Factory stuffing permission: FSP Cell issues LoFSPs to IEC holders with sealed Central Excise verification and supervision.
Procedure for issuance and administration of a Letter of Factory Stuffing Permission (LoFSP) by the FSP Cell at ICD Whitefield, Bengaluru: exporters with valid IEC must apply on Annexure B with sealed NOC/verification from jurisdictional Central Excise (Annexures C-E); Manufacturer Exporters under Free Shipping Bills are excluded due to mandatory self sealing. The FSP Cell verifies IEC, processes applications within five working days, may issue provisional 30 day LoFSPs to DGFT status holders pending Central Excise reports, and final LoFSPs are valid for specified premises, exports (except prohibited goods) and subject to supervision, prescribed examination norms and cancellation on adverse findings.

Fee increase for document management coupons updates docket charges, requiring stakeholders to apply the revised rate from the stated effective date.
Corrigendum amends Paragraph 2.2 of Public Notice No. 09/2016 to increase the coupon price under the Document Management System by 5%, setting the revised charge at Rs. 17 per docket, effective 22.06.2016, and applying to the Exim community, Customs brokers, steamer agents, consolidators and other stakeholders.

Bonded trucking operations permission enables road transshipment of export cargo through specified gateway airports under customs rules.
M/S T.T. Aviation Handling Services Pvt. Ltd., Chennai is authorised to operate Bonded Trucking Operations for transshipment of export cargo by road from Visakhapatnam Air Cargo Complex (custodian: M/S AP Trade Promotion Corporation Ltd.) to Customs notified ACCs at Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai, subject to Customs approval and consignee/airline request, and strictly following Customs Circulars No. 57/98-Cus and No. 06/2007-Cus as amended.

Lab Module integration enables online generation and sharing of test memos and laboratory results for customs sample testing.
Introduction of a Lab Module in ICES creates an online process for Customs officers to generate Test Memos, record samples, and refer consignments to mapped laboratories and referral agencies; laboratories access Test Memo details, record test findings electronically, and Customs may act on consignments based on those electronic results while fee payment and document submission continue under existing practices.

Port clearance procedure for ACP clients enables terminal gate examination and OOC issuance after Cargo Container Bond approval.
ACP clients opting for port clearance may obtain a Cargo Container Bond Approval Order from the Superintendent CMFC, register the Bill of Entry with the Docks Import Examination Cell, and complete examination and verification of container and seal numbers at the terminal gate or Docks Examination Cell; the examination report will be entered in the system and Out of Customs Charge (OOC) granted, while containers selected by the system for examination or scanning must be moved to CFSs/ICDs for further formalities with TR Bond debiting.

Declaration under Indirect Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme suspends appeal proceedings and mandates prescribed forms and deposit compliance.
Taxpayers with appeals pending before the Commissioner (Appeals) on 1 March 2016 may file a declaration under the Indirect Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme (Chapter XI, Finance Act, 2016). The scheme prescribes Form 1 (declaration), Form 2 (acknowledgement by the Designated Authority) whose issuance suspends appeal proceedings for sixty days, Form 3 (details of deposits) and Form 4 (order discharging dues). Declarants must deposit required sums within a fortnight of the dated acknowledgement and report the deposit within seven days. Shri Roy Joseph is nominated as the Designated Authority for Chennai VIII.

Import procedure for duty free gold, silver, platinum requires home consumption clearance, bonds, guarantees and exporter proof of export.
Nominated agencies importing duty free gold, silver and platinum under notification 57/2000 must clear such consignments on a bill of entry for home consumption; warehousing under Chapter IX is inapplicable. Transitionally, ex bond bills under section 68 may be filed until 13 August 2016 and existing vaults may be used. Agencies must execute bonds and furnish a 25% bank guarantee (subject to exemptions for designated banks/PSUs meeting non default conditions), maintain accounts, submit monthly exporter wise reports, and ensure exporters produce export proofs; duty becomes payable if export obligations are not met.

Single Window clearance: SWIFT exemptions and declarations reduce ADC referrals and enable risk-based sampling for drugs and cosmetics.
Single Window clearance in SWIFT has been simplified: a PGA Exemption Category lists chemicals not treated as drugs to avoid ADC referrals; dual-use items and excipients that are non-pharmaceutical grade and contain no API need not be routed to ADC if declared not for human or veterinary medicinal use; risk-based testing will limit sample drawing and a batch previously tested with NOC need not be re-sampled; digitally signed declarations within the Integrated Declaration will substitute for separate hardcopies; ADC clearance applies at notified ports, with transshipped consignments referred to the nearest ADC.

Indirect Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme permits settlement by paying tax, interest and reduced penalty to secure discharge of dues.
The Scheme permits a party in appeal on the cutoff date to file a declaration before the designated authority and obtain discharge by paying tax with interest and a penalty equal to 25% of the penalty in the impugned order, then intimating the designated authority with proof; on receipt the authority shall issue a prescribed discharge order within the specified timeframe.

Indirect Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme allows appellants to file declarations to suspend appeal proceedings and seek discharge.
The notification sets out the Indirect Tax Dispute Resolution Scheme procedural mechanics: an appellant may file a declaration in Form 1 with the designated authority, which acknowledges receipt in Form 2 and triggers suspension of appeal proceedings for a prescribed period. The declarant must deposit required sums within a short period and report deposits in Form 3. The designated authority issues a discharge order in Form 4; the Commissioner on receipt matches the order and removes the appeal from his pendency, with such disposal carrying no precedent value.

