Grievance redressal: BIS directs trade to website guidance, product manuals, line ministries for QCOs, or cmd2/cmd3 emails.
Stakeholders must use the BIS product-certification webpage to determine compulsory certification applicability, consult product-specific information and product manuals on BIS for labelling and marking queries, approach the issuing Central Government line ministry for QCO applicability or implementation issues, and direct other or policy queries to [email protected] and/or [email protected] as the established grievance redressal channels.

Faceless bills of entry clearance uses a designated Nodal Officer to facilitate delayed clearances and verification feedback.
Faceless bills of entry clearance pending beyond 24 hours is facilitated through the appointed Nodal Officer. Feedback concerning verification of messages received by the Air Cargo Complex from the Department of International Customs may be obtained from the Assistant Commissioner (Import) previously designated as Nodal Officer.

IGST refund disposal: Special drive urges exporters and brokers to submit documents to clear pending refund cases promptly.
A Special Drive will be held from 05.02.2024 to 07.02.2024 to dispose of IGST refunds pending as of 31.12.2023 where shipping bills carry error codes awaiting rectification; affected shipping bills and error-code details are published on the ICD, TKD Export Commissionerate website. Exporters and customs brokers listed are requested to submit necessary documents during the scheduled drive to enable refund processing, and difficulties may be communicated to the nodal officer via the provided email.

Online AQCS clearance now mandatory for imported consignments; manual NOCs discontinued, all clearances via AQCS ICS integrated portal.
AQCS has adopted the AQCS ICS portal integrated with ICEGATE to provide AQCS clearances for imported consignments exclusively online; manual NOCs are discontinued and stakeholders must obtain all AQCS clearances through the AQCS ICS portal. Standing Order No. 23/2023 is withdrawn.

Export obligation monitoring: non fulfilment triggers duty recovery, bond encashment, SCNs, confiscation and penalties under customs law.
The Export Obligation Monitoring Cell (EOMC) will monitor fulfilment of export obligations under EPCG and Advance Authorisation, issue simple notices for proof of discharge or DGFT application, and, where proof is not furnished, recover unpaid duties with applicable interest by enforcing bonds/ bank guarantees under Section 143 or by detaining/selling goods under Section 142; non-fulfilment may also lead to SCNs, confiscation under section 111(o), and penalties under section 112(a).

Bonded air-cargo transshipment permission renews road movement under ECTS seal, subject to bond liability and compliance conditions.
Bonded-trucking permission is renewed for export and import air-cargo transshipment from the Air Cargo Complex, Kolkata to Customs-notified airports, Air Cargo Complexes, Container Freight Stations and Inland Container Depots. Cargo must move in closed-body trucks under ECTS seal. The permission operates for three years or until bond expiry, whichever is earlier. Bond amounts are debited on removal of cargo and credited upon delivery to destination Customs. The operator remains liable for cargo shortages or pilferage and must comply with applicable transit, transshipment, cargo-handling and foreign-trade requirements.

Recovery of unpaid customs duty authorised by attachment, detention and sale of goods with remittance to customs account.
Notice directs recovery of unpaid customs duty and applicable interest from M/s Mili International pursuant to an Order in Original, authorising recovery from any monies payable to the company and, alternatively, by detaining and selling goods under customs or central GST control. Officers designated nationwide are requested to effect attachment, detention or sale, intimate recovery to the issuing authority, and remit proceeds by demand draft to the Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai.

Warehouse code declaration mandatory for into-bond bills; ICES enforces active-code checks and ACB manages suspensions.
Mandatory declaration of warehouse code is required for filing into-bond bill of entry; ICES has been updated to enforce declaration and to check at clearance that the warehouse code is active and valid. ACB role functions now include Suspend/Revoke warehouse and an Imports WH code entry option to enter, modify, view warehouse details and update expiry dates.

Valuation of bunker supplies: provisional assessments must use transaction value or valuation rules; HPCL price as fallback.
Conversion of vessels between foreign-run and coastal-run requires Customs duty assessment on ship stores consumed; provisional assessment should use transaction value where bunker receipts exist, otherwise apply Customs Valuation Rules sequentially from Rules 4 to 9 with HPCL export sale price used only as a last resort; disputes invoke principles of natural justice. Quantification follows Board Circular No. 58/1997 and finalisation of Bills of Entry must occur promptly after receipt of reversion documents.

Direct Port Delivery allowed for FCL imports fully facilitated by RMS, subject to advance filing, duty prepayment and terminal registration.
Direct Port Delivery (DPD) is authorized for FCL import consignments whose Bills of Entry are fully facilitated by RMS-meaning no RMS-ordered assessment/examination, no PGA sample-draw, no NCTC alerts and no investigative holds. Advance Bills of Entry, prepayment of customs duties and advance intimation to port terminals and shipping lines are required. Applicants must apply to DC(DPD) with prescribed documents; approved applicants will be registered by terminals and assigned DPD codes. Terminals and importers must submit monthly reports; steamer agents must not levy extra charges. Effective 15.01.2024.

