Streamlining the Export Procedure - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE No. 35/2017

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (EXPORT) AIR CARGO COMPLEX, SAHAR ANDHERI (E), MUMBAI - 400099. F. No. S/3- -26/2017 - 18 E T /(X), ACC Date:- 24.08.2017 PUBLIC NOTICE No. 35/2017 Subject: Streamlining the Export Procedure. Attention of all the Exporters, Members of Trade and Industry, Trade Associations, Customs Brokers, Consolidators, Freight Forwarders, Airlines and other stakeholders is drawn to the existing procedure of handing over of export cargo to the Airlines. 2. As per present practice, once the Let Export Order (LEO) is accorded by the proper officer in ICES system, physical copy of 'LEO accorded Shipping Bill' is produced at different stages during clearance of export cargo, for verification of the fact that whether LEO has been given or not. 3. The Board (CBEC) vide Circular No. 55/2016 dated 23.11.2016 has emphasized the need for reducing/eliminating print outs in Customs Clearance. The circular has eliminated printing of Exchange Control Copy and Export Promotion Copy of the Shipping Bills as these don't serve any useful purpose after integration of ICEGATE with DGFT and EDPMS (Export Data Processing and Monitoring System) of Reserve Bank of India. Now only two copies of Shipping Bill namely Customs Copy and Exporter's Copy are being printed. 4. It has been represented that Exporter's Copy is being retained by Airlines and Custodians for clearance and is finally submitted to Customs; as a result Exporters are left with no copy of Shipping Bill. 5. To streamline the Export Clearance Procedure in view of above changes difficulties, following procedure for clearance of Export Cargo is prescribed henceforth: (i) The Custom Broker/ Exporter approaches the proper officer with all relevant documents prescribed in the Customs Act or Rules for Let Export Order (LEO). (ii) The proper officer after due verifications accords the Let Export Order (LEO) for the Shipping Bill. (iii) Once the Let Export Order (LEO) is accorded for a Shipping Bill, the customs electronic system, ICEGATE, shares the information, of this effect, with the Custodians namely MIAL and Air India. (iv) The Customs Broker/Exporter hands over the export documents to the concerned Airline for moving to sterile area and for uplift of cargo to the destination. Important: If one Master Airway Bill has more than one Shipping Bill, then, the Customs Broker/Exporter must ensure, before handing over the documents to Airline Representative, that all shipping bills have been accorded LEO. (v) When the export documents are handed over to the Airline, the Airline will verify whether the LEO has been granted. For this purpose, MIAL have set up a counter manned by MIAL staff inside the export shed which is equipped with computers which are connected to Customs ICES system and is also manned by MIAL staff. (vi) After the verification, the Airline approaches the Custodian staff at BAG (Bonded Area Gate) counter who counterchecks whether LEO has been accorded and after complete satisfaction, will stamp the Gate Pass with the BAG (Bonded Area Gate) rubber stamp and writes the time and date on the stamp. Document is signed also and name of the staff signing it, is written clearly in bold letters below the signature. (This stamp will imply that all shipping bills covered by the Master Airway Bill number shown on the Gate Pass have been cleared through customs and LEO has been accorded. In the event, even if one shipping bill under the master airway bill has nol been accorded LEO, then, the counter staff must not stamp the Gate Pass.) (vii) The airline representative approaches the Export Freight Officer (EFO) for permission to cart the consignment to the airline sterile area. The EFO checks the rubber stamp on the gate pass for each individual master airway bill and counterchecks it in the ICEGATE. The EFO puts his signature on the gate pass as proof that this gate pass has been produced to him and allows the shifting. 6. Above procedure will eliminate the necessity of producing any hard copy of the Shipping Bill. 7. The above procedure will come into immediate effect. 8. Difficulties faced, if any, may be brought into the notice of undersigned. 9. This issues with the approval of Commissioner of Customs-IV (TAPAN KUMAR) Jt. Commissioner of Customs, (Export) ACC, Sahar, Mumbai