Complete description of export goods required in shipping bills; non compliance may delay clearance and revoke benefits.
Exporters and customs brokers must declare a complete description of export goods in Shipping Bills and export invoices, detailing parameters affecting valuation (composition, grade, configuration, denier, GSM, size, type, brand, machine/handmade, and other attributes) and use the correct Standard Unit Quantity Codes (UQC) under the Customs Tariff Act. Failure to comply may lead to delayed clearance, cancellation of export promotion benefits, and consequential penal actions.

Excise duty refund procedure: file within the limitation period; submit certificate later and interest accrues only after prescribed post submission time.
Circular directs that beneficiaries seeking refund of excise duty on cars for physically handicapped persons should file refund applications within the prescribed limitation period even if the Line Ministry certificate is pending; processing officers must issue a deficiency memo where the certificate is absent and process and sanction refunds upon submission of the certificate, with interest payable only for the period beyond the prescribed post submission tolerance following receipt of the complete application with the certificate.

Customs Cargo Service Provider appointment permits road transshipment of import cargo from Mumbai ACC under statutory transshipment rules.
Approval appoints M/S. TT Aviation Handling Services Pvt. Ltd. as Customs Cargo Service Provider/Custodian to perform transshipment of import cargo by road via Customs Bonded Trucking from the Air Cargo Complex, Mumbai to designated ACCs and other ICDs for cargo of specified airlines, contingent on a security bond and bank guarantee, and governed by the statutory and regulatory provisions on transshipment, handling of cargo in customs areas, board circulars, public notices and other customs instructions, for a limited three year term.

Car pass system governs cross border cargo vehicle movement between specified LCSs, requiring issued multi copy passes and verification.
A single use Car Pass issued in triplicate by Mahadipur Customs controls cargo vehicle movement to Sonamasjid LCS. The pass-bearing vehicle, driver/crew, cargo, document and seal details plus photographs and pre printed serials-must be signed and stamped by the issuing officer; original stays at Mahadipur, duplicate and triplicate accompany the vehicle. Destination Customs verify particulars, endorse return permission, retain the duplicate and return the triplicate; on return Mahadipur Customs reconcile the triplicate with the original and record re entry. Reciprocal procedure applies to Bangladeshi trucks.

Customs single window integration enables online agency NOC processing and lab-test workflows for streamlined trade clearances.
Extension of the Indian Customs Single Window creates an integrated electronic interface for lodging import and export clearance documents with Customs and obtaining regulatory permissions online. The system automates referral of Bills of Entry to agencies based on tariff heads, where agency officers record Release, Out-of-Scope, Reject, Withhold, or Provisional NOC decisions; Out of Charge follows only after required agency entries. A Lab Module enables online Test Memos, sample dispatch, and laboratory recording of results so Customs may act without physical reports; directory mapping and role assignments are to be managed locally while fees and document submission remain as per existing practice.

Health Certificate requirement for Capsicum annuum and Nutmeg exports to EU: carry EIC-issued certificate and aflatoxin test reports.
Consignments of Capsicum annuum and Nutmeg exported from India to EU member states must be accompanied by a Health Certificate from the competent export certification authority confirming sampling and analysis for aflatoxins and showing compliance with EU legislation, with analytical test reports from the national spices testing authority attached; consignments departed before the regulation's entry into force are exempt.

Diplomatic cargo quarantine priority: diplomatic imports referred to quarantine for AQCS checks, with expedited processing required.
Clearance of Diplomatic Cargo containing livestock and livestock products must follow standard referral to quarantine authorities for AQCS checks and issuance of no objection certificates by Animal Quarantine Officers prior to clearance. Customs shall commence routine referrals of diplomatic consignments to quarantine authorities while according priority to AQCS clearances for Diplomatic Missions, modifying the earlier procedural provision to require commencement of referrals with expedited handling; implementation difficulties should be reported to the Principal Commissioner.

Pre-Shipment Inspection Agency re-enlistment restores two agencies in the Appendix, enabling their operation under FTP provisions.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, under paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-20, re-enlists two Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies-M/s. Olivine Commercial Pte. Ltd. and Sandeep Garg & Company-in Appendix 2G at Sl. Nos. 36 and 37, specifying their areas of operation and contact details and placing the re-enlistment in immediate effect until the stated cutoff date.

Electronic refund payment to claimants' bank accounts speeds rebate disbursement via RTGS/NEFT, subject to bank charges and authorization.
A facility to pay rebate and refund claims directly to the assessee's/exporter's bank account by electronic transfer is prescribed. Claimants must submit a one-time bank-certified authorization with a cancelled cheque for fresh claims, and provide copies for subsequent or pending claims. Refund sanctioning authorities will forward a signed beneficiary list, consolidated cheque, original authorizations, and a soft copy to the designated bank, which will credit claimant accounts via RTGS/NEFT after deducting applicable bank charges under Reserve Bank guidelines.

Online-only IEC submission required; applicants must use personal email and upload prescribed documents for issuance.
All fresh Importer Exporter Code (IEC) applications must be filed online and manual applications will not be accepted after the prescribed cut-off; online applications generate electronic IECs automatically. Applicants must supply their own email for communications and upload documents as specified in the DGFT Notification, with Manufacturer Exporters required to submit Industrial License/IEM Part II and Service Providers required to submit Service Tax Registration Certificate in addition to the Notification-prescribed documents.

