Circular No.ES/248/2019-20 26th February, 2020
To: Members of the Council
Sub: Customs Clearance on the basis of self-certified copies of PTA/FTA certificates in case of AEO Clients
Dear Member,
We would like to inform you that Air Cargo Complex has issued Public Notice No. 50/2020 dated 21st February, 2020 regarding Customs Clearance on the basis of self-certified copies of Preferential Trade Agreements (PTA)/ Free Trade Agreements (FTA) certificates in case of Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) Clients.
Your kind attention is invited to CBIC’s Instruction No. 31/2016-Customs dated 12th September, 2016, in which they had clarified rules regarding Rules of Origin under Free/ Preferential Trade Agreements and the verification of Preferential Certificates of Origin.
Air Cargo Complex has received representations from members of Trade regarding delay in obtaining original PTA/ FTA certificates from the overseas suppliers. In this regard, they have requested for Customs Clearance on the basis of self-certified copies of these PTA/FTA certificates.
As a measure of trade facilitation and with a view to reduce dwell time / transaction cost to the importer, Air Cargo Complex has decided that DPD/ AEO clients can submit a self -certified copy (by importer) of the PTA/ FTA certificate at the time of clearance of the goods and submit the Certificate within 15 days of clearance of goods.
The importer will be required to obtain a serial number on the self-certified copy of the PTA/ FTA certificate from the concerned Group.
The concerned Group shall allot a serial number from the register maintained for this purpose apart from verifying the seal and signature on the said certificate.
Based on the self-certified copy of the PTA/FTA certificate, Assessment/ Out of Charge will be done.
If the original PTA/ FTA certificate is not submitted by the importer within stipulated time limit, a demand notice will be issued to him by the concerned Group and further action will be intimated as per the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Members may kindly make a note of the same.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
S.BALARAJU
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
