The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council

CBIC- Paperless Customs – Electronic Communication of PDF based Gatepass and OOC Copy of Bill of Entry to Custom Brokers/Importers

Circular No.ES/52/2020-21                                                14th April, 2020

 

To: Members of the Council

 

 Sub: CBIC- Paperless Customs – Electronic Communication of PDF based Gatepass and OOC Copy of Bill of Entry to Custom Brokers/Importers

 

Dear Member,

We would like to inform you that CBIC has issued Circular No. 19/2020- Customs dated 13th April, 2020 on the above subjet.

As you are aware, in order to mitigate the unprecedented situation due to Covid-19 pandemic, CBIC has taken a number of measures to facilitate & expedite Customs clearance process making it more and more contact-less i.e. automated and online as well as paper-less. These measures include the facility to clear goods on the basis of a undertaking (not bond), acceptance of electronic Country of Origin certificate etc. These steps complement the earlier reforms unrolled as a part of Turant Customs such as online query module, eSanchit, web based goods registration, electronic processing of DGFT issued licenses, machine release of imported goods based on Customs Compliance Verification and electronic transmission of PDF based First copy of Bill of Entry (BoE) to Customs Brokers and registered importers. These reforms combine to expedite Customs clearances and reduce the transaction cost. At the same time, Board notes that the specific measures that reduce interface between the Customs authorities and the importers/exporters/Customs Brokers are especially relevant in these challenging times, to tackle the scourge of Covid-19 pandemic. 

In order to reduce interface between the Customs authorities and the importers/exporters/Customs Brokers, Board has now decided to enable electronic communication of PDF based Final eOoC (electronic Out of Charge)  copy of BoE and eGatepass to the importers/Customs Brokers. 

This will also do away with the requirement of taking bulky printouts from the Service Centre or maintenance of voluminous physical dockets in the Customs Houses. The Final eOoC copy of BoE and eGatepass copy will be emailed to the concerned Customs Broker and/or importer, if registered, once the Out of Charge is granted. The eGatepass copy will be used by the Gate Officer or the Custodian to allow physical exit of the imported goods from the Customs area.

CBIC has also prescribed the salient features of the secure electronic communication of the Final eOoC copy of BoE and the eGatepass, which are given in the  Circular No. 19/2020- Customs dated 13th April, 2020.

The electronic communication of the Final eOoC copy of BoE and eGatepass copy is expected to bring immense benefits in terms of time and cost of compliance and reduction in interface for the trade, while providing enhanced security features for verification of authenticity and validity of the electronic documents. This measure would be made effective from 15th April, 2020.

Members may kindly make a note of the above details.

 

Thanking you,

 

Yours faithfully,

 

S.BALARAJU

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR