Import restrictions on refined palm oil require authorization with pre-purchase agreements and stricter origin and utilization controls.
Import of refined palm oil has been reclassified as restricted and will be permitted only under authorizations supported by a pre-purchase agreement and three years' import history; licenses will have reduced validity, total non utilisation will bar future licensing, and Customs must enforce Rules of Origin for consignments from specified neighbouring territories.

Relaxation of physical submission deadline for TMA applications allows extended manual filing of printouts for electronically filed applications.
The Public Notice amends para 7(A).01 of the Handbook of Procedures to permit manual submission of the printed PDF of ANF 7(A)A and prescribed documents to the concerned Regional Authority for applications filed electronically within the specified filing window, providing a time limited relaxation of the physical submission requirement for Transport and Marketing Assistance applications.

Electronic Preferential Certificate of Origin now required to be applied and issued through the DGFT online platform with digital e-certificates.
DGFT directs exclusive electronic filing and issuance of Preferential Certificates of Origin for specified FTAs/PTAs through the single CoO portal. Issued CoOs will be digitally signed e-certificates with the same layout and validity as paper certificates, verifiable by QR code or serial number on the portal. Hard copies will not be provided while movement restrictions persist; hard copies with ink signatures may be supplied later but certificate issuance will remain online. Exporters must register, use a DSC (Class II/III) embedding the IEC, and ensure IEC details in the DGFT database are up to date.

One-time condonation under EPCG Scheme extended to accept requests for export obligation and installation certificate relief until March 31, 2021.
One-time condonation under the EPCG Scheme is extended to permit RAs to receive requests for block-wise extension, extension of Export Obligation period and condonation of delay in submission of installation certificates until 31.03.2021; the additional composition fee of Rs. 5000 is not required to be paid and other terms of the earlier Public Notices remain unchanged.

Retrospective certificates of origin: digitally signed documents enable provisional preferential clearance subject to bond or undertaking.
Authorised Indian issuing agencies shall process digital applications, transmit digitally signed Certificates of Origin, and may issue physically signed certificates later; a uniform prescribed fee applies to all preferential certificates. Importing partners are requested to accept digitally signed certificates or physical certificates unsigned by the competent authority for provisional preferential duty treatment, subject to conditions such as an undertaking, bond, or appropriate security required by Customs.

Acceptance of scanned pre-registration applications allows email submission and electronic issuance of REX numbers during office closures.
Scanned Pre-Application forms and supporting documents may be submitted by email to Local Users for REG; Local Users will process electronic submissions, communicate deficiencies electronically, accept additional documents by email, and issue REX numbers and scanned confirmations by email until normal office functioning resumes.

Extension of RCMC validity: expired certificates not insisted for incentives and authorizations until 30 September 2020.
Regional Authorities of DGFT will not insist on a valid RCMC where the certificate expired on or before 31 March 2020 for applicants seeking any incentive or authorization, until 30 September 2020; EPCs will manage re-validations and defer collection of applicable fees for 2020-21 until normalcy is restored.

Extension of Handbook validity and automatic six-month extensions for export authorisations and filing deadlines to ease compliance.
The Director General of Foreign Trade extended the Handbook of Procedures 2015-2020 to 31 March 2021 and introduced targeted temporal relaxations: substituted expiry dates and new deeming provisions, automatic six-month extensions for import validity and export obligation periods for specified authorisations, extension of filing deadlines for claims and reports, and aligned appendix/form deadlines; certain repatriation periods remain subject to central bank guidelines.

Track and Trace system implementation extended for pharmaceutical export packaging compliance and mandatory Central Portal uploads.
The Handbook of Procedure is amended to substitute the implementation date in Para 2.90A (vi) and (vii), extending the period for implementation of the Track and Trace system for export drug formulations. The extension covers maintenance of the Parent-Child relationship across packaging levels and required upload on the Central Portal, and applies to both small scale industry and non-small scale industry manufacturers.

Retrospective Certificates of Origin allowed, permitting provisional preferential imports pending later production of origin documents.
Indian agencies authorised to issue Certificates of Origin will issue them retrospectively after reopening; meanwhile customs and competent authorities in partner jurisdictions may provisionally admit eligible imports to preferential treatment subject to subsequent production of the retrospectively issued Certificates of Origin, and India will honour preferences if partner governments make a formal request or public notice.

