This is continuation of Trade Notice No 59 dated 28.3.2020 regarding the retrospective issuance of preferential certificates of origin in the light of the exceptional circumstances caused by the lockdown/curfew in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. A query has been raised on the application of Trade Notice 59 to the applications on the digital platform. It is hereby informed that all such applications would be processed by the authorised agencies of India and the digitally signed copies transmitted to the applicants. The physical copies of the certificate signed by the agencies authorised to issue these certificates of origin could be issued subsequently once the offices of these agencies open.

3. The Indian agencies authorised to issue the certificate of origin are hereby instructed to levy the prescribed uniform fee of Rs 600 for all preferential certificates, irrespective of whether they are retrospective or not.

4. In the context of the certificates issued on a digital platform, a request is made to the concerned trading partners to accept the digitally signed certificates in the interim period until the exceptional circumstances on account of the COVID 19 pandemic is over. On submission of these digitally signed certificates or physical certificate of origin unsigned by the competent authority, the importing countries are requested to clear these consignments provisionally at preferential duty subject to any other conditions like an undertaking or a bond.

5. India also stands ready to honour its preferential trade agreement and would clear consignments provisionally with digitally signed certificates or physical certificates unsigned by the competent authority. These consignments would be cleared provisionally at preferential duty with other conditions of submission such as a bond or undertaking and appropriate security where required by Customs.

This issues with the approval of competent authority.

[Issued from F. No. 01/93/180/08/AM-11/PC-2(B)/e-32481
 

(S.K. Mohapatra)

Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade
E-mail: mohapatra.sk@nic.in