Procedure for dealing with "Shipping Bill copies" consequent to doing away with "Exchange Control copy" and "Export Promotion copy" vide Board's Circular No. 55/2016-Customs, dt. 23.11.2016 - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 38/2017

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS CUSTOM HOUSE: PORT AREA: VISAKHAPATNAM: 530 035 F. No. P3/06/2017-Stats Date: 14.9.2017 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 38/2017 Sub:- Procedure for dealing with Shipping Bill copies consequent to doing away with Exchange Control copy and Export Promotion copy vide Board's Circular No. 55/2016-Customs, dt. 23.11.2016 - reg. Attention of all officers, trade and industry is invited to para 2(c) of Board's Circular No. 55/2016-Customs, dated 23.11.2016 which is reproduced below for ready reference. Shipping Bill (Exchange Control copy and Export Promotion copy) After the Appraiser grants LEO (Let Export Order) in the system, printout of the Shipping Bill is generated by the system in triplicate i.e. (i) Customs copy (ii) Exporter's copy and (iii) Exchange Control Copy. The fourth copy namely the Export Promotion Copy is generated after submission of EGM. Further, with regard to Shipping Bill: a. detailed copy of the Shipping Bill is not required by the Authorised Dealer. It is enough if a summary copy is printed b. CBEC provides copies of digitally signed Shipping Bills to DGFT. c. The data of Shipping Bill is integrated with EDPMS (Export Data Processing and Monitoring System) of RBI. In the light of the above, printing of the Exchange Control copy and Export Promotion copy of the Shipping Bill does not serve any useful purpose. 2. The members of trade have represented that as a consequence of reduction of Shipping Bill copies vide Board's Circular mentioned above, only two copies of Shipping Bill remain i.e. (i) Customs copy and (ii) Exporter copy. The Customs copy of Shipping Bili is retained by Customs after issue of Let Export Order. The Exporter copy of Shipping Bill received by the Exporter is handed over to the Shipping Line as proof of Customs clearance and the Shipping Line in turn submits the same to Customs as part of Export General Manifest (ECM). The Exporter is therefore, left with no copy of the Shipping Bill for their record. 3 It has been represented by Members from trade industries that due to submission of Exporter copy of Shipping Bill to Shipping Line, no copy of Shipping Bill is available with them for their record, audit and various other business purposes. 4 It is observed that in respect of Shipping Bills processed in the EDI System (other than manual clearances) alt export clearance details including LEO are available in the System and can be accessed online. Therefore, the Customs copy of Shipping Bill being retained by Customs may be used in a way to facilitate the Exporter in retaining the Exporter copy of Shipping Bill. 5. The printing of Exchange Control copy and Export Promotion copy of Shipping Bill is done away with vide Board's Circular mentioned above. It is decided that henceforth the 'Customs copy and Exporter copy of Shipping Bill' be dealt with in the following manner. i) Customs will not retain Customs copy of the Shipping Bill at the time of issue of LEO. The Exporter shall receive the Customs copy and 'Exporter copy of Shipping Bill. ii) The Exporter shall hand over the Customs copy of Shipping Bill to the Shipping Line who would in turn submit the same to Customs as part of Export General Manifest (ECM). iii) The Exporter shall retain the Exporter copy of Shipping Bill for their record/future reference/post audit etc. 6. Difficulties if any may be brought to the notice of the undersigned. (Dr. D.K. Srinivas) Commissioner of Customs