Setting up of 'Customs Clearance Facilitation Committee' (CCFC) for Land Customs Stations and Inland Container Depots - Customs - 44/2016

Circular No 44/2016 Customs F.No.450/115/2016-CUS-IV Government of India Ministry of Finance Department of Revenue Central Board of Excise Customs New Delhi, dated the 22 th September, 2016 To All Principal Chief Commissioners/ Chief Commissioners of Customs, All Principal Chief Commissioners/ Chief Commissioners of Customs Central Excise, All Directors General, All Principal Commissioners/Commissioners of Customs, All Principal Commissioners/Commissioners of Customs Central Excise, Madam/Sir Subject: Setting up of 'Customs Clearance Facilitation Committee' (CCFC) for Land Customs Stations and Inland Container Depots-reg. Please refer to Board's Circular No. 13/2015-Customs dated 13th April, 2015 with respect to setting up of Customs Clearance Facilitation Committees at each sea port and airport tasked with the responsibility of ensuring expeditious Customs clearance of imported and export goods. 2. With a view to have similar administrative arrangements for facilitation of trade in the Land Customs Stations, CCFCs shall be set up in the following Commissionerates having jurisdiction over the various Land Customs Stations,- (i) Commissionerate of Customs (Preventive) Amritsar; (ii) Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Kolkata; (iii) Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Patna; (iv) Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Shillong. The CCFCs shall also be set up in the Commissionerates having jurisdiction over the Inland Container Depots. 3. The CCFC would be headed by the Principal Commissioner of Customs or Commissioner of Customs for their respective jurisdictions. Its membership would include the senior-most jurisdictional functionary of the following departments/agencies/stakeholder: (i) Food Safety Standards Authority of India / Port Health Officer (PHO) (ii) Plant Quarantine Authorities (iii) Animal Quarantine Authorities (iv) Drug Controller of India (CDSO) (v) Textile Committee (vi) Custodians (vii) Land Ports Authority of India (for CCFC in LCSs) (viii) Forest and Wild Life Authorities (ix) Railways/CONCOR (x) Border Security Agencies (for CCFC in LCSs) (xi) Pollution Control Board (xii) Any other Department / Agency / stakeholder to be co-opted on need basis. 4. The terms of reference for the CCFC will be as follows: (i) Ensuring and monitoring expeditious clearance of imported and export goods in accordance with the timeline specified by the parent Ministry/Department concerned; (ii) Identifying and resolving bottlenecks, if any, in the clearance procedure of imported and export goods; (iii) Initiating Time Release Studies for improvement in the clearance time of imported and export goods; (iv) Having internal consultations to speed up the clearance process of imported and export goods and recommending best practices thereto for consideration of CBEC / Departments /Agencies concerned; and (v) Resolving grievances of members of the trade and industry in regard to clearance process of imported and export goods. The CCFC shall meet once a month or as considered necessary by the chair. 5. The establishment of the CCFC and its terms of reference be given wide publicity by issue of suitable Trade Notice/Public Notice. The said Trade Notice/Public Notice should indicate the contact details of the chair of the CCFC. A copy of the order establishing the CCFC may be endorsed to the Board. It is suggested that the CCFC meetings be held in, or as close as feasible, to the major LCS in the jurisdiction. This will facilitate a greater understanding of the issues. 6. The Chief Commissioners of Customs/Customs and Central Excise concerned may periodically review the working of the CCFC and its impact on reducing delays in the Customs clearance time of imported and export goods and in resolving related trade grievances. 7. A copy of this Circular is being sent to all administrative Ministries/Departments/ State Governments concerned for issue of suitable directions to their officers to inform the Chief Commissioners of Customs/Customs and Central Excise concerned of the senior most functionary who shall be a member of the CCFC. Further, the Ministry/Department concerned is also being requested to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and specify a time line for according clearances. 8. Difficulty, if any may be brought to the notice of the Board. Yours faithfully, (A K Sapra) OSD Customs-IV