DEPB amendments set a 5% rate for ceiling fans and raise the export value cap for vee belts.
The Director General of Foreign Trade amends the Schedule of DEPB rates: for Engineering (Product Code 61) the DEPB entry for complete ceiling fans with metal blades is set at 5% with a value cap of Rs.600 per piece; and for Chemicals (Product Code 62) the value cap for Vee/Fan Belts reinforced with manmade textile cord / Vee Belts with KEVLAR is revised to Rs.180 per kilogram, issued under powers in the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures.

Addition to Foreign Trade Handbook: Kollam recognised for cashew products in Appendix under trade policy.
The Director General of Foreign Trade added a new Appendix entry in the Handbook of Procedures (Vol. I) 2004-2009 recognising Kollam (Quilon), Kerala for Cashew Products; the administrative amendment follows existing Appendix listings and was issued by Public Notice No. 59/2006 as an update to the Handbook.

SION amendments restore deleted input-output norms, revising import allowances and removing some actual-user conditions for exporters.
Restoration and revision of multiple SION entries in Handbook of Procedures (Vol.2) 2004-2009: deleted SIONs reinstated with modified input-output norms and revised import-item descriptions across chemicals, pharmaceuticals, plastics, electronics, engineering, textiles and food sectors; removal of certain footnotes and actual-user restrictions for specified food and sugar entries while retaining CIF value caps where specified; corrections to cross-references and product descriptions implemented via Annexure to Public Notice.

Verification of DFIA licences ensures export obligations and value addition norms are confirmed through prescribed documentary checks.
Verification of DFIA licences requires Customs confirmation that export obligations, value addition and SION norms have been met and that the Regional Authority's Redemption Certificate is submitted. Applicants must present a prescribed documentary bundle - indexed acknowledgement in triplicate, exporter application and authorization, original shipping bills, bills of lading, customs attested invoices, ARE 3/CT 3 or excise certification where applicable, bank realisation certificates, test or PAC certificates for deemed supplies, and statements of supplies and imports - with Customs empowered to request additional documents as necessary.

Preferential white sugar quota granted for EU export with specified export agency and documentary certification requirements.
Allocation of a preferential white sugar quota for export to the EU authorises 10,000 MT from free sale portions (3912 MT from 2005 06 and 6088 MT from 2006 07) for 2006 07, under the applicable HS classification. A designated export agency is authorised to export under the quota. Special certification entries require ACP India Preferential Sugar endorsement referencing the EU regulation; EUR must be Customs endorsed at shipment and the GSP certificate issued by the competent export certification authority.

Correction to trade classification: Appendix amendment clarifies inclusion and HS description for value added leather footwear.
Correction to Appendix 37D under paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy amends Sl. No. A to include value added leather products and leather footwear, specifying the ITC (HS) description for footwear with outer soles of rubber, plastics, leather or composition leather and uppers of leather, issued as a public-interest correction to clarify trade classification.

Certificate of Origin authorization expanded: agencies issuing Preferential certificates may also issue Non Preferential certificates; list updated.
Agencies authorized to issue Preferential Certificate of Origin under the Handbook of Procedures (Volume I) are expressly authorized to issue Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin as well, by insertion into Paragraph 2.21.2, thereby aligning issuance powers for both certificate types.

Issuance of scrips against lost export documents requires duplicate proofs, affidavits, indemnity bonds and time limited claims.
Procedures permit issuance of duty-credit scrips under VKGUY/Focus Market/Focus Product schemes against lost Shipping Bills or original Bank Certificates upon submission of duplicates issued by Customs or the bank, payment of an application fee (waived for government agencies with proof), an exporter affidavit with an undertaking to surrender originals if found, and an indemnity bond indemnifying the Government; Customs must ensure no prior benefit was availed. Claims must be preferred within a prescribed limited period from release or realization, and concurrent loss of both documents requires following both procedures. The notice also amends a product description in Appendix-37A for tamarind products.

Minimum value addition requirements for jewellery exports updated, specifying categorised thresholds across jewellery and mechanised items.
Amendment to Paragraph 4A.2.1 of the Handbook of Procedures (Vol. I), pursuant to Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy and referencing Paragraph 4A.6, prescribes category wise minimum value addition requirements for exports under the jewellery scheme: plain gold/platinum/silver jewellery and certain ornaments; all types of studded jewellery; jewellery manufactured by fully mechanised process; gold/silver/platinum medallions and non legal tender coins; and mechanised findings/mountings, each with specified minimum value addition rates.

Amendment to Appendix updates authorised banking locations by adding a Central Bank of India branch entry under trade procedure authority.
Amendment adds an entry to Appendix-3 of the Handbook of Procedures (Volume I) under authority conferred by Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-09, inserting a Central Bank of India branch at Arhat Bazar, Dehra Dun with the specified contact number, thereby updating the prescribed banking locations referenced in Appendix-3.

