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Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020

The Government of India has announced a new Foreign Trade Policy for the period 2015-2020 on 1st April, 2015. The important measures taken by the Government in the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-2020 to include ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ programmes and to ease the trade are:

A. SIMPLIFICATION & MERGER OF REWARD SCHEMES

1. Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS)

(a) Earlier there were 5 different schemes (Focus Product Scheme, Market Linked Focus Product Scheme, Focus Market Scheme, Agri. Infrastructure Incentive Scrip, VKGUY) for rewarding merchandise exports with different kinds of duty scrips with varying conditions (sector specific or actual user only) attached to their use. Now all these schemes have been merged into a single scheme, namely Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) and there would be no conditionality attached to the scrips issued under the scheme.

(b) Rewards for export of notified goods to notified markets under ‘Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) shall be payable as percentage of realized FOB value (in free foreign exchange). The debits towards basic customs duty in the transferable reward duty credit scrips would also be allowed adjustment as duty drawback. At present, only the additional duty of customs / excise duty / service tax is allowed adjustment as CENVAT credit or drawback, as per Department of Revenue rules.

2. Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS)

(a) Served From India Scheme (SFIS) has been replaced with Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS). SEIS shall apply to ‘Service Providers located in India’ instead of ‘Indian Service Providers’. Thus SEIS provides for rewards to all Service providers of notified services, who are providing services from India, regardless of the constitution or profile of the service provider.

(b) The rate of reward under SEIS would be based on net foreign exchange earned. The reward issued as duty credit scrip, would no longer be with actual user condition and will no longer be restricted to usage for specified types of goods but be freely transferable and usable for all types of goods and service tax 3 debits on procurement of services / goods. Debits would be eligible for CENVAT credit or drawback.

It is now proposed to extend Chapter -3 Incentives (MEIS & SEIS) to units located in SEZs also.There would be no conditionality attached to any scrips issued under these schemes. Duty credit scrips issued under MEIS and SEIS and the goods imported against these scrips are fully transferable. For grant of rewards under MEIS, the countries have been categorized into 3 Groups, whereas the rates of rewards under MEIS range from 2% to 5%. Under SEIS the selected Services would be rewarded at the rates of 3% and 5%.The scrips can be used for payment of customs duty, excise duty and service tax.

3. Status Holders 

(a) Business leaders who have excelled in international trade and have successfully contributed to country’s foreign trade are proposed to be recognized as Status Holders and given special treatment and privileges to facilitate their trade transactions, in order to reduce their transaction costs and time.

(b) The nomenclature of Export House, Star Export House, Trading House, Star Trading House, Premier Trading House certificate has been changed to One, Two, Three, Four, Five Star Export House.

(c) The criteria for export performance for recognition of status holder have been changed from Rupees to US dollar earnings.

(d) Approved Exporter Scheme - Self certification by Status Holders : Manufacturers who are also Status Holders will be enabled to self-certify their manufactured goods as originating from India with a view to qualify for preferential treatment under different Preferential Trading Agreements [PTAs], Free Trade Agreements [FTAs], Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements [CECAs] and Comprehensive Economic Partnerships Agreements [CEPAs] which are in operation. They shall be permitted to self-certify the goods as manufactured as per their Industrial Entrepreneur Memorandum (IEM) / Industrial Licence (IL)/ Letter of Intent (LOI).

B. BOOST TO "MAKE IN INDIA"


4. Reduced Export Obligation (EO) for domestic procurement under EPCG scheme: 

Specific Export Obligation under EPCG scheme, in case capital goods are procured from indigenous manufacturers, which is currently 90% of the normal export obligation (6 times at the duty saved amount) has been reduced to 75%, in order to promote domestic capital goods manufacturing industry.

5. Higher level of rewards under MEIS for export items with high domestic content and value addition:

It is proposed to give higher level of rewards to products with high domestic content and value addition, as compared to products with high import content and less value addition.