Import deadline extension for urad applications extends filing period due to COVID-19 disruptions and amended trade notice.
The Trade Notice modifies Trade Notice No. 57/2019-2020 by extending the application receipt period for Urad imports for fiscal year 2020-2021 due to COVID-19; applications in response to the earlier notice will be accepted until the revised deadline, and the amendment is issued with administrative approval.

Export permission for restricted formulations under advance licences issued before the notification allowed, with no quantity enhancement permitted.
Permission allows export of formulations derived from restricted APIs under existing Advance Licences issued before the Notification, limited to ITCHS headings under Chapter 30, with no enhancement of quantities permitted for import or export items in those licences.

Export restriction limited to specified API descriptions; SEZ units and other differently described items under same HS codes exempt.
Exports from SEZ units are exempt from the restriction and permitted to export the specified APIs and formulations. The restriction applies only to the particular item descriptions listed against each ITC (HS) code; other items under the same HS codes with different descriptions are allowed for export.

Proceedings under foreign trade law may continue against firms in insolvency if the liquidator is added as respondent.
Proceedings under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act may be instituted or continued against companies before the NCLT unless the NCLT expressly prohibits such proceedings; when a company is in liquidation the liquidator must be added as a respondent, and the Adjudicating Authority referred to is the NCLT.

Import quota allocation for urad: online applications by millers and refiners; equal distribution among eligible applicants required.
Import of urad for 2020-21 is limited to an import quota of four lakh metric tonnes and allowed only to millers/refiners with their own refining/processing capacity. Eligible parties must apply online using ANF-2M, attach IEC, a capacity certificate from competent authorities and proof of fee payment, and submit a single application per IEC. The EFC will allocate quota based on processing capacity, quantity sought and applications received, distributing available quota equally or up to applied amounts among eligible applicants; DGFT may revise allocations. Imports must reach ports within the quota year without extensions.

Import restriction on Urad limits imports to millers and refiners under a notified annual quota, excluding government commitments.
Restriction on import of Urad imposes an annual quota limiting imports to four lakh metric tonnes for the 2020-21 fiscal period, effective from 1 May to 31 March. Imports under the quota are permitted only to Millers/Refiners and will be governed by a procedure to be notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. The restriction does not apply to government import commitments under bilateral or regional agreements.

Global Authorisation for Intra Company Transfers of SCOMET items requires offline applications, quarterly post reporting, and an End Use Certificate.
Notification implements the Global Authorisation for Intra Company Transfers (GAICT) under Para 2.79F by prescribing ANF2O(b) for offline export authorisation applications to DGFT(Hqrs), ANF2O(c) for quarterly post shipment reporting (including nil returns), and Appendix 2S(iv) End Use cum End User Certificate from the foreign parent. The proformae set out required shipment, product, supply chain and supporting documentation, declaratory undertakings and commitments against diversion, WMD use, and permit post shipment verification while imposing compliance obligations under FTP/HBP and related statutes.

Disruption response: banks to create assistance cells, accept self-certification, and insurers to cover shipment delay losses.
Department of Financial Services directed Public Sector Banks to set up special assistance cells for industry segments and MSMEs affected by coronavirus, require banks to convey document/procedural requirements in one communication and accept self-certifications where applicable to facilitate remittances, and to identify and support import substitution and production ramp-up. DFS also asked the insurance regulator to review and permit modification of insurance products to cover losses from abnormal shipment delivery delays.

Extension of import deadline for Urad requires licensed importers to ensure consignments arrive by the revised final date.
The notice extends the import deadline for the additional Urad quota, requiring consignments to arrive at Indian ports on or before the revised final date; licensed importers must complete shipments within this timeframe and no further extensions will be allowed, with compliance to existing licensing modalities and notification to relevant trade and customs authorities.

Preferential Certificate of Origin portal mandated for IKCEPA exports; applications and issuance must be made through the online platform.
Preferential Certificate of Origin applications and issuance for IKCEPA exports must be made exclusively through the DGFT online CoO platform; exporters and designated agencies must register, use a Class II or Class III digital signature embedding the IEC number, and ensure IEC data is up to date as director/partner/branch details will be auto-populated from the DGFT-IEC database.