Import quota for rough marble amended, annual permitted quantity adjusted and prior-year unallocated quota excluded under DGFT circular.
Import quota for rough marble blocks and slabs for 2007-08 is amended to a fixed annual allocation of 1.4 lakh MT, and this revised allocation excludes any unallocated quota carried forward from 2006-07; the amendment is issued by administrative circular with the approval of the competent authority.

Extension of export obligation period for sugar: automatic one-year extension without composition fee where obligation had not expired earlier.
Advance authorisations for export of sugar whose export obligation period did not expire prior to 19-4-2007 are automatically extended for one year for discharge of export obligation, without payment of the Composition Fee, effective from the date the original obligation period expires, under the Foreign Trade Policy authority and incorporated into the Handbook of Procedures, Vol. I.

Addition to Export Promotion Councils: IOPEA recognised to cover de oiled cake, oilseeds and edible oils under trade procedure lists.
Addition to Appendix 2 of the Hand Book of Procedure (Vol I) under Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-09: Indian Oilseeds & Produce Exporters Association EPC (IOPEA) is added as an Export Promotion Council with specified registered office and contact details; product coverage limited to de oiled cake and meals, oilseeds and edible oils, excluding products handled by the Shellac & Forest Product Export Promotion Council.

Irrevocable commercial letter of credit: Transitional rules require export payments to be routed and deducted through commercial LCs only.
Transitional rules under Para 1.5 require an irrevocable commercial letter of credit established before the imposition of an export restriction as the principal mode of payment to ensure contractual sanctity and prevent back dated submissions. Standby letters of credit are contingent guarantees, not primary payment instruments; payments under standbys are routed from other accounts. Examinations under the Transitional Arrangements must confirm that export payments are routed and deducted through the specified commercial LC and not through other accounts or channels, otherwise such routing absence constitutes non compliance.

All Industry Rate of Drawback HSD and Furnace Oil announced, applicable to supplies by domestic oil companies under FTP schemes.
All Industry Rate of Drawback of Rs.1160 per metric ton is announced for HSD and Furnace Oil supplied by domestic oil companies under the export incentive schemes in Chapters 4, 6 and 8 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2004-09, under the powers of Paragraph 2.4, effective immediately and until further orders.

Artistic work certification required: exporters must present authenticated invoices to obtain VKGUY export scheme benefits.
Exports of identified artistic wooden furniture are eligible for VKGUY benefits only where Customs shipping bills describe the product as "artistic" and classify it under the ITC HS codes listed in Appendix 37A; exporters must present invoices certified/authenticated by recognised handicraft bodies and Regional Authorities will require those certified invoices along with ANF3C export documents before granting benefits.

Standard Input Output Norms amendment restricts sugar for sugar free confectionery and permits specific sweeteners and saffron with conditions.
The Director General of Foreign Trade amends the Standard Input Output Norms (SION) for Assorted Confectionery in Handbook of Procedures (Vol.2), specifying permitted input items and quantities per 100 kg export, deleting prior notes and adding revised notes that prohibit sugar for sugar free confectionery while permitting starch/modified starch/gelatin and specified intense sweeteners, and allowing saffron import as flavour subject to Shipping Bill disclosure and an upper per unit usage limit applicable from the stated effective date.

Floor price requirement for imported rough marble mandates endorsed minimum prices on all import licences for specified categories.
Amendment imposes a mandatory floor price to be endorsed on all import licences for 2007-08, categorising imports as crude or roughly trimmed marble, rough marble blocks, and slabs, and requiring licensing authorities and customs to apply the specified minimum prices for each category on licences.

Bank guarantee and legal undertaking requirement for advance authorisations: customs execution mandated before clearance and RA endorsement required.
Holders of Advance Authorisation, DFIA and EPCG Authorisation must execute a Bank Guarantee or Legal Undertaking (BG/LUT) with Customs Authorities before customs clearance, and the Regional Authority must endorse the licence/authorisation accordingly; for indigenous sourcing, BG/LUT is to be furnished to the RA as per Customs Circular No. 58/2004. The Handbook compilations remain in force until 31st March, 2009, except the DEPB scheme which continues until 31st March, 2008, and paragraph 4.68 is amended to apply paragraph 4.25.