Foreign trade training program announced: online course on policy, procedures and finance with concession and application deadline.
DGFT, through the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, is offering an online Foreign Trade Training program covering product and market identification, Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020, and procedural matters relating to DGFT, Customs, banks and trade finance; the program is fee-based with a concession for deserving candidates, applicants must contact the Office of the Joint Director General of Foreign Trade in Pune via the provided contact details and submit responses by the advertised deadline, and an introductory in-person session in Pune may be arranged if sufficient interest is shown.

Trade facilitation measures: Pune DGFT discontinues hand delivery and mandates dispatch by speed post; urgent cases require office ID.
The Pune Regional Office institutes a personal-contact-free procedure: hand delivery of all document categories at counters is discontinued and all correspondence, including authorizations and deficiency letters, will be dispatched by Speed Post; in cases of absolute necessity or urgency, exporters/importers may approach the Joint Director General of Foreign Trade in person on production of the office-issued ID card.

Recovery of drawback: exporters must produce BRCs or negative statements to evidence realization or face show cause notices.
Recovery of drawback is required where export proceeds are not realized within the time allowed under the Foreign Exchange Management regime; exporters must produce BRCs, certificates or a certified negative statement from their AD/chartered accountant, AD wise for each six month period, using the BRC Module or ICEGATE to verify integration, failing which customs will issue notices and recover drawback.

Importer-Exporter Code applications now require online filing with PAN and bank proof plus digital signature from 1 April 2016.
The amendment mandates online-only filing for Importer-Exporter Code applications and modifications via the revised ANF-2A, requiring upload of only PAN and a cancelled cheque bearing the entity's pre-printed name or a Bank Certificate plus the signatory's digital photograph; manual submissions cease w.e.f. 01.04.2016. Applications filed online must be digitally signed (Class-II or Class-III). Regional Authorities will process complete applications per the attached checklist, verify details against Income Tax and MCA records, and communicate grant or refusal within two working days.

FDI reporting now requires mandatory online filing of ARF, FCGPR and FC-TRS via e Biz platform.
The Reserve Bank mandates mandatory online filing of ARF, FCGPR and FC-TRS through the e Biz portal; physical filing of these FDI reporting forms is discontinued from February 8, 2016. AD Category I banks must inform and assist their customers with e Biz submissions. The directions are issued under sections 10(4) and 11(1) of FEMA, 1999 and do not affect other statutory permissions.

Cenvat credit entitlement affirmed for voluntarily paid countervailing duty; non-payment notices stayed pending appellate decision.
Show cause notices demanding CVD from importers who did not pay CVD shall be kept in the call book pending the department's appeal; voluntary payment of CVD at import entitles the importer to CENVAT credit and notices denying such credit must be decided in light of precedent. The proviso limiting CENVAT credit on ships imported for breaking has been deleted, allowing full credit of CVD paid at import while remaining subject to the CENVAT Credit Rules' reversal obligations for non excisable byproducts.

Customs area notification designates Sandheads for regulated loading and unloading under Customs Act compliance requirements.
Notification designates Sandheads, within Kolkata Port Trust jurisdiction, as a Customs Area for loading and unloading of cargo, specifying a central geographic point and delimiting the area by a measured radius; activities within the area must comply strictly with the Customs Act and government instructions, and importers, exporters, customs brokers and agents are put on notice of the regulatory status and compliance obligations.

Refund procedure where notice under section 245: CPC seeks AO or taxpayer response, nonresponse permits adjustment.
Where a notice under Section 245 has been issued and the taxpayer contests the demand, CPC will ask the jurisdictional Assessing Officer to confirm or amend the demand within thirty days, issuing the refund without adjustment if the Assessing Officer fails to respond; where the taxpayer does not respond to CPC's reminder, CPC will adjust the demand with applicable interest against the refund and pay any balance.

Position limits for agricultural commodity futures revised; client MWOI cap removed and near month netting disallowed.
Revision of open position limits for agricultural commodity futures removes the client level market wide open interest cap and prescribes that near month position exposure be capped at one fourth of the overall position limit. Overall and near month positions are calculated by aggregating all long positions and all short positions separately and taking the higher; netting of near month with far month contracts is prohibited. Member overall limits are the greater of the numerical limit or fifteen percent of market wide open interest, with client and proprietary positions aggregated without netting.

Refund claim processing streamlined: summary disposal permitted for eligible small-value VAT refunds without notices or personal appearance.
Expedited processing dispenses with notice or personal appearance for specified small-value refund claims up to the tax period ending 31 March 2015 where claimants are functional at the recorded address, not subject to DVAT 09/DVAT 10 notices, not listed as suspicious dealers, not return defaulters, and registered for at least three years. Verification includes checking central statutory forms via Form 9 and TINXSYS, avoiding physical verification where possible, confirming exports via DGFT, and verifying ITC from supplier tax scrolls. Outstanding demands under relevant Acts may be adjusted except stayed demands; Systems Branch to supply pendency data by 15 February 2016.