EPCG Authorisation filing: amended form mandates turnover, unredeemed authorisation details and computed export obligation requirements.
Amendments revise the Aayaat Niryat Form to require applicants for EPCG Authorisation to disclose three-year turnover and export performance, details of unredeemed EPCG licences including CIF value, EO fixed in freely convertible currency, percentage of EO fulfilled, expiry dates, and whether imports were under the Technological Upgradation Scheme; the form also specifies calculation and recording of Export Obligation based on total duty saved, prescribed multiples and EO periods for specified categories, and requires the installation address for imported capital goods.

DTA sale eligibility: EOUs exporting through third parties remain eligible; DTA entitlement based on EOU supply price.
Goods manufactured in an Export Oriented Unit and directly transferred to the port of shipment, though exported through a third party exporter who realises foreign exchange, qualify as eligible exports for DTA sale benefits; such exports count toward the EOU's export obligation and the DTA sale entitlement is calculated on the price at which the EOU supplies the goods to the third party exporter, with shipping bills naming both manufacturer (showing EOU status) and third party.

Defacement of buyer details allowed in shipping bills to protect confidentiality while permitting export scheme processing if otherwise compliant.
Defacement of buyer name and address on shipping bills is authorised to prevent leakage of confidential information; Regional Authorities shall accept and process such defaced shipping bills and related documents for claiming benefits under export promotion schemes provided the applications are otherwise complete and in order.

Standard Input-Output Norms amended to update permitted import inputs and quantities against specified export products under trade policy.
Amendment to the Handbook of Procedures (Vol.2) revises the Standard Input Output Norms by adding, deleting and altering SION entries, modifying permitted import items and quantities against specified export products across Chemicals, Electronics, Engineering, Plastics, Food, Textiles and Miscellaneous categories, and by introducing procedural notes on pro-rata adjustments, calorific conversions for fuels, content-based alloying formulas and Actual User conditions.

DEPB schedule amendment updates export description for blood bags, replacing specific wording to harmonise classification.
An amendment to the Schedule of DEPB rates replaces the Sr. No. 125 export description in the Plastics product group (Product Code 63) from "Double Blood Bag with Tubing" to "Blood Bags," updating the nomenclature used for that export item under the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures.

Amendments to Appendix 37D update handicrafts and value added fish product classifications and delete two prior handicraft entries.
Corrections to Appendix 37D amend Sl. No. C to specify hand woven carpet classifications under product codes 5702 and 5703 and delete Sl. Nos. 37 and 38; Sl. No. E is amended to list IQF raw consumer pack fish items (shrimp, squid, cuttlefish) with respective ITC codes 50, 55 and 59, promulgated by Public Notice No. 48/2006 under Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2004-2009.

Amendment to trade procedures updates jurisdictional assignments and contact details for regional trade offices and SEZ administration.
Amendments to Appendix-I of the Handbook of Procedures revise Serial No. 18 to designate the Joint Director of Foreign Trade office at Rajkot with contact details and territorial coverage for Kutch, Saurashtra and Diu; and revise Serial No. 35 to record the Development Commissioner at Kandla SEZ contact details and territorial jurisdiction covering units in Kandla and Surat SEZs and approved EOU/SEZs in Gujarat.

Zero duty wheat import permitted under ad hoc exemption, subject to FCI handling, specified ports and a time limit.
Import of wheat is authorised at Zero Duty under an ad hoc exemption invoking Foreign Trade Policy powers. Imports are time limited, must be effected through the designated central procurement authority, be confined to the specified ITC (HS) commodity classification, and be landed only at the listed coastal ports subject to policy paragraph conditions.

DEPB application requirements updated: shipping bill or bill of exports allowed and specific postal parcel documentation mandated.
Amendments require the Export Promotion copy of the Shipping Bill for DEPB applications, allow Bill of Exports for notified land customs, and mandate that Post Parcel exports submit the postal receipt plus an invoice showing Product Group and DEPB Schedule serial number, attested by Customs. The DEPB application form (Sl. No.5, subsection VC) is replaced with a detailed tabular set of fields including SB/PPR number and date, date of let export, BRC details, invoice identifiers, product group, DEPB serial, item description, FOB values, exchange rate and computed FOB in rupees.

Transferable DFIA: authorities should not insist on supporting manufacturers' registration when export obligation is fulfilled and DFIA redeemed.
For transferable DFIA redeemed after completion of the export obligation, Regional Authorities need not insist on SSI or Central Excise registration certificates of supporting manufacturers or jobbers at the time of EODC issuance or DFIA transfer; Paragraph 4.16 procedures remain mandatory only for Actual User DFIA/Advance Authorisation import cases.