Right to Information Act implementation: designation of Central Public Information Officers updated and Annexure substituted for public dissemination.
The Annexure to Public Notice No.01/2018 listing Central Public Information Officers and First Appellate Authorities is substituted by Annexure-A due to change in charge of certain officers; trade associations and custom house agents are requested to publicize the amended list for information and necessary action.

Ahmedabad Customs creates a new Export Promotion Circle at Bharuch to reduce distance and improve trade facilitation.
Ahmedabad Customs created an additional Export Promotion Circle (EPC) at Bharuch, posted officers there, and issued an amended consolidated list of EPCs and their territorial jurisdictions to reduce distance and facilitate trade; stakeholders may notify the Department of difficulties.

Electronic sealing with RFID one time locks required for bonded warehouse movements, with technical specs and mandatory data capture.
RFID tamperproof One Time Locks (RFID OTL) are required for deposit, removal and inter-warehouse movement of bonded goods where a One Time Lock is prescribed; seals must be sourced from CBIC-listed vendors, conform to ISO 17712:2013 and ISO/IEC 18000-6 Class Gen2, and carry unique vendor-format serials. Readers and web-application data capture of specified elements (IEC, bill of entry, seal number, sealing date/time, container/vehicle identifiers, warehouse and customs location codes) are mandatory. Licensees must procure readers and seals, match warehouse codes to seals, and follow prescribed procedures including tamper responses and limited exemptions.

Assessment group (import) operating six days weekly to facilitate trade and expedite import consignment clearance.
The Assessment Group (Import), consisting of Appraisers (Group) and the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner, will function six days a week (Monday to Saturday except second Saturday) during regular hours effective 1 September 2018 to facilitate trade and improve import consignment clearance, supplementing the existing six-day Assessment Group (Export).

AEO-T1 application process simplified: file via Annexures 1 and 2 with designated CRMs; contacts provided.
Applicants for AEO-T1 must file using Annexure 1 (General Compliance) and Annexure 2 (Legal, Managing Commercial Records and Financial Solvency Compliance), replacing prior annexures, through designated Client Relationship Managers. Applications must include corporate identifiers, site lists and plans, process maps and documentation trails, disclosure of prior enforcement or SCNs, procedures for customs declaration verification, IT safeguards, backup and archiving arrangements, audited financials and solvency data for three years, and a signed corporate declaration with supporting documentary evidence.

DPD multiple intimation restriction: only the first electronic request per consignment will be accepted; others to be ignored.
DPD importers and customs brokers must submit a single one-time default intimation electronically and must not submit multiple advance intimations for the same consignment. If multiple intimations occur, shipping lines shall consider only the first request and ignore subsequent ones, and must report such multiple intimations to Customs at the designated email. Stakeholders with difficulties should contact the DPD Cell via that email.

DPD code allocation centralises importer registration and triggers automatic terminal registration and PD account opening.
Allocation and use of a unique DPD code is centralized at a designated terminal (JNPCT) which will register importers, perform KYC and allot the code; other terminals and shipping lines must thereafter use that DPD code to extend Direct Port Delivery facilities, register importers suo moto and open PD accounts, with JNPCT notifying terminals and sharing requisite details. Terminals must also forward details of importers already registered only at them to JNPCT for code allotment and must submit fortnightly reports to Customs.

Courier sample clearance restricts CBE-XII to free bona fide samples and gifts, while commercial samples require CBE-XIII clearance.
CBE-XII clearance is limited to free bona fide commercial samples or prototypes within the prescribed value limit and bona fide personal-use gifts within their separate consignment limit. Courier companies may pre-file or post-file the declaration. Commercial samples are distinct from bona fide commercial samples: they require compliance with Import Export Code, marking, annual value and unit limits, declarations and an undertaking for duty liability if declarations are false. Such commercial samples must be cleared under CBE-XIII. Engineering prototypes are subject to certification, disposal or re-export conditions, and bond requirements.

AEO T1 application process simplified: new annexures and declaration mandatory, and accreditation decentralised to zonal AEO cells.
The AEO T1 application process is streamlined by replacing multiple prior annexures with Annexure 1, Annexure 2 and a prescribed Declaration, which are mandatory for all new applications immediately; applicants with pending filings may either submit the new annexures or comply with existing deficiency memos. Accreditation processing is decentralised to Zonal AEO Cells with final decision by the Zonal AEO Programme Manager, who will also determine whether older applications proceed under the old or new formats; digitalisation of processing is in progress.

e-Sanchit adoption: hard-copy docket submission dispensed; registration on examination order and Out of Charge after e-document scrutiny.
Introduction of e-Sanchit requires all import documents to be uploaded in PDF via ICEGATE; registration of Bills of Entry will occur on presentation of only the hard copy of the examination order, and Out of Charge will be granted after scrutiny of uploaded documents. Hard-copy submission of dockets is discontinued, but original hard copies must be produced when physical verification or debit on originals is required; the trade must upload all documents, including the latest debit sheet.

