Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Department of Commerce
Directorate General of Foreign Trade
Public Notice No. 12/2015-20
New Delhi Dated 18th May 2015
Subject: Amendment in para 2.55 and 2.56 of Handbook of Procedures of FTP 2015-20 regarding issue of Pre Shipment Inspection Certificates.
In supersession of Public Notice No. 5/2015-20 dated 10th April 2015 through which provisions of para 2.55 and para 2.56 of Handbook of Procedures, 2015-20 were kept in abeyance till further orders and in exercise of powers conferred under paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-20, the Director General of Foreign Trade hereby substitutes the existing para 2.55 and para 2.56 of Handbook of Procedures of FTP 2015-20 as under:
“Para 2.55 Recognition as Pre-shipment Inspection Agency (PSIA) and issuance of Pre- Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC)
(a) Applications for recognition in respect of PSIAs have to be made in proforma prescribed in ANF 2L. The scanned copy of application in ANF 2L, along with relevant annexures and documents should be sent by e-mail to DGFT (at psia-dgft@nic.in), in addition to sending the same by post.
(b) For applicants based in India application fee will be Rs. 7500/- and for applicants based abroad the application fee will be US $200. The fees may be amended from time to time by DGFT.
(c) The applications will be considered by an Inter- Ministerial Committee.
(d) The recognized PSIAs will be notified under Appendix 2G for a period of three years. At the end of 3 years PSIA has to make a fresh application for further recognition.
(e) PSIA shall issue Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) in the format given in Appendix 2H. PSIC would also carry uniquely numbered hologram of the PSIA.
(f) A PSIA can also carry out inspections in countries, where it does not have a full time equipped branch office but which falls within its area of operation, by deputing its Inspectors. However, for such inspections in other countries, the PSIA will be required to give prior intimation to DGFT by sending an email (at psia-travel-dgft@gov.in) and furnishing details of visit / inspection done by the Inspector in PSIC.
Para 2.56 Responsibility and Liability of PSIA, Importer and Exporter
(a) In case of any mis-declaration in PSIC or mis-declaration in application form for recognition as PSIA, PSIA would be liable for penal action under Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, as amended, in addition to suspension/ cancellation of recognition.
(b) The importer and exporter would be jointly and severally responsible for ensuring that the material imported is in accordance with the declaration given in PSIC. In case of any mis-declaration, they shall be liable for penal action under Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, as amended.
(c) The scanned copy of the PSIC (in pdf format) shall have to be uploaded by the PSIA on DGFT website or emailed to DGFT (at psic-dgft@gov.in). The certificate shall be issued in prescribed form Appendix 2H.
(d) The PSIA will also be required to take photographs or make video of the inspection carried out, duly capturing the following activities/details:
(i) Photograph(s) or video clipping of the place of inspection with PSIA inspector (mandatory) and representatives of exporter / importer, if available (optional); with time, date of the inspection (at least 1 photograph or video clipping);
(ii) Photograph(s) or video clipping of the testing instrument(s) used for inspection;
(iii) Photograph(s) or video clipping of the process of stuffing of containers showing the container number (at least 1 photograph or video clipping per container)
(iv) Photograph(s) or video clipping of the sealing process (at least 1 photograph or video clipping per container)
(e) The photographs and/or video clippings [as per 2.56 (d) above] and PSIC shall be uploaded on DGFT website by PSIA, through digital signatures or sent to psicdgft@gov.in through registered e-mail of PSIA. Till such time the DGFT website link is operationalized, the PSIC and photographs/videos will be e-mailed to the DGFT (at psicdgft@gov.in).”
2. The procedure, as laid down in the amended para 2.55 and para 2.56 of Handbook of Procedures, as indicated above, shall come into effect from 01.07.2015.
3. Till 30.06.2015, the procedure for issue of Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC), in the format as prescribed in Appendix 5-B of para 2.32.2A (e) of HBP 2009-14, as laid down in para 2.32.2A and 2.32.2B of Handbook of Procedure Vol. I 2009-14, would remain effective.
4. The existing PSIAs (as on 01.04.2015) will have to file fresh applications in ANF 2L (new format) latest by 8th June 2015 for updation of details of their offices/branches/authorized representatives in various countries etc. and expansion of their area of operation, if they so desire, as per the above mentioned procedure laid down in revised para 2.55 of HBP of FTP 2015-20.
5. New applicants who desire to be recognised as Pre-shipment Inspection Agencies (PSIAs) (w.e.f. 1.7.2017) may also apply by 8th June 2015 in proforma prescribed in ANF 2L (new format) as per the above mentioned procedure laid down in revised para 2.55 of HBP of FTP 2015-20.
6. The revised format of application form for recognition as PSIA (ANF 2L) and revised format of PSIC (Appendix 2H) are at Annexure-A and Annexure-B respectively to this Public Notice.
Effect of this Public Notice
(i) Revised procedure to be followed by Pre-shipment Inspection Agencies (PSIAs) for issue of Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificates (PSICs), with effect from 01.07.2015, has been notified.
(ii) To facilitate transitional arrangements, till 30.06.2015, the PSIAs have been allowed to issue Pre-Shipment Inspection certificates ( PSICs) as per procedure laid down in para 2.32.2A and 2.32.2B of Handbook of Procedure Vol. I 2009-14, in the format prescribed in Appendix 5-B of Handbook of Procedures Vol. I, 2009- 14.
(iii) Procedure for application by the existing PSIAs as well as new applicants for recognition/extension of area of operation etc. has been notified.
(Pravir Kumar)
Director General of Foreign Trade
E-mail: dgft@nic.in
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