Change in jurisdictional processing: new regional authority must amend IEC, notify original authority, and enable applicant benefits.
The amendment requires that when a Head Office or Registered Office address change in an IEC results in a shift of jurisdiction, the request must be made to the new RA, which shall amend the IEC based on submitted documents, notify the RA that originally issued the IEC of the changes, and thereafter allow the applicant to carry out functions and apply for eligible benefits under the Foreign Trade Policy.

Product description correction aligns MEIS Appendix 3B entry with applicable tariff classification, effective from the original notification date.
Corrigendum to Public Notice No. 02/2015-2020 amends the MEIS Appendix 3B Table 2 Entry No. 113 by replacing the existing description "Other Mussels Excl, Frsh/Chld" with "Other," effective from 01.04.2015, to align the entry with the ITC(HS) classification in force at the time of the original notification under powers conferred by paragraph 1.03 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020.

Export Obligation Period fixed at 90 days for SION based imports, counting from customs clearance for Chapters 7 and 15.
Import of inputs permitted under notified Standard Input Output Norms (SION) or upon prior fixation of norms for export of items covered by Chapters 7 and 15 is subject to a pre import condition: the export obligation period runs for 90 days from the date of clearance of each import consignment by the Customs Authority.

Nominated agency list update: State Trading Corporation added to Appendix 4B, recognising it under the FTP nominated agencies.
Corrigendum incorporates State Trading Corporation of India Ltd. into Appendix 4B of the Handbook of Procedures 2015-20 by adding it at Sl. VI of Part C, thereby formally recognising it among the nominated agencies under the Foreign Trade Policy; the corrigendum refers to the revised Appendix 4B as enclosed.

SION amendment updates input description to Styrene Monomer for specified entries while preserving input quantities.
Amendment to Standard Input Output Norms (SION) revises the description of the input at Sl. No. 2 in SION entries A1495, A1496 and A1497 to read "Styrene/Styrene Monomer" without any change in the prescribed quantities, issued under Paragraph 1.03 of the Foreign Trade Policy as a public regulatory update.

Certificate of Origin (Non-Preferential) authorization for AECC&I; agency added to FTP appendices as issuing authority.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, exercising powers under paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020, authorises M/s Asian Exporters' Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AECC&I) to issue Certificate of Origin (Non-Preferential) and adds the agency to Appendix 2E (List of Agencies Authorized to issue Certificate of Origin (Non-Preferential)) at Serial No.32 (Maharashtra), thereby enlisting AECC&I as a recognised issuing authority under the FTP 2015-2020.

Certificate of Origin authorization updated by administrative change to an issuing agency's registered office address.
Amendment updates the registered office location of the India Industries Association in the List of Agencies Authorized to issue Certificate of Origin (Non-Preferential), made under paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020; the Director General of Foreign Trade records the new address and confirms that the Public Notice notifies this administrative change for the IIA as an authorized issuing agency.

Import authorisation updated: specified banks and nominated agencies listed under Appendix 4B for gold and silver imports.
Amendment to Appendix 4B formally updates the lists of banks authorised by the Reserve Bank of India to import both gold and silver and of banks authorised to import only gold, with designated officials and addresses. It also lists nominated agencies under the Foreign Trade Policy with full contact details for each office. The amendment thus governs which banks and agencies trade participants must recognise for import and nominated-agency functions under Appendix 4B.

Export/import application forms amended to reflect GST implementation and non issuance of EP copies by customs.
The DGFT has amended ANFs 4A, 4E, 4F, 4G, 4H and 4I (annexed to the Public Notice) to align Advance Authorisation, DFIA, Redemption/No Bond, GEM REP and related application procedures with GST implementation and with the non issuance of EP copies by Customs. Amendments standardise online filing with digital signature, required uploads (payment evidence, eBRC/FIRC, shipping bill or Customs signed Exporter Copy where EP copies are unavailable), CA/project authority certifications, and declarations on compliance, IEC updates and non penal status.

Registered Exporter requirement: exporters must register to self certify rules of origin to access EU GSP benefits.
Extension of the transition period for registration under the Registered Exporter (REX) system permits exporters additional time to enroll and retain access to EU GSP preferences. Thereafter, EU GSP benefits will be available only to exporters registered under REX who can self certify the Rules of Origin on a commercial document, replacing Certificates of Origin issued by authorised agencies.

Certificate of Origin (Non Preferential) authorization granted to designated regional offices to issue GSP certificates under FTP.
Designation authorizes regional offices of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority to issue Certificate of Origin (Non-Preferential) and GSP certificates under the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-2020; these offices are added to Appendix 2E of the Appendices & Aayat Niryat Forms of the FTP, 2015-2020 and are therefore authorized to process and issue the listed export origin documentation.