Cost escalation clause in DMS contract triggers coupon price increase for docket handling, effective on the first anniversary.
The DMS contract between the Commissioner of Customs (Vendee) and M/s Newgen establishes a mandatory cost escalation clause requiring the Vendee to accept a minimum 5% annual increase on the vendor's base rate (exclusive of taxes) after one year; increases beyond 5% need prior vendee consent. Pursuant to this clause, the coupon price for dockets is increased by 5% effective on the first anniversary of DMS implementation, with all other terms of the earlier public notice remaining in force.

Cost escalation clause permits annual rate increase for document management services, leading to an adjusted docket coupon charge.
The Commissioner implemented a Document Management System under a contract with a vendor that contains a Provision for Cost Escalation requiring the Vendee to accept a minimum 5% annual increase in vendor rates after one year, with any increase beyond 5% requiring prior consent of the Vendee and increases calculated on base cost excluding taxes; accordingly the docket coupon price is revised pursuant to that contractual escalation and other conditions of the earlier public notice remain unchanged.

Precious metal imports duty free cannot be warehoused; nominated agencies must post bonds, guarantees, and monitor exporter proof of export.
Precious metals imported duty free by nominated agencies under notification 57/2000-Cus cannot be warehoused under Chapter IX and must be cleared on bill of entry for home consumption; transitional ex-bond filing and continued storage in existing vaults are permitted. Nominated agencies must execute bonds and furnish a 25% bank guarantee (subject to specified exemptions), maintain accounts, submit monthly exporter-wise returns, and deposit duty where exporters fail to produce proof of export within the FTP period. Exporters must register, undertake to export within FTP timelines, and provide export documentation and bank realization certificates.

Warehousing restriction for duty-free precious metals: imports must clear for home consumption and follow bond and guarantee-based supply procedure.
Precious metals imported duty free under the nominated agencies scheme are not to be warehoused under Chapter IX and must be cleared for home consumption; nominated agencies must execute bonds to maintain accounts and to discharge duty if exporters default, accompanied by a bank guarantee equal to 25% of estimated duty (with specified exemptions for designated banks and certain public undertakings). Exporters must register and provide undertakings or declarations and proof of export; nominated agencies must submit exporter wise monthly accounts and deposit duty on quantities not exported within the Foreign Trade Policy period.

Single Window routing requires documented manual referrals to PGAs and weekly reporting to the Single Window Commissioner.
For consignments referred manually to PGAs, the Superintendent/Appraiser must record the reason and forward the Bill of Entry only with Assistant Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner approval and endorsement; the AC/DC must email weekly details and reasons for all such Bills of Entry to the Commissioner (Single Window). Recorded cases will be reviewed by the Working Group and implemented in the Single Window system to improve automated routing.

Import/export permissions through ICD Tumb restricted and subject to specified prohibited goods, testing, officer assessment and filing conditions.
Permission is granted to permit import and export of permissible goods through ICD Tumb under EPCG, Advance Authorisation and Duty Free Import Authorization schemes, excluding specified textile items and non-ferrous metals. Movement via ICD Tumb is subject to assessment of Bills of Entry and Shipping Bills by an officer not below Assistant/Deputy Commissioner, selective chemical analysis of synthetic textile exports by designated laboratories, selective test weight checks, advance submission of Shipping Bills/Bills of Entry, and production of Release Advice where required.

Drawback sanction authority clarified: Specified Officers and authorised Commissioners may sanction and disburse claims on DTA to SEZ supplies.
Clarifies that the Specified Officer posted in the SEZ is the primary authority to grant drawback on supplies from DTA units to SEZ units or Developers, though claims may also be made by DTA suppliers on the basis of disclaimers. Commissioners of Central Excise or Customs and Central Excise may delegate authorization to Dy./Asstt. Commissioners of Central Excise for disbursement against disclaimers, and PAO-issued cheque books of the relevant Commissionerate may be used for disbursement and accounting. Disclaimers must be supported by a certificate from the Specified Officer confirming no prior drawback claim to prevent double recovery.

Warehouse recordkeeping now requires digital records with audit trails, monthly Form A/Form B returns, acknowledgements, and authorised signatories.
Licensees must maintain digital records of receipt, handling, storage and removal of warehoused goods in prescribed Form A with an audit trail, update records immediately upon transactions, and make them available for verification. Monthly paper returns in Form A are to be filed with the Bond Officer within ten days after month end; where section 61 warehousing periods expire, information must be filed by the 10th day of the preceding month in Form B. Acknowledgements on receipt, appointment of authorised signatories with specimen signatures, and basic IT/office facilities at the warehouse are mandated.

Public warehousing license: prescribed application form, expedited processing timeframe, annual insurance compliance, deemed validity until surrender.
Prescribes a standard application form for licences under the 2016 warehousing regulations to ensure uniform information and aid site security assessment; existing licensees under transitional provisions need not file the new form. Licensing authorities must examine applications, conduct site visits and decide within the Board's prescribed timeframe; on proposed grant applicants must complete documentary requirements before final licence issuance. Licences remain valid until surrender or cancellation, eliminating annual renewal, while annual submission of insurance evidence and continued solvency compliance remain required.

Single Window clearance: reduced ADC referrals for non pharmaceutical and dual use items declared without API or medicinal end use.
Simplification measures under SWIFT permit importers to avoid ADC referrals by declaring items listed in the PGA Exemption Category or, for dual use/excipients, by declaring non pharmaceutical grade status, absence of API, and non medicinal intended end use; sampling will be risk based with ADC officers drawing samples only as needed and repeat sampling of the same tested batch avoided. Digitally signed declarations and guarantees within the Integrated Declaration will replace hardcopy submissions, and ADC regulatory clearance will be performed at notified ports or by the nearest ADC for transshipments with IT upgrades to enable data access.