Export deadline extension for onion shipments: shipment window extended to mid-January to facilitate compliant exports.
The Central Government extended the last date for shipment for onion consignments covered by ITC(HS) Code No. 0703(1) (excluding Bangalore rose and Krishnapuram rose onions) from 15 December, 2000 to 15 January, 2001 by amending Schedule-2, Table-B of the ITC(HS) Classification under powers conferred by Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and relevant Export and Import Policy paragraphs; the notification states the measure issues in public interest.

Capital goods definition broadened to explicitly include machinery, testing instruments and use across manufacturing, agriculture and services.
Amendment revises the definition of Capital Goods to include any plant, machinery, equipment or accessories required for manufacture, production or rendering services, including for replacement, modernisation, technological upgradation or expansion, and expressly lists illustrative items such as packaging machinery, refractories for initial lining, refrigeration equipment, power generating sets, machine tools, catalysts for initial charge, and equipment for testing, research and development, quality and pollution control; it also permits use across manufacturing, mining, diverse agricultural and allied activities and the services sector.

Export controls on onions: shipment deadline extended and service charge converted from fixed fee to ad valorem.
The notification amends ITC(HS) export entries for onions: it extends the last shipment date for 150,000 MT of onions (excluding Bangalore Rose and Krishnapuram Rose) from 30 November 2000 to 15 December 2000; it revises service charges for Bangalore Rose and Krishnapuram onions from the earlier fixed fee to a 3.5% ad valorem levy and deletes paragraph (vi) of the earlier notification. The amendments are made under Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and the Export and Import Policy, 1997-2002.

Import Packaging Compliance: mandatory declarations and BIS registration required before customs clearance of specified packaged goods.
Imported packaged products that are subject to the Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977 when sold domestically must comply with those Rules before customs clearance. Prepackaged imports must bear declarations of importer identity, commodity name, net quantity in standard units, month and year of packing, and maximum retail sale price inclusive of charges. Appendix V annexed to Schedule I lists products whose import requires conformity to mandatory Indian Quality Standards and registration of manufacturers/exporters with the Bureau of Indian Standards.

Bar coding implementation deferred, extending the compliance deadline to accommodate trade difficulties and permit later mandatory adoption.
The notification postpones the mandatory implementation date for bar coding of specified exports under the Export and Import Policy, deferring the earlier compliance deadline to a later date in response to industry representations. The amendment maintains the requirement to use international bar coding symbologies and international numbering standards while extending the period for exporters to adopt the prescribed technical standards.

Open General License for alabaster imports allows free import under amended ITC(HS) under the Foreign Trade Act.
The Central Government amended the ITC(HS) (1997-2002) to list alabaster under Exim Code 25152001 and placed it on an Open General License with policy status "Free" for import, issued under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 and relevant provisions of the Export and Import Policy, 1997-2002, the change being declared to be in the public interest.

Export deadline extension for specified onion varieties extends shipment period for cleared quantities under FTP.
The Central Government, under Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992 and relevant paragraphs of the Export and Import Policy, amends ITC(HS) Code 0703(1) to extend the last date for shipment of onions (excluding Bangalore Rose Onions and Krishnapuram Rose Onions) released by earlier notification; the change is effected by Notification No. 41(RE-2000)/1997-2002 dated 31-10-2000 and issued in the public interest.

Export classification change for raw hides and skins: specified categories now free and require contract registration.
Amendment revises ITC (HS) Schedule 2, Table-B to replace entries under Raw Hides and Skins with specified categories (raw hides and skins excluding lamb fur skin; fish hides and skins; semi-processed hides and wet blue; hides/skins and crust leather excluding E.I. tanned; E.I. tanned hides and skins; finished leather) and designates these items as Free for export while requiring exporters to register export contracts indicating price and quantity with the Council for Leather Exports; the fur skins heading and its entry are deleted.

SEZ unit obligations: positive net foreign exchange performance required; DTA sales, subcontracting and monitoring governed by amended FTP rules.
Duty on furnace oil purchased domestically shall be reimbursed to eligible EOUs/EPZ/SEZ/EHTP/STP units by the Development Commissioner at DGFT notified drawback rates; obsolete or surplus capital goods and spares may be exported or disposed in the DTA on payment of duties with applicable depreciation benefits, and may be destroyed without duty with Customs permission. SEZ units require Development Commissioner approval for establishment and must achieve positive NFEP; DTA sales, subcontracting, job-work, and gem and jewellery processing are governed by specified permissions, conditions and monitoring under self-certification and a committee headed by the Development Commissioner.