SION modification: import quantity requirement increased for raw sesame seeds against hulled sesame seeds export.
Modification of SION K 36 revises the input requirement for Hulled Sesame Seeds: the prescribed input quantity of Raw Sesame Seeds at S. No. 1 is amended to a higher quantity per unit of export. The change is notified under Paragraph 1.03 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-2020 and updates the Handbook of Procedure Vol. II SION entry for the specified export item.

Application fee requirement: import licence applications must include prescribed processing fee or they will not be processed.
Importers must submit import authorization applications at the Regional Authority with the prescribed application fee, the processing fee under Appendix 2K of FTP 2015-20. Applications filed at DGFT headquarters without a copy of fee payment will not be processed and no import authorization will be issued.

Standard Input Output Norms amended: revised raw-material input quantities for specified chemical exports take effect immediately.
Amendment revises SION entries for Chemical & Allied Products: SION A-343 reduces Acetic Anhydride for paracetamol from 0.95 kg to 0.75 kg while retaining Phenol and Sodium Nitrite quantities; SION A-3488 reduces Para Amino Phenol from 0.91 kg to 0.80 kg and Acetic Anhydride from 0.85 kg to 0.75 kg. Changes affect input requirements used for export entitlement calculations and take effect from the Public Notice date under powers of the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedure.

Average Export Obligation under EPCG Scheme clarified, setting computation rules and permitted capital goods importability conditions.
Notification prescribes computation of Average Export Obligation under the EPCG Scheme: exclude exports counted for fulfilling specific EOs within their valid periods in the preceding three years; for applicants with more than three years' existence, aggregate exports of the past three years divided by three; for less than three years' existence, divide by the number of years. Appendix 5F enumerates capital goods not permitted or permitted only subject to specific conditions, including sector- or use-specific permissions and explicit prohibitions such as second-hand capital goods and certain vehicles.

Deemed foreign exchange: INR payments for specified transport services qualify as foreign receipts enabling SEIS rewards with RBI approval.
Payments received in Indian Rupees for specified transport-related services rendered in Customs Notified Areas to foreign liners or procured by foreign entities are to be treated as deemed foreign exchange and eligible for SEIS rewards. The amendment expands Appendix 3E to include Ground Handling Services under Air Transport Services, but only those payments that the Reserve Bank of India approves as deemed to be received and earned in foreign exchange shall qualify. Specific exclusions for vessel-related charges for coastal and inland vessels and cargo-related coastal charges remain.

SEIS eligibility extension preserves specified reward rates for listed service exports and sets exclusions and conditional limits.
SEIS Appendix 3D is amended to extend the Annexure rates for services exports into the extended eligibility period, prescribe admissible reward rates on net foreign exchange earnings for specified sectors and subperiods, and impose exclusions and conditions on entitlement. The amendment reiterates dependence on the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures, disallows SEIS on education capitation fees, limits maritime transport rewards to operations from India by Indian flag carriers, and lists categories of foreign exchange receipts and sectors excluded from SEIS calculation under a new Note.

MEIS rate revision alters duty credit entitlements for specified export items and adds ineligible categories for scrips.
Amendment revises Appendix 3B of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 to modify MEIS duty credit reward rates for specified ITC(HS) entries in Table 2 and to insert Table 3 listing export categories ineligible for Duty Credit Scrip entitlement under MEIS. The revised rates apply for exports made w.e.f. 01.11.2017 (subject to the period set out in the Notice), and the ineligible categories include units availing direct tax exemptions, items restricted or prohibited under Export Policy Schedule-2, selected natural resources, precious metals and stones, cereals, sugar, crude petroleum products, and specified food products unless specifically notified in Appendix 3B.

Handbook of Procedures revises India's export import regime, mandates online EDI filing, digital IEC, and SCOMET export controls.
The Handbook of Procedures (w.e.f. 5 Dec 2017) revises the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 procedural framework, mandating EDI based, online filing with digital signatures, electronic linking of shipping bills, e BRCs and RCMCs, and dispensing with hard copies for EDI ports. It defines IEC issuance/modification rules, timelines, revalidation and duplicate authorisation mechanisms, BG/LUT requirements, and RA jurisdictional procedures. The Handbook details scheme level rules for MEIS/SEIS, Duty Exemption/Remission (Advance Authorisation/DFIA), EPCG, EOUs, Deemed Exports, and sets out stringent SCOMET export controls, PSIA/PSIC requirements for scrap imports, quality certification and compliance, risk management and appeals.

MEIS incentive rates for numerous ITC HS codes increased from 2% to 4%, effective 01.11.2017 and limited period.
The Director General of Foreign Trade amended Appendix 3B Table 2 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 to raise MEIS incentive rates for numerous specified ITC HS codes from 2% to 4%; the Public Notice states the enhanced rates operate with effect from 01.11.2017 and, in the notice, are expressed as valid until 30.06.2018, with a subsequent substitution of the earlier wording noted.