Export Obligation extension: applicants for advance and EPCG licences must apply within sixty days of the public notice.
The Annual Advance Licensing Scheme will commence on 1 July 1999; until then, eligible exporters will be issued regular advance licences based on export orders. A Public Notice dated 6 April 1999 allows holders of advance and EPCG licences to apply for extension of their Export Obligation periods, with applications to be filed within sixty days of that notice, i.e., by 5 June 1999.

Import classification change: 'video films' replaced by a broader 'Other' category to include multiple video media formats.
The Director General of Foreign Trade substitutes the term "video films" with a broader category-"Other (including film on Video tape, Compact Video disc, Laser Video discs or Digital Video discs)"-in earlier public notices, thereby clarifying and expanding the import classification of cinematograph feature films and allied video media formats under the export-import policy.

Notification of Handbook of Procedures: revised export import procedural framework issued under Export and Import Policy powers.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, exercising powers under Paragraph 4.11 of the Export and Import Policy, 1997-2002, notifies the Handbook of Procedures (Vol. I) (Revised Edition - March 1999) as contained in the annexure to this Public Notice, to come into force from 1 April 1999, pursuant to the Gazette notification and issued in public interest.

Product classification under ITC(HS) clarifications guide lists codes and applicability for customs and licensing authorities.
DGFT circular furnishes administrative guidance matching specific products to Exim/HS codes under the ITC(HS) 1997-2002 schedule and includes conditional remarks requiring customs or licensing authorities to adjudge classification based on technical characteristics, composition, end use, or product presentation for certain entries; issued for uniform application by licensing, customs, EPCs, commodity boards, and trade bodies.

Export ban scope clarified to exclude natural garnets, abrasives and specified heavy minerals, which remain freely exportable.
The circular clarifies that the export prohibition on sands and soils does not apply to natural garnets, natural abrasives, garnet sands, other mineral products, and specified heavy minerals including ilmenite, rutile, zircon, monazite and sillimanite, which are freely exportable.

Status renewal relief for export and trading house applicants: late filings until end of December accepted for timeliness.
Applications for recognition or renewal as Export House, Trading House, Star Trading House and Super Star Trading House filed by the end of December may be treated as filed within time for grant or renewal despite an earlier final date, as an administrative accommodation addressing difficulties caused by an advanced deadline; substantive eligibility and procedural standards remain unaffected.

Export monitoring: council-issued NOC required to limit sand and aggregate exports and ensure quarterly utilisation reporting.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade exempts exports of stone aggregate and river sand to the Maldives up to prescribed annual ceilings and requires the Chemicals and Allied Products Export Promotion Council to monitor utilisation, issue an annual NOC limited to those ceilings, and submit quarterly utilisation reports to Policy Cell III of the DGFT.

Export ban on fresh onions clarified: processed, dried and preserved forms excluded while limited varietal and agency exports permitted.
Overall export ban continues to apply to fresh and chilled onions (ITCHS No.07031001) despite limited authorised exports of certain varieties through designated agencies; processed forms including provisionally preserved onions (ITCHS No.07111000), dried onions (ITCHS No.07122000), and onions preserved by vinegar/acetic acid (ITCHS 20012000) are not subject to the ban.

Exportability of onion within assorted vegetables allowed by air despite general export restriction, subject to other applicable laws.
Export of onion as a component of assorted vegetables is permitted by air in limited quantity per consignment to all permissible destinations despite the general restriction on onion exports; this allowance arises from the ITC(HS) schedule entry and remains subject to any other law or regulation in force.

DEPB eligibility for madeups from processed fabrics clarified; treated yarn dyed fabrics qualify for export benefits under scheme.
Madeups produced from fabrics that at yarn or fabric stage have undergone specified finishing operations (e.g., bleaching, mercerising, dyeing, printing, waterproofing, shrink proofing, singeing, padding, backfilling, shearing, brushing/raising, hydro extraction) are to be treated as processed fabric and shall be eligible for the DEPB rates applicable to the relevant textile product entries.

Pass Book Scheme credit deadlines require authorities to finalise claims and set utilisation cutoff; unused credit lapses.
Designated authorities administering the Pass Book Scheme and the Commissioner of Customs must finalise claims and grant admissible credits by the March 1999 deadline; credits so granted may be utilised only up to the June 1999 utilisation cutoff, and any unutilised credit shall lapse.