C. TRADE FACILITATION & EASE OF DOING BUSINESS

6. Online filing of documents/ applications and Paperless trade in 24x7 environment:

(a) DGFT already provides facility of Online filing of various applications under FTP by the exporters/importers. However, certain documents like Certificates issued by Chartered Accountants/ Company Secretary / Cost Accountant etc. have to be filed in physical forms only. In order to move further towards paperless processing of reward schemes, it has been decided to develop an online procedure to upload digitally signed documents by Chartered Accountant / Company Secretary / Cost Accountant. In the new system, it will be possible to upload online documents like annexure attached to ANF 3B, ANF 3C and ANF 3D, which are at present signed by these signatories and submitted physically

(b) Henceforth, hardcopies of applications and specified documents would not be required to be submitted to RA, saving paper as well as cost and time for the exporters. To start with, applications under Chapter 3 & 4 of FTP are being covered (which account for nearly 70% of total applications in DGFT). Applications 8 under Chapter-5 would be taken up in the next phase.

(c) As a measure of ease of doing business, landing documents of export consignment as proofs for notified market can be digitally uploaded in the following manner:-

(i) Any exporter may upload the scanned copy of Bill of Entry under his digital signature.

(ii) Status holders falling in the category of Three Star, Four Star or Five Star Export House may upload scanned copies of documents.

7. Online inter-ministerial consultations:

It is proposed to have Online inter-ministerial consultations for approval of export of SCOMET items, Norms fixation, Import Authorisations, Export Authorisation, in a phased manner, with the objective to reduce time for approval. As a result, there would not be any need to submit hard copies of documents for these purposes by the exporters.

8. Simplification of procedures/processes, digitisation and e-governance 

(a) Under EPCG scheme, obtaining and submitting a certificate from an independent Chartered Engineer, confirming the use of spares, tools, refractory and catalysts imported for final redemption of EPCG authorizations has been dispensed with. 

(b) At present, the EPCG Authorisation holders are required to maintain records for 3 years after redemption of Authorisations. Now the EPCG Authorization Holders shall be required to maintain records for a period of two years only. Government’s endeavour is to gradually phase out this requirement as the relevant records such as Shipping Bills, e-BRC are likely to be available in electronic mode which can be archived and retrieved whenever required. 

(c) Exporter Importer Profile: Facility has been created to upload documents in Exporter/Importer Profile. There will be no need to submit copies of permanent records/ documents (e.g. IEC, Manufacturing licence, RCMC, PAN etc.) repeatedly with each application, once uploaded. 

(d) Communication with Exporters/Importers: Certain information, like mobile number, e-mail address etc. has been added as mandatory fields, in IEC data base. This information once provided by exporters, would help in better communication with exporters. SMS/ email would be sent to exporters to inform them about issuance of authorisations or status of their applications. 

(e) Online message exchange with CBDT and MCA: It has been decided to have on line message exchange with CBDT for PAN data and with Ministry of Corporate Affairs for CIN and DIN data. This integration would obviate the need for seeking information from IEC holders for subsequent amendments/ updation of data in IEC data base. 

(f) Communication with Committees of DGFT: For faster and paperless communication with various committees of DGFT, dedicated email addresses have been provided to each Norms Committee, Import Committee and Pre-Shipment Inspection Agency for faster communication. 

(g) Online applications for refunds: Online filing of application for refund of TED is being introduced for which a new ANF has been created.

9. Forthcoming e-Governance Initiatives 

(a) DGFT is currently working on the following EDI initiatives:  
(i) Message exchange for transmission of export reward scrips from DGFT to Customs. 
(ii) Message exchange for transmission of Bills of Entry (import details) from Customs to DGFT. 
(iii) Online issuance of Export Obligation Discharge Certificate (EODC). 
(iv) Message exchange with Ministry of Corporate Affairs for CIN & DIN. 
(v) Message exchange with CBDT for PAN. 
(vi) Facility to pay application fee using debit card / credit card. (vii) Open API for submission of IEC application. 
(viii) Mobile applications for FTP


D. OTHER NEW INITIATIVES

10. Quality complaints and Trade Disputes : 

 In an endeavour to resolve quality complaints and trade disputes, between exporters and importers, a new chapter, namely, Chapter on Quality Complaints and Trade Disputes has been incorporated in the Foreign Trade Policy. For resolving such disputes at a faster pace, a Committee on Quality Complaints and Trade Disputes (CQCTD) is being constituted in 22 offices and would have members from EPCs/FIEOs/APEDA/EICs.

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