Retroactive verification of Certificate of Origin - Customs - Circular No. - 01/2018

Government of India Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue Office of the Commissioner of Customs (Preventive) Custom House, 110 M. G. Road, Shillong - 793001 C. No. VIII(48)09/CUS/TECH/MISC. EXP-IMP/2018/15502-22A Date: 29.08.2018 Circular No. - 01/2018 Dated Shillong the 29 th August, 2018 Subject: Retroactive verification of Certificate of Origin-reg Reference is drawn to Circular No.01/2015, dated 08.05.2015 issued by this office. The said Circular has directed the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner having jurisdiction over the port/LCS of import to select some Certificates of Origin (COO) at random in cases of imports under Preferential Trade Agreement under Rules of Origin and send them to Valuation Branch, Customs Hqrs., Shillong who in turn will send them to the Board requesting for retroactive verification with the exporting country. 2. The Board has informed that many field formations have been communicating directly with foreign administrations in regard to verification of COO under various FTAs. In addition, requests made to Board office for verification of COOS are mostly found incomplete as the same are not done in terms of the Board's Instruction No.31/2016-Customs dated 12/09/2016. 3. The practice of the field writing directly to a foreign administration is strictly discouraged by the Board. Also any communication in respect of verification of COOS must be entertained only if the same is received from the Board office and if any such communication is received by field formations directly from a foreign administration, the same is to be immediately referred to the Board. 4. As all verification requests is to be addressed to Director (ICD) as per Board's instruction No.31/2016-Customs dated 12.09.2016, citing the exact reason for such referrals, it is reiterated that any such requests be referred through Headquarters Office, Shillong where Valuation Branch will process them for onward transmission to the Board, It must be ensured that requests are sent with proper enclosures/annexures, so that the case of trade facilitation is not hindered. Similarly, any verification request received from foreign administration will also be required to be sent to the Board through Commisionerate office. 5. Strict compliance of this Circular should be ensured. (Banshana Deori) COMMISSIONER