Notified port status for Advance Licences affirmed; Jalandhar to be treated under paragraph 7.19 enabling licence issuance.
Jalandhar is declared a notified port for the purpose of Advance Licence issuance and should be treated as included under paragraph 7.19 of the Hand Book of Procedures (Vol.1). Although not listed for the DEPB scheme under Customs notification 34/97, Customs notification no. 94/97 includes Jalandhar for Advance Licences; accordingly, the port may be treated as a notified port for issuance of Advance Licences, clarifying the prior omission and aligning practice under the Handbook.

Denomination of Special Import Licences requires values in local currency and a freely convertible currency, defaulting to a major convertible.
Values on Special Import Licences must be shown in Indian Rupees and a freely convertible currency; if the applicant elects a currency that election governs, otherwise a widely accepted freely convertible currency must be used. Banking authorities shall debit licences already used at the exchange rate on the actual date of import. Licences indicated only in Indian Rupees with no or partial import must be recalled by licensing authorities and reissued with values in a freely convertible currency, with Trade Notices issued as necessary.

Policy amendments: transitional protection for exporters, revised documentation, charitable import relief and expanded duty exemptions for software parks.
The public notice amends export-import procedures to allow registered charitable organisations to receive and freely distribute specified donated goods from abroad; establishes that adverse policy changes do not apply to consignments already handed to Customs for examination and export up to the notice date; changes "Proforma Invoice" to "Proforma invoice/quotations"; adds IS/ISO certification agencies; replaces the Appendix 19A Memorandum of Understanding for Star/Super Star Trading House recognition; and clarifies duty-free import and concessional duty provisions for Software Technology Parks and DTA jewellery sales.

Notification requirement for chemical exports: exporters must notify designated authorities and submit end-use certificate within prescribed timeframe.
Export of the item at entry 37 is allowed only on condition that the exporter notifies the National Authority under the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Ministry of External Affairs (D&ISA), the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade in the prescribed Appendix 18B format, and furnishes an End Use Certificate within the prescribed timeframe following actual export.

Export condition: Peanuts to European Union allowed subject to APEDA registration and aflatoxin control certificate.
Amendment to Schedule 2 Appendix 1 permits peanut exports to the European Union only if exporters obtain compulsory registration of contracts with the designated agricultural export authority and provide a controlled aflatoxin level certificate issued by agencies or laboratories nominated by that authority.

Quarantine restrictions apply to imports of onions and soybean in split or cracked form, regardless of import permission.
Import of onions and soybean in split and cracked form is subject to quarantine restrictions under the Plants, Fruits and Seeds (Regulation of Import into India) Order, 1989 issued under the Destructive Insects and Pests Act, 1914, even though Notification No. 25(RE-98)/97-02 permitted such imports without specifically mentioning quarantine conditions; importers must comply with Exim Policy obligations and other laws when importing.

Export obligation extension for advance licences permits one-time relief by amending applicability and extending compliance period.
The notice grants a one-time extension of export obligation relief for bona fide default by holders of Advance Licences under the Duty Exemption Scheme, amending earlier guidance so that the relief applies to Advance Licences issued up to 30.9.1996; the amendment is made under the governing export-import policy provision and preserves the terms and conditions of the prior public notices.

Precious metal release rules updated: exporters to receive metals in specified multiples with defined fineness and balance carryover.
Amendment prescribes that precious metals for exporters be released by nominated agencies or authorised banks in specified multiples and fineness: gold in multiples of ten grams or Ten Tola Bars, silver in multiples of one kilogram, platinum at 0.9999 fineness, with any residual balances carried forward to future entitlements.

Export allocation of sugar for diplomatic donation placed with APEDA for registration and allocation certificate issuance.
The circular supersedes a prior release and increases the quantity of sugar from the 1997-98 season to be exported as a donation to Jakarta, Indonesia, placing the revised allocation at the disposal of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) for issuance of Registration-Cum-Allocation-Certificate in the name of the mill or intending exporter and for operational allocation as suggested by the Ministry of External Affairs.