Processing of MEIS applications under FTP 2015-20 in terms of Public Notice 62 dated 16.02.2018 - DGFT - Trade Notice No. 26/2018

Government of India Department of Commerce Directorate General of Foreign Trade Trade Notice No.26/2018 Date: 23 rd March 2018 To l. All Exporters/Members of Trade 2. All Regional Authorities of DGFT Subject: Processing of MEIS applications under FTP 2015-20 in terms of Public Notice 62 dated 16.02.2018. This Directorate had issued Public No.62 dated 16.02.2018 vide which, except for the Codes specified in Annexure to the said Public Notice, Regional Authorities were directed to process applications for MEIS claim only on the basis of ITC (HS) Code as specified in the Shipping bill. It was also specified in the said Public Notice that past finalized cases which have been decided were not to be re-assessed based on the Directives in the said Public Notice. However, subsequent to the issue of the said public notice, this Directorate has received various representations from the Trade that many of their past cases had been rejected by Regional Authorities merely on the grounds of mismatch of description of the export items between the shipping bills and the description specified in the Appendix 3B of MEIS Schedule. The issue has been examined in this Directorate. It is reiterated that the Public Notice No.62 was issued doing away with the requirement of matching of the description of the export product between the MEIS Schedule and the Shipping bills since many of the RAs were rejecting the MEIS applications merely on the grounds of mismatch of description even though the ITC (HS) classification as well as the Appendix 3B had general description of export product whereas the description of export item in the shipping bill was specific description of the product exported by the firm covered under such general description of the concerned HS Classification. In view of above, all RAs are instructed that past cases where the MEIS applications received under FTP 2015-20 have not been considered merely on the grounds of description mismatch and not due to any mis-classification issues shall not be considered as Finalised Cases for the purposes of Para 3 of the Public Notice No.62 dated 16.02.2018. Therefore, all such cases may be processed and finalised under the Public Notice No.62 dated 16.02.2018. In any case procedure prescribed in Para 3.01 (h) of HBP 15-20 should be followed in all cases under MEIS. Lokesh H D Joint Director General of Foreign Trade (Issued from File No.01/61/180/179/AM18/PC-3)