Duty Free Import Authorization online transmission to Customs instituted, preserving existing online filing and transitional physical certificates.
DFIAs issued on or after 13.10.2011 will be transmitted electronically by DGFT to Customs while exporters/importers continue existing on line filing procedures unchanged. Physical DFIA certificates will remain in circulation temporarily during transition. Status of transmitted DFIAs will be published on the DGFT website, and designated Help Desk contacts at DGFT Headquarters and Zonal Offices will handle transmission errors or technical faults.

Grievance Committee for Foreign Trade Policy established to expedite redressal of trade grievances; grievances to be filed with designated office.
A Grievance Committee is constituted to expedite redressal of grievances under the Foreign Trade Policy and Handbook of Procedures; grievances are to be filed with the designated office of the Joint Director General of Foreign Trade. The committee is chaired by the Joint Director General with the Foreign Trade Development Officer as Member Secretary and includes members from customs, income tax, sectoral development boards, export promotion bodies, and industry associations to address submitted trade grievances.

Penalty-based removal from defaulter list: firms paid prescribed penalty and had names removed after compliance.
Pursuant to a prior Trade Notice naming exporters as defaulters for cotton export shortfalls and offering removal upon payment of a prescribed penalty, 76 firms under the office's jurisdiction were reviewed; 38 firms submitted documents and paid the penalty in accordance with that notice, and their names have been removed from the defaulter list, as detailed in the attached annexure.

Tariff rate quota allocation permits export of raw sugar to USA subject to delivery and certification requirements.
A total quantity of 5,175 MTs of Raw Sugar (98 degree Pol) is allocated for export to the USA under the Tariff Rate Quota through M/s. Indian Sugar Exim Corporation Ltd, and is subject to existing procedural and certification requirements for preferential sugar exports to the USA, including issuance of the GSP certificate. Exports under this allocation must be completed by 31.10.2011.

DEPB filing allowed for post-restoration exports; online applications accepted, earlier-period procedure pending notification by authorities.
The Trade Notice permits online filing of DEPB applications for exports of cotton yarn and cotton made on and after 04.08.2011. For cotton yarn exports from 01.04.2011 to 03.08.2011 and cotton exports from 01.10.2010 to 03.08.2011, a separate procedure is being devised with the Department of Revenue and will be notified later.

Online transmission of export authorizations now mandatory at ICD Karur; EDI filing and electronic Customs communication required.
Implementation of online transmission for export incentive authorizations at ICD Karur requires DEPB applications linked to shipping bills from that port to be filed in EDI mode, and mandates that Regional Authorities' issuances of DES (Advance Authorization), EPCG and DEPB for the port be communicated electronically to Customs, effective 12 September 2011.

Handmade definition expanded to include handloom, altering classification and eligibility under Handbook of Procedures trade controls.
The Note in Appendix 37D, Table-2 has been amended so the expression 'Handmade' expressly includes Hand-Made, Hand-knotted, Hand-Tufted, Hand-Woven and Handloom, thereby correcting the prior omission of handloom from that definition in the Handbook of Procedures.

Unit of measurement correction for import specification: Epoxide Resin weight standardized to pounds, no other changes.
The import unit of measurement for Epoxide Resin at serial number four is corrected to pounds (Lbs), recorded as 3.5 Lbs; this amendment, issued under the Foreign Trade Policy, changes only the unit of measurement and does not alter item descriptions or quantities.

Amendment to appendices updates export promotion council and inspection agency contact and address records.
Amendment updates contact and address information in two appendices of the Handbook of Procedure Vol. I. Appendix 2 revises the Export Promotion Council for EOUs & SEZ Units entry (serial no. 11), changing registered/head office address, phone, fax and e mail details and specifying regional office updates for Chennai, Cochin, Kandla, Mumbai, Noida and Visakhapatnam. Appendix 5 revises the inspection/certification agency entry (serial no. 23) for Best Mulyankan Consultants Ltd., updating name formatting, address, contact numbers and e mail. These changes are incorporated into the Handbook by public notice under paragraph 2.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy.

Modification of SIONs expands permissible import inputs for engineering exports, adding billets alongside existing nickel inputs.
Modification of SION C-1579 adds billets of iron/low carbon steel for remelting as an additional approved import input alongside nickel pellets/cathodes for production of Iron Nickel Alloy wire/strip; the export item description and input-norm quantities remain unchanged and the input-norm for billets is specified on the same per unit content basis as the existing nickel input.

