Integration of SEZ online with Customs EDI Systems (ICES) - Customs - Public Notice No. 13/2015

OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS, AIRPORT AND AIR CARGO COMPLEX, AIR CUSTOMS COMMISSIONERATE, C.R. BLDG., QUEEN'S ROAD, BENGALURU- 560 001, C. No. VIII/48/08/2015 Air cus Tech/3125 Date: 14-08-2015 Public Notice No. 13/2015 Sub: Integration of SEZ online with Customs EDI Systems (ICES) - Reg. Attention of Airline Agents/ Importers/ Exporters/ Customs Brokers/ Consol Agents, who are handling the SEZ cargo, is invited to the existing manual procedure for delivery of SEZ cargo. It is planned to undertake the said process through electronic mode on Pilot Basis by integration of SEZ online with Customs EDI System (ICES 1.5 VER 1.5) at Bengaluru Air Cargo Complex. The SEZ online system is an electronic interface for customs clearance for SEZs. It is being made operational from 24-8-2015. 2. The following procedures are required to be followed for filling of IGM, Bills of Entry, and Shipping Bills etc. for smooth integration of SEZ process documents with Customs EDI Systems. A. ARRIVAL OF SEZ DESTINED GOODS ON IMPORT: 3.1 While filing the IGM Airlines/ Agents/ Console Agents are requested to furnish the Port of destination column with correct SEZ code and nature of cargo as TI for SEZ cargo. These IGM particulars are transmitted by ICES 1.5 to SEZ for filling Bills of Entry in SEZ online system. The list of SEZs and their codes are annexed to this Public Notice 3.2 The present manual procedure is that after filling manual Bills of Entry and obtaining endorsement in the quintuplet copy from authorized officers of SEZ, the CBs/ Importers are getting the release of the goods from the Air Cargo Complex. After integration of SEZ online system with ICES 1.5, Importers / CBs shall file the Bills of Entry with SEZ online system and the SEZ online system would tag the corresponding IGM particulars automatically. After filling of Bill of Entry, a message would be transmitted to ICES 1.5 for goods removal along with authorized representative details. 3.3 Importers/ CBs have to approach the Proper Officer in Transshipment Section, Air cargo Complex and provide the details such as Bill of Entry number etc. for permitting movement of SEZ cargo from Air Cargo Complex to SEZ premises. After verifying the particulars and identity of authorized representative, as provided by the SEZ online system, the transshipment approval permitting movement of the goods would be given in the ICES 1.5 and transshipment numbers would be generated in the ICES 1.5 and bill of entry would be marked to the proper officer in Transshipment Section for actual delivery of goods. The ICES 1.5 will also generate approval order in triplicate, which after approval have to be dealt with as under: (i) First copy will retained by the Transshipment section. (ii) Second copy to the Custodian for delivery of goods. (iii) Third copy to be handed over to the Importer/ CBs for submission to the authorized officer, SEZ, on receipt of the goods by Transshipment. The present system of manually maintaining the register to assign ITSA/ETSA numbers will continue concurrently. 3.4 Proper Officer in the Transshipment section shall verify the marks and numbers in case of LCL cargo before permitting delivery of goods for SEZ and if found in order he/she shall mark the endorsement of release of goods in the ICES 1.5 application. Release of goods message will be sent through ICEGATE to the SEZ online after the said endorsement entry in the system. During the pilot phase the present procedure of the endorsement of the goods released is also needed on the quintuplet copy of the Bill of Entry. 3.5 After cargo reaching the SEZ unit, re-warehousing message will have to be sent from SEZ online system through ICEGATE to ICES 1.5 and upon receipt of such re-warehousing message ICES 1.5 system will automatically close the corresponding lines in the IGM, if that message is received within 45 days of the removal of goods from the Air Cargo Complex. The present procedure of verification of cargo on arrival at SEZ by the authorized officers of SEZ, examination, granting out of charge, warehousing by SEZ and issuing of re-warehousing certificate to customs will also continue. After full implementation of electronic procedure, the issue of physical warehousing certificate will be dispensed with. Until then, the present system of manual submission of physical certificate will continue to co-exist along with electronic procedure. B. ARRIVAL OF EXPORT CARGO FROM SEZ: 4.1 In case of exports, the Shipping Bills shall be filled by Exporters/CBs in the SEZ online system and then the consignment is self sealed. The shipping bill is assessed and LEO (Let of Export) is given by the Authorized Officer of the SEZ customs in the SEZ online. 4.2 The details of Shipping bills, including AWB/BilI of Lading, will be provided by the SEZ online to ICES 1.5 on real time basis. The present procedure of endorsement on hard copy of the shipping bill by the authorized officer would continue till full implementation of electronic procedure. On full implementation, the manual endorsement mentioned above would be dispensed. 4.3 In case of LCL cargo the goods shall be taken to the Air Cargo Complex. Upon entry of such goods the Proper Officer posted would verify the marks and numbers and would enter the basic details such as Shipping Bill Numbers, etc. in ICES 1.5 for acknowledging entry of the goods. After the entry, the ICES 1.5 System generates a message and sends the same to SEZ online system. Then the goods are handed over to the Airport Authority for scanning and handing over the Airlines for loading on to the planes. Present system of manually maintaining the Register to assign ETSA number will continue to be done during the pilot phase and later would be done away with as only the online system generated reference No. will be used for the release of the goods. 4.4 On receipt of the SEZ cargo at the Airport the Proper Officer posted there shall verify the seal number, container number (if any) intactness of seal and condition of containers (packets/ pallets as the case may be). He/she shall enter the Shipping Bill number, date, container number, container size (only if applicable) and seal number ICES 1.5. As soon as it is done the message would be sent to SEZ online through ICEGATE. 4.5 It may be noted that arrival message is given for a shipping bill. Hence, if the shipping bill contains more than one package/ Unit Load Devises (ULD) then unless the entire lot arrive at the airport; arrival will not be acknowledged in the system and no message will be sent to SEZ online system. Only on arrival of all the consignments pertaining to a particular Shipping Bill, the arrival acknowledgement will be provided for the shipping bill to SEZ online system. It is proposed that if the seal is found to be broken or tampered, then the manual procedure of Customs clearance would be followed i.e., the seal broken information will be sent to SEZ manually. With the concurrence of the authorized officer, the goods will be re-examined. Otherwise, the cargo will be sent back to SEZ for further action. 4.6 After loading of the cargo in the aircraft, EGM will be filed by the Console Agent in the ICES 1.5 application and the same would be shared by ICES with the SEZ online system. 5. In brief, since the above procedures are on pilot basis, the existing manual procedure also continues along with System procedure for the time being till further notice. In case of difficulties in electronic processing, the issue may be intimated to EDI section and processing may be done based on physical copies after approval of Assistant / Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Transshipment Cell. 6. Like import cargo, for export cargo also, the existing manual procedure along with aforesaid system procedure shall be followed for the time being as the electronic procedure is being implemented on Pilot basis. In case of difficulties in electronic processing, the matter may be taken up with the EDI section and / Deputy Commissioner of Customs (Transshipment Cell). 7. If any further difficulty is noticed, the same may be taken up with the Systems Manager, for necessary action. (Sandeep Prakash) Commissioner