Physical verification of business premises is to be applied uniformly for registration under the RGST Rules, 2017. Where Aadhaar is not furnished, registration should ordinarily follow physical verification; document-based registration instead requires prior approval from the concerned Additional Commissioner (Administration). Written permission is required for verification visits in notified or high-risk cases, and reports with photographs must be cross-verified and uploaded in FORM GST REG-30. Deemed registration should generally be avoided and is prohibited where Aadhaar has not been furnished.

Interest on net cash tax liability to be recovered administratively; notices based on gross liability to be held pending amendment.
Field formations are instructed to recover interest only on the net cash tax liability - i.e., tax paid by debiting the electronic cash ledger or payable through the cash ledger - for the earlier GST period; show cause notices issued on gross tax payable should be kept in the call book pending the retrospective amendment of section 50.