GTA SERVICE TAX CREDIT ADMISSIBILITY ON OUTWARD FREIGHT

[Guest]

Dear Sir, Please explain regarding Service tax credit admissibility on outward freight under following circumstances 1) In the case of clearance of finished goods from the factory to the customers in such case whether we as a manufacturer has paid service tax under reverse charge can avail cenvat credit of such outward freight. 2) In the case of clearance of goods to depot which is not registered under excise whether we can avail such credit in such situation also, Please explain, Please give us any references regarding this.Thanks & regards

[Rajagopalan Ranganathan]

Sir,

Under Service Tax Circular ​No. 97/8/2007 dated 23.8.2007 in para 8.1 (c) your query is clarified which is reproduced hereunder: -

 

ISSUE: Up to what stage a manufacturer/consignor can take credit on the service tax paid on goods transport by road?

COMMENTS: This issue has been examined in great detail by the CESTAT in the case of M/s Gujarat Ambuja Cements Ltd. vs CCE, Ludhiana [2007 (006) STR 0249 Tri-D]= 2007 (3) TMI 1 - CESTAT,NEW DELHI. In this case, CESTAT has made the following observations:-

"the post sale transport of manufactured goods is not an input for the manufacturer/consignor. The two clauses in the definition of 'input services' take care to circumscribe input credit by stating that service used in relation to the clearance from the place of removal and service used for outward transportation upto the place of removal are to be treated as input service. The first clause does not mention transport service in particular. The second clause restricts transport service credit upto the place of removal. When these two clauses are read together, it becomes clear that transport service credit cannot go beyond transport upto the place of removal. The two clauses, the one dealing with general provision and other dealing with a specific item, are not to be read disjunctively so as to bring about conflict to defeat the laws' scheme. The purpose of interpretation is to find harmony and reconciliation among the various provisions".

Similarly, in the case of M/s Ultratech Cements Ltd vs CCE Bhavnagar 2007-TOIL-429-CESTAT-AHM, it was held that after the final products are cleared from the place of removal, there will be no scope of subsequent use of service to be treated as input. The above observations and views explain the scope of the relevant provisions clearly, correctly and in accordance with the legal provisions. In conclusion, a manufacturer / consignor can take credit on the service tax paid on outward transport of goods up to the place of removal and not beyond that.

8.2 In this connection, the phrase 'place of removal' needs determination taking into account the facts of an individual case and the applicable provisions. The phrase 'place of removal' has not been defined in CENVAT Credit Rules. In terms of sub-rule (t) of rule 2 of the said rules, if any words or expressions are used in the CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004 and are not defined therein but are defined in the Central Excise Act, 1944 or the Finance Act, 1994, they shall have the same meaning for the CENVAT Credit Rules as assigned to them in those Acts. The phrase 'place of removal' is defined under section 4 of the Central Excise Act, 1944. It states that,-

"place of removal" means-

(i) a factory or any other place or premises of production or manufacture of the excisable goods ;

(ii) a warehouse or any other place or premises wherein the excisable goods have been permitted to be stored without payment of duty ;

(iii)a depot, premises of a consignment agent or any other place or premises from where the excisable goods are to be sold after their clearance from the factory;

from where such goods are removed."

It is, therefore, clear that for a manufacturer /consignor, the eligibility to avail credit of the service tax paid on the transportation during removal of excisable goods would depend upon the place of removal as per the definition. In case of a factory gate sale, sale from a non-duty paid warehouse, or from a duty paid depot (from where the excisable goods are sold, after their clearance from the factory), the determination of the 'place of removal' does not pose much problem. However, there may be situations where the manufacturer /consignor may claim that the sale has taken place at the destination point because in terms of the sale contract /agreement (i) the ownership of goods and the property in the goods remained with the seller of the goods till the delivery of the goods in acceptable condition to the purchaser at his door step; (ii) the seller bore the risk of loss of or damage to the goods during transit to the destination; and (iii) the freight charges were an integral part of the price of goods. In such cases, the credit of the service tax paid on the transportation up to such place of sale would be admissible if it can be established by the claimant of such credit that the sale and the transfer of property in goods (in terms of the definition as under section 2 of the Central Excise Act, 1944 as also in terms of the provisions under the Sale of Goods Act, 1930) occurred at the said place.

Though the circular is issued prior to introduction of Negetive list of services, the concept clarified in this circular is still relevant and you can quote this whenever any query is raised by the department.

[Vijay kumar]

According to Rule 2(l) of Cenvat Credit Rules, 2004 credit on outward transportation is available upto the place of removal only. Hence, in the first case, you can take credit if the goods are sold at the buyer's place i.e. on FOR destination basis and sale takes place at buyer's place as per Sale of Goods Act. In such a case, the buyer's place becomes the place of removal and accordingly, the ST paid on freight can be availed as credit. In the second situation, there is absolutely no doubt that you can take the credit, since depot is a place of removal. It doesn't matter whether such depot is registered under excise law.

AI Summary

Place of removal principle: outward freight credit allowed only up to the contractually established place of removal. Service tax credit on outward freight is admissible only up to the place of removal; post sale transport beyond that point is not an input. The place of removal is defined by statute and the sale contract: if ownership, risk and price allocation show transfer at destination, transport to that destination may be creditable. A depot is a place of removal whether or not registered under excise.