Focus Product Scheme expands to include value added coir products, making listed coir items eligible for scheme benefits.
Amendment to Appendix 37D of the Handbook of Procedures (Vol. I) adds a category of value added coir products to the list of items qualifying for benefits under the Focus Product Scheme. The public notice lists specific ITC (HS) codes and item descriptions-covering coir bristle and mattress fibre, curled/machine twisted fibre, processed coir pith in value added forms, mechanically/manual produced fibre, coir yarn, woven geotextiles of coir, coir cordage and ropes, and other coir products-thereby incorporating these items into the Appendix for scheme eligibility.

Preferential white sugar quota allocation for EU from free sale portions under Foreign Trade Policy takes immediate effect.
Using powers under Paragraphs 2.1, 2.4 and 2.29 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-2009, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade allocates specified quantities of white sugar from the free sale portions of the 2005-06 and 2006-07 seasons for export to the EU as a preferential white sugar quota for 2006-07, amending Paragraph 1 of Public Notice No.57(RE-2006)/2004-2009 with immediate effect.

Abeyance of a trade notice suspends the earlier trade guidance immediately pending further administrative directions.
Trade Notice No. 2/am07 dated 2 February 2007 is placed under abeyance with immediate effect by Trade Notice No. 03/am07 dated 7 February 2007, suspending the earlier notice pending further directions; issued by the Zonal Joint Director General of Foreign Trade as an administrative communication to trade and industry.

CENVAT credit prohibition requires exporters under DFIA to submit a joint declaration confirming non availment, otherwise penalties apply.
Exports under DFIA are subject to a prohibition on availing CENVAT credit for inputs used in exported products. Exporters applying for DFIA must furnish a declaration that neither they nor their supporting manufacturer(s) has availed CENVAT credit or equivalent excise facilities for those inputs, accept penal liability for false declarations, and, where supporting manufacturers are used, provide a joint signature by the exporter and supporting manufacturer(s).

Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZ Units added to Appendix-2, updating registered and regional office listings.
Amendment to Appendix-2 formally adds the Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZ Units, listing its registered office in New Delhi and seven regional offices (Chennai, Cochin, Kandla, Kolkata, Mumbai, Noida, Visakhapatnam) with specified SEZ/administrative office locations and contact details, issued under Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy to update the official roster of Export Promotion Councils.

Export restrictions for pulses: private traders must file ANF with irrevocable buyer credit and supporting order, subject to approval.
Procedures for export of pulses to Sri Lanka limit export permission to private traders who must file an application in Aayaat Niryaat Form at DGFT Headquarters within thirty days, accompanied by a valid export order or an irrevocable Letter of Credit from the Sri Lankan buyer; applications received within the period will be considered on merit and may be subject to additional conditions.

Duty credit entitlement: consolidated six monthly claims on FOB realisation require BRC/FIRC and single port registration.
Claims under the Focus Product Scheme require a single consolidated application by Head/Registered Office for all exports through EDI-enabled ports on a six-monthly basis where realisation occurred; exports from 01.04.2006 and advance-payment exports by export date are eligible. Duty credit certificates are issued on FOB value realised per BRC/FIRC and may be transferable when bank-confirmed for LC/avalised or guaranteed bills. Scrips are registered to a single export port but may be used for imports at other ports after obtaining TRA. Applications must include specified documents, follow lost-shipping-bill safeguards, and be submitted within six months of the application period end.

Export Promotion Council amendment updates Cotton Textiles EPC office and contact details under the Foreign Trade Policy.
Amendment replaces the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council entry in the Handbook of Procedures with revised registered and regional office addresses for Mumbai and New Delhi and updates the Council's telephone, fax, email and website contact details; issued under the Foreign Trade Policy authority by public notice for administrative implementation.

Export documentation requirement: export documents must be in applicant's name for direct and third party exports; comments invited.
Clarification is sought on the One Star Export House eligibility criterion tied to a minimum export performance across specified years, and on VKGUY scheme documentary requirements which mandate that export documents for direct and third party exports be in the applicant's name; stakeholders are invited to submit written comments and may also send them by e mail to designated officers.

Actual users condition for imported inputs in sugar exports imposes CIF value cap affecting white and raw sugar.
The Director General of Foreign Trade replaces Note (1) for SION No. E-79 (white sugar) and SION No. E-106 (raw sugar), permitting Sl.No.8 of the import item with an Actual Users condition and with a CIF value cap expressed as a percentage of the FOB value of exports-5% for white sugar and 7.5% for raw sugar.