Import classification: brass dross and copper reverts free or restricted based on lead/cadmium content and processing conditions.
Amendment divides brass dross and copper reverts into Free and Restricted import categories based on lead and cadmium thresholds; Free imports permitted only to units registered with the Ministry of Environment and Forests, while Restricted imports require a licence and are allowed solely for processing or reuse under the Import Licensing Note on Hazardous Waste. Copper oxide mill scale is classified Free.

Diamond Dollar Account optional for bonded warehouses, permitting import, supply and re-export of rough diamonds through designated account.
Licence holders of Public and Private Bonded Warehouses under paragraph 8.13 may transact import, supply and re-export of rough diamonds through a designated Diamond Dollar Account on an optional basis, with continued use of Rupee Accounts permitted and with diamond-firm eligibility criteria not applicable to such warehouses. Paragraph 8.28 allows units to import essential inputs for export production and to source gold, silver and platinum through nominated agencies subject to specified fineness thresholds.

EPCG licence sourcing from domestic manufacturers permits deemed-export advance licences and CIF-based export obligation reckoning.
An EPCG licence holder may source capital goods from a domestic manufacturer; where a firm contract exists the manufacturer may apply for an Advance Licence for Deemed Exports to import inputs and components for manufacture. The domestic manufacturer may replenish inputs after supplying the capital goods to the EPCG licence holder. The export obligation under the EPCG licence shall be reckoned with reference to the CIF value of the licence actually utilized.

Onion export authorization allows additional quantity to be exported via NAFED under existing FTP terms by prescribed deadline.
An export authorization amends the ITC(HS) entry for onions to permit an additional released quantity to be exported, subject to procurement from within Maharashtra and export either directly by the designated procurement channel or through registered exporters on the same terms and conditions as earlier FTP notifications; the released quantity must be exported by the prescribed deadline.

ITC(HS) code requirement compulsory in shipping bills; mandatory eight digit entry required to claim export-import policy benefits.
The notification makes recording the ITC(HS) code at the eight digit level in shipping bills obligatory to claim any benefit under the Export and Import Policy, and where no specific eight digit entry exists, the eight digit "others" code for that category must be used.

Electronic Data Interchange: applications from status and green card holders cleared within 24 hours for export transactions.
Amendment requires that applications received electronically from status holders and green card holders under Electronic Data Interchange be cleared within 24 hours, promoting speed and transparency in export transactions as part of the Export and Import Policy.

Bar coding mandatory on exports: exporters must apply international bar codes to specified packaged goods; exemptions require Customs declaration.
Bar coding is made mandatory for exports of finished and packaged retail items using international symbologies and international numbering standards; exporters of items not in finished and packaged state may claim exemption by furnishing a declaration to Customs. The rule also requires consignment-level bar coding for specified sectors and for goods packed in defined geometrical containers, to be implemented in conformity with international standards.

Onion export allocation expanded permitting additional exports under the foreign trade policy with designated agency authorisations.
Additional export allocation for onions (excluding Bangalore Rose and Krishnapuram varieties) is authorised by amendment to ITC(HS) Code 0703(1), permitting an additional 1 lakh M. Tonnes to be exported by designated agencies (NAFED, MSAMB, GAIC, AP MARKFED, STCL, NCCF) directly or via Registered Exporters on the same terms as Notification No.16 (RE-2000) dated 17 May 2000, with the allocated quantity to be exported before 31 October 2000.

Export permission for onions extended to 31/08/2000 via notification, excluding specified rose varieties under FTP amendment.
The notification amends ITC(HS) Code 0703(1) in Schedule-2, Table-B to set the last date for shipment of onions (excluding Bangalore rose onions and Krishnapuram Rose onions) as 31.8.2000, replacing earlier shipment deadlines in prior notifications and aligning export permission with the Export and Import Policy.

Import prohibition on beef now requires exporter and label declarations certifying food consignments contain no beef.
Amendment adds general notes to ITC(HS) import policy imposing a prohibition on import of beef in any form and requiring exporter declarations on shipping documents for bulk consignments and label declarations on consumer-packed edible and processed food products certifying absence of beef.

Duty Free Replenishment Certificate eligibility expanded to exports paid in non convertible currency, subject to value addition rules.
Duty Free Replenishment Certificate eligibility is extended to exports with payments received in non convertible currency; issuance is subject to the handbook appendix value addition requirement and the provision is added to paragraph 7.4 of the Export and Import Policy.