Footwear made from All Rubber and all Polymeric Material and its Components (Quality Control) Order, 2024
Introduction: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, through the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, has issued a new Quality Control Order (QCO) in 2024 concerning footwear made from all-rubber and all-polymeric materials and their components. This article delves into the details of the order, its implications, and its enforcement mechanisms.
Detailed Analysis:
1. Legal Authority: The QCO is enacted under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, empowering the Central Government to regulate the quality of footwear materials.
2. Scope: The order mandates the compulsory use of the Standard Mark for specified goods or articles conforming to Indian Standards, ensuring quality and safety.
3. Exemptions: Micro and small manufacturing units are exempted, as well as goods meant for export and specific imports used solely for manufacturing footwear for export.
4. Certification Process: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is designated as the certifying and enforcing authority, ensuring compliance with Indian Standards.
5. Transition Period: Manufacturers with old stocks of non-compliant footwear products can sell or display them until June 30, 2025, upon declaration to the BIS.
6. Compliance Documentation: Importers must provide self-declarations and certifications from the Council for Leather Exports to facilitate customs clearance for specified imports.
Conclusion: The new Quality Control Order for footwear materials issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry represents a significant step towards ensuring product quality and consumer safety. By mandating adherence to Indian Standards and establishing clear certification and enforcement mechanisms under the purview of the BIS, the government aims to enhance the competitiveness of Indian footwear products in both domestic and international markets. However, stakeholders, including manufacturers and importers, must ensure timely compliance with the provisions of the order to avoid disruptions in their operations and maintain market access.
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MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade)
ORDER
New Delhi, the 15th March, 2024
S.O. 1422(E).—In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) and (2) of section 16 read with subsection (3) of section 25 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 (11 of 2016), and in supersession of Footwear made from all-Rubber and all Polymeric material and its components (Quality Control) Order, 2022, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Government, after consulting the Bureau of Indian standards, is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do in the public interest, hereby makes the following Order, namely:-
1. Short title and commencement.–(1) This Order may be called the Footwear made from All Rubber and all Polymeric Material and its Components (Quality Control) Order, 2024.
(2) It shall come into force with effect from the 1st day of August, 2024.
2. Compulsory use of Standard Mark.– Goods or articles specified in the column (2) of the Table shall conform to the corresponding Indian Standard specified in the column (3) of the said Table and shall bear the Standard Mark under a license from the Bureau as per Scheme-I of Schedule-II of Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018:
Provided that nothing in this Order shall apply to goods or articles meant for export:
Provided further that nothing in this Order shall apply to micro and small manufacturing units as defined in section 7 of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006 (27 of 2006) as amended from time to time:
Provided also that nothing in this Order shall apply to import of goods or articles specified in the Table below used in manufacturing of footwear in India for export only, namely:–
|
Sl. No. |
Goods or Articles (Components) |
Indian Standard | Title of Indian Standards |
| (i) | (ii) | (iii) | (iv) |
| 1. | Moulded Rubber Outsoles | IS 5676:1995 | Moulded Rubber Unit Outsoles — Specification |
| 2. | Microcellular Rubber Sheets for Outsoles | IS 6664:1992 | Microcellular Rubber Sheets for Outsoles — Specification |
| 3. | Moulded PVC Outsoles | IS 6719:1972 | Moulded PVC Unit Outsoles — Specification |
| 4. | PU Outsoles | IS 13893:1994 | Polyurethane Unit Outsoles — Specification |
Provided also that the importer shall furnish a self-declaration certified by the Council for Leather Exports before the import of such footwear soles are allowed by the customs in the following manner, namely:-
(i) self-declaration by the importer that the footwear soles imported are meant for production or assembly of footwear for exports and not for sale in the domestic market of India;
(ii) the self-declaration shall be in the Letter Head of the importer duly mentioning the Invoice Number and other relevant details of the import consignment and mentioning that the imported items shall not be put to any other use or sold in the domestic market except in the manufacture of footwear for the purpose of exports and the company will maintain its internal records for any future verification or audit by concerned authorities;
(iii) certification by the Council for Leather Exports that the importer is a manufacturer exporter registered with the Council by quoting–
(a) Currently valid Registration-cum-Membership Certificate number and date of issue;
(b) Udyam Registration Certificate Number and date;
(c) Bill of Entry for home consumption number and date which is filed in the Indian Customs Electronic Data Interchange system for import clearance; and
(iv) the importers must upload the above documents along with other relevant documents in the Indian Customs Electronic Data Interchange portal, for smooth customs clearance of the footwear soles:
Provided also that if any manufacturer certified by the Bureau or any manufacturer who has applied for certification to the Bureau, declares prior to the Commencement of this Order, under sub-section (4) of section 18 of the Bureau of Indian Standards, Act 2016 (11 of 2016) its old stock of footwear products without Bureau of Indian Standards Mark manufactured or imported prior to such commencement, such manufacturer shall be permitted to sell or display or offer to sell such declared stock upto the 30th June, 2025.
3. Certification and enforcement authority.– The Bureau of Indian Standards shall be the certifying and enforcing authority for the goods or articles specified in the column (2) of the Table.
|
Goods or articles |
Indian Standard | Title of Indian Standard | |
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) |
| 1 | Industrial and protective rubber knee and ankle boots | IS 5557: 2004 | Industrial and protective rubber knee and ankle boots – Specification |
| 2 | All rubber gum boots and ankle boots | IS 5557 (Part 2):
2018 |
All rubber gum boots and ankle boots: Part 2 occupational purposes |
| 3 | Moulded Rubber Outsoles | IS 5676: 1995 | Moulded Rubber Unit Outsoles — Specification |
| 4 | Microcellular Rubber Sheets for Outsoles | IS 6664: 1992 | Microcellular Rubber Sheets for Outsoles — Specification |
| 5 | Moulded PVC Outsoles | IS 6719: 1972 | Moulded PVC Unit Outsoles — Specification |
| 6 | Sandal and Slippers | IS 6721: 2023 | Sandal and Slippers- Specification |
| 7 | Hawai Chappal | IS 10702: 2023 | Hawai Chappal- Specification |
| 8 | Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industrial boots | IS 12254: 2021 | Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industrial boots – Specification |
| 9 | Polyurethane Outsoles | IS 13893: 1994 | Polyurethane Unit Outsoles — Specification |
| 10 | Unlined moulded rubber boots | IS 13995: 1995 | Unlined moulded rubber boots – Specification |
| 11 | Moulded plastics footwear- Lined or Unlined polyurethane boots for general industrial use | IS 16645: 2018 | Moulded plastics footwear- Lined or Unlined polyurethane boots for general industrial use- Specification |
| 12 | Footwear for men and women for municipal scavenging work | IS 16994: 2018 | Footwear for men and women for municipal scavenging work |
Note : For the purposes of this Table, the latest version of Indian Standards, as amended from time to time, as notified by the Bureau of Indian Standards, shall apply.
[F. No. P-27025/80/2023-LEATHER]
RAJEEV SINGH THAKUR, Addl. Secy.