Duty credit entitlement: consolidated half yearly applications require BRC/FIRC proof, proof of landing, and single port registration controls.
Amendments require a single consolidated half yearly application in the Aayaat Niryat form to claim duty credit under the Focus Market Scheme for exports realized during the period; entitlement is granted on FOB value realized as per BRC/FIRC, may be transferable where bank certified realizations or irrevocable instruments exist, and scrips are issued with a single port of registration though usable at other ports after TRA. Applicants must submit proof of landing and prescribed documentary evidence; detailed application form and declarations are annexed.

Port designation change: substitution of Pondicherry Port with Chennai Port in public notice, altering foreign trade routing procedures.
Amendment substitutes "Pondicherry Port" with "Chennai Port" in paragraph 1(ii) of Public Notice No.72(RE-06)/2004-2009, effecting a change in the designated port applicable to the specified foreign trade procedure; the change is made under powers granted by the Foreign Trade Policy and issued in the public interest.

Drawback notice amendment removes EOU limitation and makes the textual correction effective retrospectively to 20.10.2006.
Correction deletes the words "to EOU Units" from the fourth line of Public Notice No.65 concerning the All Industry Rate of Drawback for HSD and furnace oil; the Director General of Foreign Trade invokes powers under the Foreign Trade Policy to issue the amendment, which is effective from the original notice date and recorded as a public interest correction.

Standard Input-Output Norms update: new SION adds category-wise input limits for glass container exports via cullet route.
The Public Notice amends SION entries in the Handbook of Procedures Vol.2 by revising import-item compositions and input quantities for a chemical product SION and by adding a new SION for glass vials, bottles and related items produced via the glass scrap/cullet route, specifying category-wise input allowances and a combined limit for certain glass formers.

Export restrictions on pulses to Sri Lanka limit shipments to specified types and ports; exceptions require DGFT permission.
Restriction on export of pulses to Sri Lanka confines exports to specified pulse varieties with quantified ceilings and authorises shipments only from a designated Indian port to a designated Sri Lankan port; the prohibition does not apply where a specific administrative permission has been granted.

Scheduled chemicals compliance: exporters and importers must state correct descriptions and full HS codes in shipping documents.
Exporters, importers and clearing agents must indicate accurate chemical descriptions and the corresponding eight digit HS codes for Scheduled Chemicals (as specified for Category 1A and 1B in Appendix 3 to Schedule 2 of the ITC(HS)) in all inward and outward shipping documents to enable accurate annual reporting to the OPCW; DGFT observed omissions and directed immediate implementation of its prior policy guidance, with trade advised to report any implementation difficulties to the customs commissioner.

Amendment to export procedure: Appendix eight updated to include oranges and vegetables from specified Madhya Pradesh districts.
Amendment to the Handbook of Procedures (Vol. I) updates Appendix Eight by altering the entry at Sl. No. 52 to specify that oranges and vegetables are covered in the State of Madhya Pradesh, listing the districts Chhindwara, Hoshangabad and Betul; the change is made under Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-2009 and issued by public notice.

Agreement name amendment: 'Bangkok Agreement' replaced by Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) in handbook references.
The amendment substitutes the designation Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) for the term "Bangkok Agreement" in Paragraph 2.21.1 and Sub Para (d) of the Handbook of Procedures, Volume I, and correspondingly replaces the wording in the heading of Appendix 4 B to align terminology across the instrument.

Import quota restrictions under the Indo Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement require pre purchase agreements and Certificate of Origin.
Notification prescribes annual and quarter wise quantitative restrictions for vanaspati, pepper and desiccated coconut imports under the Indo Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement; requires applications to the Exim Facilitation Committee in the Aayaat Niryaat Form with applicable fees; mandates pre purchase agreements from eligible Sri Lankan exporters for vanaspati and production of a Certificate of Origin at import clearance; and sets the financial year as the allocation period, with initial year quantities adjusted for prior imports.

Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana expands to cover egg albumin exports, benefits effective from specified export period.
Amendment adds egg albumins to Appendix 37A under the Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana, listing two product entries with ITC (HS) codes for dried and other egg albumin and specifying the export date from which benefits are admissible; for exports made within the stated period the final date for filing applications for grant of credit is the prescribed filing deadline.