Penalty for failure to export cotton yarn allows regularisation on payment, avoiding future default classification.
Where an exporter's shortfall in registered cotton yarn exports exceeds the permitted negative five percent tolerance, the respective Regional Authority may regularise the shortfall on payment of a specified penalty comprising a fixed component plus a percentage of the excess shortfall value; exporters who regularise under this mechanism will not be treated as defaulters for future registrations.

Import allocation of rough marble blocks: allocations subject to documentary scrutiny and sanctions for misdeclaration.
Allocation of import quantities of rough marble blocks under specified ITC HS codes is confirmed to applicants and Regional Authorities are directed to scrutinize allocations for clerical or typographical errors by verifying ITC HS codes and IECs against documentary evidence, with authorized correction where supported by documents; misdeclaration by allottees will invite the consequences set out in the earlier Trade Notice.

Import permission for polycarbonate raw material enables export of polycarbonate briefcases by allowing specified moulding granules.
SION No. H-3 is amended to allow briefcases, suitcases and beautycases to be manufactured of either ABS or Poly Carbonate and to add an import item authorising Poly Carbonate moulding powder/granules at a specified input-output ratio per kilogram of export product; all other import items and quantities remain unchanged, enabling import of the polycarbonate raw material for export production under the Foreign Trade Policy framework.

Online RCMC registration required for EPCs and boards; failure to register will make manual RCMC copies unacceptable.
Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards and Authorities must register with DGFT and upload RCMC data on DGFT's server to avoid repeated submission of RCMC copies. An authorized representative must contact the designated FTDO with e-Token of Digital Signature Certificate, Password and an Authorization Letter to obtain upload access. The uploading process must be completed by the prescribed deadline; thereafter online RCMC registration will be mandatory and manual copies will not be accepted.

Import monitoring of precious metals: designated agencies must hold RA certificates and submit prescribed returns for regulatory oversight.
Designated entities under paragraph 4A.4 of the Foreign Trade Policy must obtain a one year import Certificate from the Regional Authority upon producing a valid Status Certificate; renewal depends on Status Certificate validity, agency performance and prescribed returns. Nominated agencies (other than designated banks) must maintain records of imports by quantity and value and submit half yearly returns (Premier/Star houses to RAs; others to G&J EPC). G&J EPC and RAs compile and forward returns to DGFT for annual review and possible delisting for non filing. Imports remain subject to FTP, RBI guidelines and Customs procedures.

Minimum export price reduction for specified non Basmati rice lowers the export floor for Sona Masuri, Ponni Samba and Matta.
The Director General of Foreign Trade, under powers of the Foreign Trade Policy, amends prior public notices to reduce the Minimum Export Price applicable to exports of Sona Masuri, Ponni Samba and Matta varieties of non Basmati rice by substituting the previously notified MEP in the relevant sub paragraph; the amendment takes effect immediately and governs exports under the procedural framework established for the designated tranche of non Basmati rice.

Input norm reductions for pharmaceutical exports adjust permitted import quantities per kilogram under amended SIONs, and one SION withdrawn.
Modification of Standard Input Output Norms reduces allowed per kilogram import quantities for specified inputs in SION A-2462 (Cefixime USP) and A-2951 (Sultamicillin Base) to reflect improved consumption efficiency, while other input norms remain unchanged. Additionally, SION A-3331 for Ethambutol HCl BP/USP is deleted as duplicative because Ethambutol HCl SIONs exist at Sl. No. A-225.

Certificate of Origin authorisation expanded to include India Japan CEPA, enabling EIC to issue CEPA certificates immediately.
The heading of Appendix 4D in the Handbook of Procedures Vol. I is amended to add India Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IJCEPA) alongside the India Malaysia agreement; the content of Appendix 4D is unchanged and the Export Inspection Council remains the authorised agency to issue Certificates of Origin under IJCEPA with immediate effect.

Permissible weight variation in cotton yarn exports allowed, shortfalls will not trigger penalty or debarment under DGFT rules.
A permitted negative variance of -5% in weight against Registration Certificates for export of cotton yarn is allowed and such shortfall shall not be treated as a default for imposition of penalty or debarment from future registrations under the DGFT contract registration framework.

Final list of cotton exporters declared defaulters; re verification in 15 days or remove name by specified penalty.
A final list of exporters declared defaulters for failure to export cotton is issued; 61 firms were removed after verification. Exporters listed may seek re-verification within 15 days by submitting documents to the RC-issuing authority for review. Firms exceeding the +/-5% tolerance may remove their names by paying a penalty of Rs. 10,000 plus 1% of the value of the shortfall beyond the 5% allowance. The annexure lists each firm's allocation, IEC, quantities, nature of default, and percentage shortfall or excess.