The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council

Electronic filling and Issuance of Preferential Certificate of Origin for India’s Exports under various FTAs/PTAs w.e.f. 7th April 2020

Circular No.ES/29/2020-21                                                      7th April, 2020 

 

 To: Members of the Council 

 

 Sub: Electronic filling and Issuance of Preferential Certificate of Origin for India’s Exports under various FTAs/PTAs w.e.f. 7th April 2020  

 Dear Member, 

 

Your kind attention is invited to DGFT ‘s Trade Notice No. 01/2020-2021 dated 7th April, 2020 addressed to All Exporters/Member of Trade, All Designated Agencies under FTAs/PTAs and All Embassies of FTA/PTAs Partner Countries. 

 

In continuation to the earlier Trade Notice Nos. 34/2015-2020 dated 19.09.2019, 41/2019-2020 dated 12.12.2020 and 53/2019-2020 dated 02.03.2020, it is informed that the Online Platform for Preferential Certificate of Origin is being further expanded to take up various other FTAs/PTAs. The platform has been designed as a single-point access for all FTAs/PTAs, for all designated Certificate of Origin (CoO) issuing agencies and for all export products, and is accessible at the URL: https://coo.dgft.gov.in.

It may be informed that Certificate of Origin for exports to the following countries are already being applied and issued through this online platform –

  • Exports from India to Chile under India-Chile PTA,

  • Exports to Nepal under SAFTA & SAPTA and

  • Exports to Republic of Korea under India-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IKCEPA)  

To further initiate and facilitate the Online Platform in the light of current crisis, the Preferential Certificate of Origin for exports to various other countries under following FTAs/PTAs shall also be applied and issued only from this online platform with effect from 7th April, 2020. 

FTAs/PTAs

Partner Countries

AIFTA

ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement

Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore , Thailand, Vietnam

IJCEPA

India Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement

Japan

SAPTA

SAARC Preferential Trading Agreement

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. (already Live for Nepal)

SAFTA

South Asian Free Trade Area

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka (already Live for Nepal)

APTA

 

Asia Pacific Trade Agreement

Bangladesh, China, Lao, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka

ISLFTA

India Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement

Sri Lanka

 All concerned agencies are directed to issue preferential CoO for the above mentioned FTAs/PTAs through the platform URL: https://coo.dgft.gov.in

 In view of the movement restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic in India the following is informed –

  • The designated agencies will issue digitally signed electronic certificates of origin only and no hard copy of the same will be provided.

  • The applicant exporter may download the certificate, so issued, from the online platform and share the e-certificate with the authorities in the FTA partner countries.

  • Facility to view/print the issued certificates from the workstations/office of the applicant has also been provided.

  • These online certificates will maintain the same layout, appearance and validity as the paper certificates.    

A traceability and verification functionality is already built into the eCoO Platform which will be as follows –

 

  • The electronic copy of the certificate will carry a digital signature of an authorized officer as already agreed to under the FTA/PTA.

  • Certificates issued on this electronic platform can be verified by scanning the QR code available on the certificate or by cross checking the authenticity of the certificate serial number on the platform at https://coo.dgft.gov.in

As and when the functioning of the issuing agency offices resumes, the Certificate of Origin, so issued on the electronic platform, will also be made available in hard copy with ink-signature of the issuing officer to the applicant exporter besides the e-certificate. The certificate issuance process will continue to remain online.

Exporters may also take note of the following additional points with regard to the CoO portal/application process: 

(a)   Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) would be required for the purpose of electronic verification. The digital signature would be the same as used in other DGFT applications;

(b)   The digital signature to be used may be Class II or Class III and should have the IEC number of the firm embedded in the DSC;

(c)     On registration at the portal, a password would be sent on the email link to the IEC holder. In case the IEC holder desires to update email on which communication is to be done with the portal, the same may be done by using the 'Online IEC application' module on the DGFT website.

(d)     Once registration is done, all directors'/partners' details and branch details would be auto-populated in the certificate of origin as available in the DGFTIEC database. Please ensure that latest updated IEC details are available in the DGFT system and necessary steps taken to modify the IEC details online, whenever required; 

(e)     For further guidance on registration and application, Help Manual & FAQs may be seen on the main page of the CoO platform.

(f)      For any assistance you may use any of the following channels —

(i) Raise a complaint/suggestion ticket through Contact@DGFT service on the DGFT website.

   (ii)  Call Toll Free Helpline number 1800-111-550

     (iii)  Send email to coo-dgft@gov.in

 

Members may make a note of the above instructions issued by DGFT.

Thanking you, 

 Yours faithfully, 

   

S. BALARAJU 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR