Authorized representative requirement: submit an authenticated authority letter with photograph when filing IEC and DEPB applications.
Only an authorised individual, authorised by the application signatory, may file IEC and DEPB applications; the authorised person must submit an authority letter with photograph and contact details authenticated by the signatory as part of the application. Applications without this authority letter will not be accepted at the R&I counter. If filing is by an office issued I.Card holder, a copy of the I.Card must be enclosed. No separate authorisation is required if the signatory files the application personally.

Pre-shipment inspection liability tightened: PSIA and importer face penalties and recognition suspension for mis-declarations on metal scrap imports.
Amendments revise recognition, certification format and liability rules for Pre shipment Inspection Agencies (PSIA) for metallic waste and scrap. Para 2.32.2A prescribes application procedure, fees, committee consideration, three year recognition with DGFT suspension/cancellation powers, and issuance of the Pre Shipment Inspection Certificate in prescribed format; existing agencies retain recognition for six months. Inserted Para 2.32.2B makes both PSIA and importer liable for mis declarations, exposing them to penalties and administrative action. Revised Appendices 5 A and 5 B set application, operational, equipment, inspector qualification and certificate content requirements.

SION amendment expands export classification to include color toners and updates the required input list and quantities.
Amendment to SION A-1778 revises the export product description to include Compatible Black and Color Toners for Laser Printers & Photocopiers and prescribes seven input categories with specified quantities per 100 kg of toner, including resins, waxes, silicas/titanium dioxide, magnetite/iron oxide, carbon black, additives or dyes/pigments for black and color toners, and relevant empty cartridges and bottles (net content +1%).

Correction to Trade Notice updates applicant name at serial 68 and directs amendment of the published applicant list.
Corrigendum rectifies the published revalidation list by replacing the misidentified entry at serial number 68 with "Ruhatiya Spinners Pvt. Ltd. (RC No.1555/22.02.2012)" and directs correction of the serial numbers in the published list to conform to the appended revised sequence of applicants and received dates.

Revalidation of Registration Certificates required; priority scrutiny for consignments handed to customs and LCS consignments before export.
Priority in scrutiny and revalidation of Registration Certificates (RCs) for cotton exports is to be accorded to consignments handed over to customs when the prohibition came into force and to consignments at Land Custom Stations to ease congestion. RC holders with such consignments must inform the concerned Regional Authorities and copy DGFT (HQ) by email. Exports of cotton will be permitted only after revalidation of RCs.

Revalidation of Registration Certificates requires resubmission with prescribed documents and original RCs by specified deadline.
All applications for revalidation of Registration Certificates for export of cotton must be submitted with the prescribed documents as per Public Notice No.102; applicants who already filed must withdraw and resubmit with the required documentation, including original Registration Certificates. A final submission deadline was set for 22 March 2012 at 6:00 PM, and a list of sixty eight firms and their RC numbers received between 12 and 16 March 2012 is appended.

Registration certificate revalidation: exporters must file RC-specific scrutiny applications with export, customs and contract details by deadline.
Revalidation of Registration Certificates for cotton exports (ITC(HS) 5201 & 5203) requires separate applications for each RC valid on 05.03.2012 to the RA that issued the RC, filed by the prescribed deadline. Applications must state exported quantities with shipping bills, quantities handed to Customs with dates, and quantities yet to be handed with supporting contracts. Prior RCs whose 30-day period had lapsed by 05.03.2012 require submission of export details. DGFT headquarters will scrutinise documents and RAs will revalidate RCs per DGFT instructions; earlier RA revalidation provision is withdrawn.

Mandatory Email Communication: exporters must update email IDs to receive all deficiency notices and correspondence electronically.
Exporters with IEC numbers must update and provide a valid email ID; future deficiency letters and all correspondence including IEC updates, authorizations, redemptions and amendments will be communicated solely by email, and submissions at counters or by post must compulsorily mention the email address to enable direct electronic communication and avoid processing delays.

Export prohibition exception for cotton consignments: consignments with LEOs issued before the cutoff remain outside the export ban.
Notification No.102 prohibited cotton exports and disallowed FTP transitional relief or exports against existing registration certificates; however, consignments for which a Let Export Order (LEO) was issued by the 2400 hours cutoff on 04 March 2012 are outside the purview of that notification because CBEC reports exports to DGCIS based on LEOs.

No Bond Certificate endorsement restriction: customs verification clause must not be endorsed, reducing transaction costs.
No Bond Certificate submissions for discharge of export obligation and issuance of Redemption Certificate under advance licences must not carry an endorsement requiring customs to verify shipment details before discharging bank guarantees or LUTs; a standard certificate format listing shipping bill numbers, dates, quantities and FOB values is provided for attachment to the Export Obligation Discharge Certificate.