Duty-free import exemption for disaster relief goods enables charities to seek customs relief or apply for ad-hoc exemption.
Charitable organizations and the Red Cross Society may import specified relief goods exempt from Customs Duty and Integrated Tax under the relevant Notification subject to its conditions; other institutions may apply for ad-hoc exemption under the Customs Act by following CBIC Circular guidelines and submitting prescribed-format applications with supporting documents to the Member (Customs), Central Board of Excise and Customs in New Delhi.

Exemption from Customs Duty and IGST for relief imports by charitable organisations subject to prescribed conditions and certification.
Basic Customs Duty and Integrated Goods and Services Tax are exempted for specified free gifts, donations, and relief materials imported by charitable organisations for free distribution to the poor and needy, subject to conditions: import as free gift or purchase from foreign donations; certificate from State Government or authorised person or satisfaction of the Assistant/Deputy Commissioner as to bona fides; undertaking to furnish distribution certificate within six months or extended period; and, where applicable, permission to maintain an overseas donation account. Ad hoc exemptions for other items may be sought from CBIC and general exemptions apply to other importers.

Authorized Economic Operator TI application processing simplified; new annexures 1 & 2 mandatory immediately for importers and exporters.
The Board has replaced Annexures A, C, D, E1, E2, E3 and E4 with Annexure 1 and Annexure 2 and directed that all new AEO-TI applications be mandatorily filed using these two annexures immediately; Annexure 1 covers general compliance, identification and site details, while Annexure 2 addresses legal, commercial records and financial solvency disclosures, verification procedures, and duty-specific goods.

Rebate of State Levies: pre GST ROSL rates restored for a three month transition; revised undertakings required.
Ministry of Textiles restored pre GST Rebate of State Levies (ROSL) rates for 01.07.2017-30.09.2017. Exporters claiming ROSL for exports with let export order dates on or after 01.07.2017 must submit a revised undertaking in the EDI shipping bill format (effective 05.08.2017); shipments dated 01.07.2017-04.08.2017 require a manual annexed undertaking, which may cover multiple shipping bills. Export Promotion Councils will assist filing, sanctioning officers must release ROSL on receipt of the undertaking, and the EDI system will apply notified ROSL rates at scroll generation without a separate claim.

Bank guarantee waiver for EOUs upheld: B-17 bond satisfies continuity bond requirement, separate guarantees not required.
Exemption from furnishing a bank guarantee or surety for Export Oriented Units is governed by existing CBIC circulars and Para 6.12 of the Foreign Trade Policy; EOUs executing the B-17 bond meet the continuity bond requirement under the Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Rules, 2017 and are not subject to the bank guarantee norms for general importers set out in Circular No. 48/2017.

AEO T1 application process simplified; new annexures mandatory and zonal accreditation introduced for immediate filings; digitisation pending.
Immediate requirement that all new AEO T1 applications be filed using Annexure 1 (General Compliance) and Annexure 2 (Legal, Managing Commercial Records and Financial Solvency Compliance), replacing earlier annexures; decentralisation of final accreditation to Zonal AEO Programme Managers who will notify the Directorate for certificate generation; digitisation of processing to follow when infrastructure is ready; transitional discretion for pre existing applications to be processed under either annexure set.

Safeguard duty on solar cells provisionally assessed on bond pending further Board directions after interim order.
Safeguard duty has been imposed on solar cells under the Customs Tariff for two years, but pending further Board directions and in view of interim judicial directions the Department will not insist on payment; the goods will be provisionally assessed for the safeguard duty on furnishing of a simple letter of undertaking or bond by the importer.

AEO-T1 accreditation decentralization enables zonal approval using new annexures and centralized certificate issuance by national directorate.
AEO T1 processing is simplified by replacing multiple annexures with Annexure 1 and Annexure 2, which are mandatory for all new applications; Zonal AEO Cells will process files and the Zonal AEO Programme Manager will decide acceptance or rejection, while the Directorate of International Customs will generate certificates and manage statistics. Pending applications may be processed under either old or new annexures at zonal discretion, and online processing will commence after requisite digital infrastructure is available.

Bond discharge procedures require electronic submission of prescribed export documents with timed acknowledgements to expedite release.
A time bound electronic procedure requires nominated agencies/banks to submit prescribed proof-of-export documents (EP copy of shipping bill, Customs attested invoice, bank realization certificate/eBRC) to a designated Customs e mail; Customs must acknowledge within 24 hours, issue deficiency memos within five days when required, allow seven days for submission of additional documents, confirm export within seven days of receipt, and discharge the bond within seven days of confirmation.

Electronic sealing requirement extended; RFID mandatory for movement of goods under warehousing bond, trade instructed to comply.
Electronic sealing for cargo movement under Customs warehousing bonds is mandated with RFID-based seals required for deposit into and removal of goods from Customs bonded warehouses; the notice encloses the Board's extension circular and directs stakeholders to comply and report any implementation difficulties to the issuing office.