X-MAS online portal enables uploading licences, installation certificates, first-block export obligation proofs and EODC documents with OTP verification.
X-MAS at JNCH enables authorised holders or their customs brokers to register licences, upload licence copies, and submit Installation Certificates, First Block Export Obligation proof and EODC documents online; submissions require verified company email and mobile OTP verification, upload of prescribed pdfs ( 5MB), and electronic acknowledgement, while physical verification of Bond/BG remains necessary because the system is not integrated with ICEGATE.

Milk and milk products must undergo quality control or inspection prior to export; customs verify EIC approval or inspection certificate.
Milk and milk products for export must undergo quality control or inspection or both before export; a health certificate is required only if the importing country specifically mandates it. Exporters may either obtain establishment approval under the prescribed Food Safety Management System and use the resultant export certificate, or opt for consignment-wise inspection by the Export Inspection Agency. Customs shall verify EIC approval and the establishment's export certificate or the Certificate of Inspection certifying export worthiness before allowing export. Standards are applied in a hierarchical order and each consignment must be accompanied by an export-worthiness certificate.

Empanelment of chartered engineers for valuation of second hand machinery in Chennai Customs Zone; specialized inspections and Form B reporting required.
Specified firms, agencies and individuals listed in Annexure I are empaneled to conduct valuation and visual inspection of second hand/used plant and machinery in the Chennai Customs Zone, limited to the categories against their names. Inspections must be performed by the empaneled chartered engineer, supported by videography/photography, and reported in the prescribed Form B. Referral to another engineer with Commissioner approval is permitted where doubts about evaluation or qualification arise, with service charges borne by the importer. Annual self appraisals and withdrawal for customs related offenses are mandated.

Risk Management System overrides require express Commissioner approval and strict recording and reconciliation procedures.
Any deviation from Risk Management System (RMS) instructions for import Bills of Entry requires express approval of the Commissioner of Customs (Import) in e office; such deviations must be recorded with reasons. The DC/AC (EDI) shall keep a serially numbered physical register of Commissioner authorizations, the serial number must be entered in ICES and the e office file, and DC/AC (EDI) must reconcile green channel clearance data from ICES with the register and submit a reconciliation report to the Commissioner.

Transhipment bond requirement lifted for direct sea port to sea port export movements; system updated accordingly.
Requirement of a transhipment bond is addressed under the Export Transhipment (ETP) module; filing ETP at the first customs location previously made a transhipment bond mandatory. A regulatory exemption for direct sea port to sea port movements by sea means no bond is required for such transhipments, and the customs IT system has been updated so the transhipment bond is no longer mandatory for direct sea port movements.

Adjudication proceedings: personal hearings scheduled; noticees may appear in person or virtually and must submit replies.
Adjudication proceedings have been initiated against listed exporters for alleged non-realisation of export proceeds and ineligible drawback claims; final Personal Hearings are scheduled before the designated Adjudicating Authority. Noticees must submit replies and may appear physically, through authorised representative, or via video conferencing by intimating mode of appearance and providing valid ID and contact details in advance. Failure to represent will lead to ex-parte decision based on available records; communications may be sent by speed post or email.

Warehousing code declaration requirement updated; ICES error prompted administrative waiver of late fees for affected warehouse bills of entry.
ICES has been enabled to require mandatory warehousing code declaration for filing into-bond bills of entry in line with Board Circular No.19/2016-Cus.; a technical error (835) caused valid warehousing codes to be rejected until rectified on 26.12.2023 afternoon. As administrative relief for filings disrupted by the error, the Commissioner waived the late fee for affected warehouse bills of entry for vessels with entry inwards at Chennai Seaport during the error period. The Public Notice functions as a standing order and directs stakeholders to report any remaining difficulties to the Assistant Commissioner (Appraising Main), Chennai-II.

Electronic origin data exchange enables automated CoO validation and ledger debit, triggering negative acknowledgments for mismatches.
Electronic origin data exchange now supplies electronic Country of Origin data from Korea for Bills of Entry; importers or customs brokers must declare correct unit quantity code and quantity in BE_item and provide the CoO number with specified single window fields per the ICES advisory annexure. ICES will auto debit eCoO quantity from the CoO certificate ledger and issue a negative acknowledgment where declared quantity exceeds ledger balance or an incorrect UQC is declared, with declared details visible to assessing officers. The same steps apply to old certificates and the notice functions as a standing order.

National Time Release Study to measure EXIM cargo release times; stakeholders urged to attend awareness meeting and cooperate.
National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2024 will be carried out from 01.01.2024 to 07.01.2024 to measure end-to-end clearance and average release times for export and import cargo; Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai is among six selected formations. An awareness meeting for importers, customs brokers, trade and customs staff is scheduled at 1200 hours on 27.12.2023 at ACC Conference Hall; stakeholders are requested to participate and cooperate with the NTRS team.

ICES mandates warehouse code declaration for into bond entries; ACB can suspend or revoke warehouse codes via the system.
ICES now mandates declaration of the warehouse code when filing into bond bills of entry and validates at clearance that the warehouse code is active; the ACB role has been given a "Suspend/ Revoke Warehouse" function that auto populates warehouse details on code entry and requires an officer to confirm (enter "Y"), add remarks and save to suspend or revoke a warehouse code.