iCERT Digital Signature Certificate for transactions through ICEGATE – Reg. - Customs - 122/2005

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS C.R. BUILDING : QUEENS ROAD POST BOX NO 5400, BANGALORE-1 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 122/2005 Date: 22.09.2005 Sub: :- iCERT Digital Signature Certificate for transactions through ICEGATE Reg. 1. Importers, Exporters, Custom House Agents and Trade Associations are informed that Central Board of Excise and Customs has set up a facility for obtaining Digital Signature Certificates for enabling secure transactions with the department over Internet. To enable this, the Department has obtained the license as per the Information Technology Act 2000 to issue Digital Signature certificates to CBEC s trading community, it s officers and related agencies from the Controller of Certifying Authorities, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. 2. The departmental Certifying Authority, called iCERT, performs functions which include issuing, managing, suspending and revoking Digital Signature Certificates to all entities that are part of the CBEC s Trading Community. This Community includes. (a) Importers and exporters, Customs House Agents, Airlines, Shipping Lines and their agents. (b) Custodian of imported cargo; Directorate general of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS); Export Promotion Councils; Banks; Reserve Bank of India; (c) Central Excise Assessees; (d) Service Tax Assessees. 3. As members of the trade and public are aware, ICEGATE has been in operation for the last 24 months whereby EDI messaging for the regulatory agencies such as DGFT, DGCIS, RBI and others have been operational along with the facility of filing shipping bills and bills of entry. As part of the programme to ensure non-repudiated and secure e-commerce transactions over the internet, the Department has planned to use Digital Signature Certificates for all internet based transactions. 4. Consequently, it is now proposed that with effect from 1st November 2005, all shipping bills and bills of entry filed through ICEGATE for Export and Import shall be digitally signed and authenticated through the Class.III Digital Signature Certificates issued by iCERT. For this purpose, all trading partners would need to apply and obtain Digital Certificate from iCERT. The details of the steps involved are provided in the Annexures-A B to this public Notice. However, the process is described in brief as under: I. iCERT Subscriber Registration This Activity has to be carried out at iCERT website by the subscribers/members of the trade electronically only. All the existing subscribers would obtain their Digital Signature Certificates through a link over their e-mail IDs. II. Fee Subscription is a one time activity for a Certificate of 2 year validity from the date of issuance. As a trade facilitation measure, no fee will be charged for applications filed during the current financial year 2005-06 i.e. up to 31.3.2006. Registration fee would however, be charged in the next financial year. Members of the Trade will be informed suitably. III. Time Frames. The individual subscriptions process involves the following activities 1. Web Based Form Entry : This requires the subscriber entering individual information as per the prescribed subscription form over the Internet by logging in to the iCERT Web.Site.at http://www.icert.gov.in. The complete web subscription process time over the web does not take more than 15 minutes under normal conditions of internet access 2. Verification Process: There after, a comprehensive verification process involving the jurisdictional Central Excise verification team would take place within 10 days. 3. Delivery Process: The Digital Signature certificates would thereafter be delivered to the subscriber and over his registered e-mail by the iCERT team. 5. It is mandatory that all trading partners should complete the process by the end of 15 th October 2005 failing which their document may not be accepted by the ICEGATE since the ICEGATE would commence operating in a secure mode after 1st November 2005 6. Transactions Once the subscription formalities are completed, the members of the trade would be in a position to file and receive documents electronically securely through the Gateway on a round-the-clock basis using their Digital Signature Certificates after 1st November 2005. Until then, the existing trading partners can continue filing their documents under the existing arrangements. 7. Seeking help Members of the trade may please note that the existing ICEGATE Help Desk facility for the trade to report problems has been expanded to include support and help to any problem pertaining to subscription, delivery and usage of the Digital Signature Certificates. The Help Desk teams are available on the following telephone numbers. 1. 011-23379020 2. 011-23379880. For any other suggestions to improve the work flow or the performance of the iCERT website, members of the trade and the officers of the Customs House may contact the Directorate of Systems Office on (011)23378867 or they can mail at file:///D:/Transfer/Uploads/Customs/received/23-09-05/[email protected]. 8. The registration authority for Bangalore is located at the Air Cargo Complex, MSIL Building, Airport Exit Road, Bangalore- 560 017, under the supervision of Joint Commissioner of Customs (Admn), phone no. 2522 6585 and the Assistant Commissioner of Customs (Admn), phone no. 2522 5605. These officers may be contacted for further clarifications. 9. The Trade and Industry Associations are requested to give wide publicity to the contents of this Public Notice. Sd/- (P.R. CHANDRASEKHARAN) Commissioner of Customs Bangalore