As per the provisional data, during the period 2012-13 (April to December) imports of gold jewellery (ITCHS code 71131910,71131920,71131930,71131940) from Thailand was US$ 95.48 million and during corresponding period of previous year imports of gold jewellery was US$ 109.79 million.

India and Thailand have signed a Framework Agreement for establishing an India-Thailand Free Trade Agreement on 09.10.2003. There is an Early Harvest Scheme under this Framework Agreement which covers certain items for concessional trade including gold jewellery. Thailand is also a part of ASEAN-India Agreement on Trade in Goods signed on 13.08.2009 where gold jewellery is included for concessional trade.

Since a doubt has been raised about the accuracy of the information given on the Certificates of Origin issued by Thailand under Early Harvest Scheme, a request has been made to Thailand for retroactive check of Certificates of Origin. In the meanwhile, the Department of Revenue has been advised to suspend preferential import of gold jewellery with identified tariff lines from Thailand till the retroactive check is conducted by the Thai side.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Dr. D Purandeswari in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

DS/RK

(Release ID :94020)

Preferential import suspension of Thailand gold jewellery pending Certificate of Origin verification and retroactive audit. Suspension of concessional import treatment for identified gold jewellery tariff lines from Thailand pending a retroactive check of Certificates of Origin issued under the Early Harvest Scheme. India-Thailand trade frameworks, including the Early Harvest Scheme and the ASEAN-India trade arrangement, previously covered gold jewellery for preferential treatment. The Department of Revenue has been advised to suspend preferential imports for the specified tariff lines until Thailand completes verification of origin documents.