Import licensing floor price and quota regime governs rough marble imports, imposing eligibility, application and actual user conditions.
Import of rough marble blocks, slabs and crude or roughly trimmed marble is restricted and subject to licensing by the EXIM Facilitation Committee. Licences are limited to applicants with domestic manufacturing/processing units and prior import history, must carry endorsed floor prices, and are allocated from a government quota with individual entitlements based on prior turnover subject to a cap. Applications on the Aayaat Niryaat Form must be filed with the Regional Authority and a copy to headquarters by the deadline. Licences are subject to actual user condition, monthly import returns, and processed output from concessional imports for hotels or places of worship must not be sold.

Jurisdictional filing requirement shifts processing to regional authorities, allows split certificates and automatic limited validity extension.
Applications must be filed with the jurisdictional Regional Authority shown on the Status Certificate; Zonal Committees are abolished and Zonal Offices must transfer applications to the concerned Regional Authority. Split certificates may be issued after initial issuance, including with different ports of registration. Certificates valid on the notice date are granted an automatic further period of validity without requirement of endorsement by the Regional Authority.

Jurisdictional filing requirement: applications must be filed with the regional authority per Status Certificate; zonal committee abolished.
Applications for certificates must be filed with the jurisdictional Regional Authority per the Status Certificate; Zonal Committee abolished and Zonal Offices must transfer applications to the concerned Regional Authority. Split certificates may be issued after initial issuance and may specify a different port of registration. Certificates valid on the notice date receive an automatic twelve month extension without endorsement by the Regional Authority.

Duty Free Import Authorization eligibility clarified: regional offices must accept converted DFRC shipping bills and endorse verification.
Regional Authorities must accept shipping bills converted by Customs from DFRC to DFIA for grant of DFIA benefits. If the DFIA shipping bill lacks an endorsed file number, the Regional Authority shall record a specific endorsement in the EODC or the transferability letter so Customs at the port of registration can verify shipping bill details before allowing imports against such DFIAs.

Transferability of export authorisations requires deposit of additional customs or excise duty with interest; restricted items need separate permission.
Upon fulfilment of export obligation, Registered Authorising Authority shall allow transferability only subject to scheme conditions and an endorsement of liability for additional customs or excise duty on inputs imported under Actual User DFIA; the DFIA holder must deposit such additional duty with applicable interest into the designated Customs revenue head via prescribed T.R. Challan and furnish documentary evidence to the RA with the application. Restricted items on the authorisation are transferable only against a separate authorisation or permission under the Foreign Trade Policy.

RCMC application requirement change: bank certificate of financial soundness removed, altering required supporting documents.
The amendment deletes the requirement that applicants for Registration cum Membership (RCMC) with Export Promotion Councils must enclose a bank certificate supporting the applicant's financial soundness, thereby changing the prescribed supporting-document list in Appendix 19-A for RCMC applications.

Corporate guarantee permitted as substitute for bank guarantees or LUT, including intra-group support where status holder exists.
Amendment permits a Corporate Guarantee to be submitted instead of a bank guarantee or Letter of Undertaking, with a Status holder or a Public Sector Undertaking authorised to furnish such guarantee in accordance with the relevant Customs Circular; within a group, a company that is a Status holder may provide a Corporate Guarantee for another group company that is not a Status holder. Additionally, sub paragraph 3 of paragraph 2.33 of the Handbook of Procedures, Vol. I is deleted.

DTA sales option expanded to permit varied reporting frequencies; Premier Trading House may elect monthly reporting as well.
Amendment to Appendix 14-I-H permits SEZ units to opt for DTA sales on a quarterly, half yearly or annual basis by intimation to the concerned Development Commissioner of the SEZ; Premier Trading House status additionally permits opting for monthly DTA sales.

Installation certificate requirement: importers must obtain authorised installation proof or engineer certification within prescribed periods.
Amendment requires authorization holders to produce to the concerned Regional Authority an installation certificate from the Jurisdictional Central Excise authority or an independent Chartered Engineer confirming installation of capital goods at the factory premises of the authorization holder or its supporting manufacturers/vendors within the prescribed post import period; for imported spares the installation certificate must be submitted within a longer specified post import period.

Port of registration expanded to include Indore; BRC descriptions must reference commercial invoice and packing list.
Adds Indore to airports listed under Port of Registration (paragraph 4.19). Revises Column 5 heading of Appendix 22A BRC to require the description of goods to match the Customs Authenticated Shipping Bill and the Commercial Invoice/Packing List.

Amendment to export allocation of raw sugar updates total and EU consignments; all other conditions remain unchanged.
Amendment to Public Notice revises the quantitative allocation of raw sugar by specifying a revised total quantity and a revised EU allocation, while confirming that all other conditions of the earlier Public Notice remain unchanged and that the amendment is issued in the public interest under the authority of the Foreign Trade Policy.