14.1 One of the highlights of the provisions of the Finance Bill, 2011 is the introduction of self-assessment in the Customs Act, 1962 both for imported goods and export goods. This would replace the existing legal requirement of assessment of every bill of entry or shipping bill by the Customs Officer. As you are aware, after the implementation of EDI and risk management system, the practice in most customs formations has been to carry out assessment on selected bills of entry based on risk parameters and to allow the balance to be facilitated. While aligning the legal provisions with the current practice, the proposed amendments would move the Customs administration further along the path of trust based compliance management. They would provide a basis for progressive reduction in the levels of Customs interdiction in clearance of import/export cargo leading to significant enhancement in facilitation for compliant trade. This would release resources for more incisive verification and audit of consignments that involve a high degree of risk enabling the department to strike an optimal balance between the concerns of trade facilitation on the one hand and enforcement on the other. For this purpose, the important amendments proposed in the provisions of the Customs Act are as under:  

(i) The definition of assessment in section 2 is being amended to include „self-assessment..  

(ii) Section 17 which deals with assessment of duty has been recast to provide legal backing for self-assessment by the importer or exporter. It has also been provided that the customs officer may verify the assessment and have the goods tested or examined for this purpose. An obligation is also being cast on the importer or exporter to furnish any documents or information that may be required for such verification. Where it is found that the self-assessment is not in order, the customs officer is required to reassess the bill of entry and to issue a speaking order for the same unless the importer agrees with the reassessment. Barring cases where a speaking order is issued on reassessment, powers have also been assigned to customs officers to conduct audit either in their own office or at the premises of importer or exporter.  

(iii) Consequential amendments are being proposed in section 18 relating to provisional assessment. It is being provided that the importer may make a request for assessment of goods by the officer when he is not in a position to self-assess. The provisions of section 19 are also being amended to prescribe that the finalization of provisional assessment may be carried out by the proper officer. Other consequential amendments include amendments in section 46 and 50 to make the electronic filing of bills of entry/shipping bills the norm. Power is also being conferred on the Commissioner of Customs to permit filing in any other manner when electronic filing is infeasible. Section 157 is being amended to empower the Board to issue regulations for specifying the manner of conducting audit.

These provisions would come into effect on the date of enactment of Finance Bill, 2011. They may be examined carefully and suggestions/comments, if any, in this regard may be sent to the Board. 14.2 Sub-section (1) of section 27 is being substituted so as to enhance the time limit for claiming refund of duty and interest from six months to one year for all categories of importers. This would unify the provisions with regard to raising of demands and claiming of refund. 14.3 As in the case of Central Excise, Section 28 is being substituted so as to make the provisions relating to recovery of duty not levied or short levied or erroneously refunded more coherent and clear. There is no change in the content of this provision.

14.4 Section 28AA and 28AB are being substituted with a revised section 28AA so as to make the provisions relating to interest more coherent and clear. It is being provided that interest would be payable from the first day of the month succeeding the month in which the duty ought to have been paid or erroneously refunded. Pending enactment of the Finance Bill, 2011, notifications revising the rate of interest to 18% per annum has been issued under the existing provisions.

14.5 Section 110A is being amended to empower the adjudicating authority to allow release of seized goods instead of Commissioner of Customs.

14.6 Section 124 is being amended so as to provide for issuance of a show cause notice with prior approval of an officer not below the rank of an Assistant Commissioner of Customs as against Deputy Commissioner presently.

14.7 Section 131D is being inserted to empower the Board to issue instructions relating to non-filing of appeal in certain cases in line with National Litigation Policy retrospectively with effect from 20.10.2010.

14.8 A new section 142A is being inserted so as to create first charge on the property of the defaulter for recovery of the customs dues from such defaulter subject to the provisions of section 529A of the Companies Act, the Recovery of Debt due to Bank and Financial Institution Act, 1993 and Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002.

14.9 Section 150 is being amended so as to provide that the balance of sale proceeds of unclaimed cargo sold in auction shall be paid to the Government if they cannot be paid to the owner within six months.  

14.10 Special provision is being made vide clause 54 of the Finance Bill, 2011 read with the Third Schedule to retrospectively provide a concessional basic customs duty of 30% to fresh garlic imported by National Consumer Cooperative Federation and Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing Federation under import licenses issued by the Central Government and cleared after 15.1.2003. This provision would come into force on the date of enactment of the Finance Bill, 2011. Pending cases of these importers pertaining to the period mentioned above may be identified and disposed off accordingly.

14.11 Special provision is being made vide clause 58 of the Finance Bill, 2011 read with the Seventh Schedule to impose definitive safeguard duty retrospectively on imports of caustic soda lye imported into India during the period from 04.12.2009 to 03.03.2010. This would validate the imposition of provisional safeguard duty on this product during the same period. This provision would come into force on the enactment of the Finance Bill.

14.12 Notification Nos.92/2004-Customs dated 10th September, 2004, 41/2005-Customs dated  9th May, 2004, 90/2006-Customs dated 1st September, 2006, 64/2008-Customs dated 9th May, 2008 and 136/2008-Customs dated 24th December, 2008 have been retrospectively amended (in the case of first four w.e.f. 1st April, 2008; and the remaining ones from the date of their issuance). Clause 53 read with Second Schedule of the Finance Bill refers. The implication of these amendments is that benefit of reward schemes such as the Served from India Scheme, Focus Market Scheme, Focus Product Scheme etc. would be available towards fulfillment of export obligation under EPCG Scheme. This would also come into force on the enactment of the Finance Bill.  

14.13 Notification No.16/2011-Customs (N.T) dated 1st March, 2011 has been issued under section 11 of the Customs Act to restrict imports of acetate tow and filter rods except when they are used for manufacture of filter rods and filter cigarettes respectively.