IEC record updation requires PAN, telephone, email and mobile details; alternate email and website optional, fee waived.
Exporters and importers must update IEC records by providing PAN details, telephone numbers, email IDs and the mobile number of the ANF2A signatory; alternate email and website are optional. The update obligation follows Public Notice No. 84/2009-2014 (RE-2010) and is presented as a mandatory administrative measure. No application fee is required for processing IEC record updates for the limited period specified in the notice.

Declaration of technical specifications required for duty free imports; RAs to verify, amend pre import, or require duty regularisation after import.
Exporters must declare technical characteristics, quality and specifications for specified inputs in the DFIA application and shipping bills; RAs must record these details on the DFIA at issuance and verify identical details at EODC/redemption/transferability. If shipping bills lack details, the item must be deleted from the DFIA. Where shipping bill details differ, the DFIA can be amended only prior to import; if import already occurred with differing characteristics, the holder must regularise by paying duty with interest.

Submission timing changes for export applications extend office hours, altering IEC and same day filing windows.
Extends office hours for submission and delivery of export-related applications, revising intake windows for IEC applications, same-day applications (Advance Authorisation, DFIA and DEPB), and all other submissions; specifies a midday lunch break for intake and shifts document delivery to a later afternoon window. The revised schedule replaces prior shorter intake periods and takes effect from the stated start date; trade is requested to note the new timings.

Authority letter requirement: Applications under Chapter three rejected at counter unless authenticated photo ID and contact details accompany application.
An authority letter with photograph and contact details, authenticated by the application signatory, is mandatory for depositing applications for benefits under Chapter three; applications without it will not be accepted at the R&I counter. I.Card holders must enclose a copy of the I.Card. First-time applicants will receive authorization only after physical verification of firm antecedents and verification of the BRC from the concerned bank.

On-line filing of PRC required via digital signature or IEC credentials; optional now, to become mandatory later.
PRC applications seeking relaxations under the Foreign Trade Policy must be filed via the on-line DGFT portal using digital signature or IEC+password; the ecom workflow generates an ecom number, requires structured data entry, and yields a DGFT file number upon electronic submission. Applicants may upload up to five supporting documents of 300 KB each (gif, html, pdf); additional documents can be posted or e mailed quoting the portal reference. On-line filing is optional now but will become mandatory on a later notified date.

Advance Authorization conditionality: Erythromycin thiocyanate exempt for manufacture and export of erythromycin salts; other uses follow policy conditions.
Import of Erythromycin Thiocyanate for manufacture and export of Erythromycin Salts under the Advance Authorisation Scheme is exempt from the additional conditionalities of Policy Circulars No.9 and No.15 and is subject only to normal Advance Authorisation conditions; imports for veterinary medicinal use or for manufacture of any other drug under Advance Authorisation remain subject to the Policy Circular conditionalities in addition to normal Advance Authorisation conditions.

Definition of Handmade expanded to include braided products, clarifying export classification under trade policy.
The Handbook of Procedure amendment adds "Braided" to the enumerated techniques included within the definition of Handmade, so that the term now covers Hand-Made, Hand-knotted, Hand-Tufted, Hand-Woven, Handloom and Braided, thereby clarifying classification of export products under the Foreign Trade Policy.

Import of spares under EPCG now allowed for imported capital goods; not permitted for domestically sourced replacements.
EPCG Scheme treatment is clarified: spares imports are allowed under EPCG for all capital goods that were originally imported, whether or not the EPCG facility was used for the original import. Capital goods procured domestically after invalidating an EPCG authorization are not treated as imported capital goods, and therefore do not qualify for the spares-import entitlement under the EPCG scheme.

Re fixation of Annual Average Export Obligation permitted where exports decline; Regional Offices must adjust EPCG authorizations and record amendments.
Para 5.11.2 permits re fixation of the Annual Average Export Obligation where a sector or product group shows more than a 5% decline; the circular lists product groups declining in 2010 11 and directs Regional Offices to re fix EPCG Annual Average Export Obligations for 2010 11, record any reductions on licence files and amendment sheets, and to consider these Policy Circular concessions before issuing demand notices and in the EODC check sheet.

Corrigendum to DEPB Rate Schedule: export item description corrected to Vinyl Pyridine Latex, typographical error rectified.
Corrigendum under Paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2009-14 corrects the DEPB Rate Schedule description at Sl. No. 915, Product Code-62 from the typographical misprint "Vinyl Oyridine Latex" to the correct description "Vinyl Pyridine Latex"; the modification is strictly a textual correction and does not alter the product code, DEPB rate, or any other provision.