Circular No.ES/383/2018-19 February 14, 2019
To: Members of the Council
Sub.: Online Module for Filing & Tracking Quality Complaints/Trade Disputes relating to International Trade
Dear Member,
We are glad to inform you that O/o DGFT has created an online module for filing & tracking Quality Complaints / Trade Disputes relating to International Trade w.e.f 11th February, 2019. This online module was announced vide Trade Notice No. 47/2015-20 dated 11th February, 2019.
As you may be aware, a mechanism was being provided by O/o DGFT to address the trade issues pertaining to international trade in Chapter 8 of the FTP/ HBP, 2015-2020. These related to the following issues:-
Complaints received from foreign buyers in respect of poor quality of the products supplied by exporters from India;
Complaints of importers against foreign suppliers in respect of quality of the products supplied; and
Complaints of unethical commercial dealings such as
non-supply/ partial supply of goods after confirmation of order;
supplying goods other than the ones as agreed upon;
non-payment;
non-adherence to delivery schedules, etc.
Up to now such complaints/Trade Disputes were being filed, received and processed manually.
It has been decided that w.e.f. 11th February, 2019 all such complaints should be filed online as per the following protocol:
PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED BY THE COMPLAINANT-
You should follow the given below steps:
Visit the DGFT website www.dgft.gov.in
Quick Links
File Quality/ Trade Grievances
Fill Online Application Form
Upload documents related to the quality complaint/ trade dispute, wherever required
[Maximum 5MB size documents in pdf format].
Submit Online Application Form to the jurisdictional Regional Authority (RA) of DGFT / SEZ
(This jurisdiction should be ascertained by the complainant, with respect to the Indian entity against whom the complaint is being made or with respect to the Indian complainant where the complaint is being filed against a foreign entity, as per Appendix 1 of HBP http://dgft.gov.in/sites/default/files/1A_0.pdf].
A Unique Reference Number (URN) starting with ‘Q’ will be generated and sent to the email id of the complainant.
(Please make sure that the email id is functional as all future correspondence will be made on this id only).
The complainant can also later provide additional material/ correspondence to the DGFT RA / SEZ.
(While making any future correspondence with the DGFT RA / SEZ to whom the Online Application has been submitted earlier, the URN must be quoted invariably in the subject header of the email).
The complainant can check current position of the complaint on the link ‘View Status’ at http://dgftebrc.nic.in.8080/TradeDispute
PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED BY DGFT RA / SEZ WHERE ONLINE APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED-
On receipt of the quality / trade complaint – concerned DGFT RA / SEZ, after logging into the Online Module will take necessary steps as per guidelines for resolution of the grievance.
(i) In case the Online Application Form has been submitted incorrectly to the wrong jurisdiction by the complainant, the RA / SEZ will ‘Reassign’ the application to the correct RA / SEZ.
(ii) Online Application(s) submitted to DGFT Hqrs will also be ‘Reassigned’ to the correct DGFT RA / SEZ by the concerned division in the Hqrs.
(iii) For information of the Complainant, information regarding reassignment to another DGFT RA / SEZ will also be provided in the ‘Update Status’ link.
Each DGFT RA / SEZ will also regularly update position of the cases on the link ‘Update Status’ so that the Complainant and the DGFT Hqrs can track the progress made on the grievance filed.
Members may kindly make a note of the above and make use of the facility for online filing of your Trade Complaints to resolve your issues.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
S. BALARAJU
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
