Circular No. 22/2012 – Customs In order to further facilitate importers and exports the Board has decided to begin on a pilot basis 24X7 Customs clearance with effect from September 1st. 2012 (1.9.2012) at identified Air Cargo Complexes and Seaports in respect of following categories of imports and exports:

Notification No. 38/2012-Customs (ADD) in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-sections (1) and (5) of Section 9A of the said Act and in pursuance of rule 23 of the said rules, the Central Government hereby makes the following amendment in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), No. 89/2007-Customs, dated the 25th July, 2007, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide number G.S.R. 504 (E), dated the 25th July, 2007, namely: –

Despite government efforts to institute reforms in the Bureau of Customs, the 3 o’clock habit or practice of collecting and distributing bribe money to corrupt among the bureau’s personnel remained unabated, Senator Panfilo Lacson said on Thursday. Lacson told a weekly forum at the Senate that the distribution of “tara” or bribe to Customs employees was still being held at 3 o’clock every Friday afternoon when employees gathered in the Customs zone.

Circular No. 21 /2012-Customs – From the wordings of the notification no. 146/64-Customs dated 13.07.1994, it is seen that the exemption covers two broad categories of goods. First category covering sports goods required for training purposes by a sports person of outstanding eminence, which are listed in specified terms under each item or sport such as Archery, Athletics, Badminton etc. The second category being the goods that are described in general as ‘sports goods, sports equipments and sports requisites’ and their ‘spares, accessories and consumables’ for import by specified sports bodies for national or international completion/ championship.

Notification No.67/2012-Customs (N.T.) Central Board of Excise and Customs hereby determines that the rate of exchange of conversion of each of the foreign currency specified in column (2) of each of Schedule I and Schedule II annexed hereto into Indian currency or vice versa shall, with effect from 2nd August, 2012 be the rate mentioned against it in the corresponding entry in column (3) thereof, for the purpose of the said section, relating to imported and export goods.

Notification No. 66/2012 – Customs (N. T.),  31st  July, 2012             S.O. … (E).– In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962), the Central Board of Excise & Customs, being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient so to do, hereby makes the [...]

Circular No. 20 /2012-Cus Changes in the Foreign Trade Policy 2009-14 issued – In para 4.1.2 of FTP (applicable to Advance Authorization and DFIA schemes) the formula/norm for Value Addition (except for gems and jewelery) has been tightened by including reference to intent of claiming drawback, and in para 4.1.14 of FTP it has been made clear that drawback would be allowed only for such duty paid items which have been endorsed on the authorization by the Regional Authority.

A manufacturer can import capital goods under the provisions of IGCR. However, a situation may come where a manufacturer is required to re-export the imported capital goods may be “as such” or after using for some period. In such a case, a manufacturer needs to obtain permission from the Assistant / Deputy Commissioner of Central Excise to re-export such capital goods. While giving re-export permission, it is observed that the Excise Department is asking such manufacturer not only to pay basic customs duty which was saved at the time of import along with interest but also to reverse Cenvat Credit availed on CVD and SAD paid.

Central Board of Excise and Customs is celebrating 2012 as the Golden Jubilee year to commemorate 50 years of the Customs Act, 1962. As a part of these celebrations, a Postage Stamp and a Coffee Table book on Indian Customs -Anything to Declare were released at a function held here today.

Notification No. 65/2012-Customs (N.T.) , New Delhi, dated the 26th July, 2012                         G.S.R.  (E). – In exercise of the powers conferred by section 157 of  the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962), the Central Board of Excise and Customs hereby makes the following regulations further to amend the Courier Imports and Exports (Electronic [...]