TMI BlogImport / Export Restrictions and ProhibitionsX X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... r export of which is subject to any prohibition under the Customs Act or any other law for the time being in force . Thus, a prohibition under any other law can be enforced under the Customs Act, 1962. For instance, under Sections 3 and 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, the Central Government can make provisions for prohibiting, restricting or otherwise regulating the import of export of the goods, which finds reflected in the Foreign Trade Policy, laid down by the DGFT, Department of Commerce. Some of the goods are absolutely prohibited for import and export whereas some goods can be imported or exported against a licence and/or subject to certain restrictions. One example is provided by Notification No.44(RE-2000)1997-2002, dated 24.11.2000 in terms of which all packaged products which are subject to provisions of the Standards of Weights and Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1997, when produced/packed/sold in domestic market, shall be subject to compliance of all the provisions of the said Rules, when imported into India. Thus, all such packaged commodities imported into India shall carry the name and address of the importer, net quantity in ter ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... to enforce the rules, regulations and orders issued by various administrative Ministries. For instance, import and export of specified goods may be restricted/prohibited under other laws such as Environment Protection Act, Wild Life Act, Arms Act, etc. and these will apply to the penal provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 rendering such goods liable to confiscation under Sections 111(d) - for import - and 113(d) - for export - of the said Act. Thus, for the purpose of the penal provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 it is relevant to appreciate the provisions of these allied legislations. 4. Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 and Food Safety and Standards Authority Act, 2006: 4.1 As per the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954 (PFA), any product not fulfilling the statutory provisions is not allowed to be imported into the country. Likewise, there are several rules, regulations, orders, notifications, etc. issued by the Government, laying down procedures as to how the imports of above products are to be dealt with. Further, the Food Safety and Standards Authority Act, 2006 (FSSA) seeks to replace many of the existing legislations including the PFA Act relating to im ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ell as track record of the importers as well as information received from FSSAI from time to time. (c) In case, a sample drawn from a food item in a particular consignment fails to meet the prescribed standards, the Customs would place the import of the said consignment on alert, discontinue random checking for import of such food items and revert to the procedure of compulsory checking. The system of random sampling for import of such food items would be restored only if the test results of the samples drawn from the 5 consecutive consignments re-establish that the food items are in conformity with the prescribed standards. 4.3 The 'general checks' include checking the condition of the hold in which the products were transported to see whether they meet the requirements of storage, as per the nature of the product, and does not in any way cause deterioration or contamination of the products. Also, physical/ visual appearance in terms of possible damage - whether it is swollen or bulged in appearance; and also for rodent/insect contamination or presence of filth, dirt etc. - should be checked. Finally, it should be checked that the product meets the labelling requi ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... shall ensure that this condition is complied with before allowing clearance of such consignments. 4.7 At certain ports / airports / ICDs / CFSs where Port Health Officers (PHO) under PFA, 1954 or Authorised officers under FSS Act, 2006 are not available, the samples will be drawn by Customs and these may be got tested from the nearest Central Food Laboratory or a laboratory authorized for such testing by DGHS or FSSAI. [Refer Circulars No.58/2001-Cus., dated 15-6-2001, No.43/2005-Cus., dated 24-11-2005 and No.3/2011-Cus., dated 6-1-2011] 5. Labeling of the goods imported into India: 5.1 DGFT Notification No.44 (RE-2000)/1997-2002 dated 24-11-2000 provides for labeling of the goods imported into India which are covered by the provisions of Standards of Weights Measures (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 1977. This Notification mandates that compliance of labeling conditions have to be ensured before the import consignment of such commodities are cleared by Customs for home consumption. 5.2 In order to redress the issue and to remove the difficulties faced by importers on account of space constraints at CFSs/ Port / ICDs and the nature of goods, etc., the Board has ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... egulate the import of livestock products in such a manner that these imports do not adversely affect the country's human and animal health population. 6.2 The livestock products are allowed to be imported into India only through the sea ports or airports located at Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, where the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Stations are located. In addition, import of perishable fish items, exclusively meant for human consumption but excluding seed material for breeding or rearing purposes, is allowed at Petrapole, District North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, through land route. On arrival at the port/seaport, the livestock product is required to be inspected by the officer in-charge of the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Station or any other veterinary officer duly authorized by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying. After inspection and testing, wherever required, quarantine clearance is accorded by the concerned quarantine or veterinary authority for the entry of the livestock product into India. If required in public interest, the quarantine or veterinary authority may also order the destruction of the livestock product o ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... , invoice, packing list and fumigation certificate, etc. are required to be submitted. The Plant Quarantine Officer shall register the application and the assessed inspection fee is required to be paid by the importer or his agent. No such application is required to be filed in the case of import of plant and plant materials through passenger baggage and post parcels. (ii) Sampling/inspection/fumigation of consignments: The importer or his agent is required to arrange for inspection/sampling of the consignment. In the event of live insect infestation having been noticed, the importer or his agent shall arrange for fumigation of consignment by an approved pest control operator at his own cost under the supervision of the Plant Quarantine officer. (iii) Release/detention of consignments: A release order is issued to Customs, if a consignment on inspection is found to be free from pests. However, in case it is found infested with live pests, the same is permitted clearance only after fumigation and re-inspection. The detention order is issued, if the consignment is imported in contravention of the PQ Regulations, for arranging deportation failing which the same shall be dest ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ported; and (e) Maximum retail sale price at which the commodity in packaged form may be sold to the ultimate consumer. This price shall include all taxes local or otherwise, freight, transport charges, commission payable to dealers, and all charges towards advertising, delivery, packing, forwarding and the like, as the case may be. 9. Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945: 9.1 In terms of Rule 133 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, no cosmetics shall be imported into India except through the points of entry specified in Rule 43A of the said Rules. Further, under Schedule D to the said Rules read with Rule 43, an exemption is provided to certain categories of substances from the restrictions under Chapter III of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 relating to import of drugs and cosmetics. Further, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has clarified that under Schedule D to the said Rules, an exemption has been provided for substances not intended for medical use from the provisions of Chapter III of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules made thereunder. The Act provides for separate definition for 'cosmetic' and ' ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... gement and Handling) Amendment Rules, 1989 shall be prohibited. 10.2 Clearance of waste oil/sludge derived from the normal course of a ship's operation and covered by the MARPOL Protocol will be allowed without a license only to persons registered with the Ministry of Environment and Forests or the Central Pollution Control Board, as the case may be, for re-processing waste. Such waste oil/sludge will conform to the definition in Schedule 3 of the Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Amendment Rules, 1989. 10.3 Import of Hazardous Chemicals permitted is permitted in accordance with the provisions of the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules 1989 (made under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986). Besides other conditions mentioned in the Rules, the importer shall, before 30 days but not later than the date of import, furnish the details specified in Rule 18 to the Authority specified in Schedule 5 of the said Rules. 10.4 Import of products, equipments containing Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) will be subject to Rule 10 of the Ozone Depleting Substances Rules, 2000. In terms of these Rules no person shall import or cause to import any prod ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ses where such certificates are not available, the consignment will be cleared after getting a sample of the imported consignment tested and certified from any of the agencies indicated in Public Notice No. 12 (RE-2001)/1997-2002, dated 3-5-2001. The sampling will be based on the following parameters: (i) At least 25% of samples are drawn for testing. (ii) While drawing the samples, Customs will ensure that majority samples are drawn from consignments originating from countries where there is no legal prohibition on the use of harmful hazardous dyes. (iii) The test report will be valid for a period of 6 months in cases where the textile/ textile articles of the same specification/quality are imported and the importer, supplier and the country of origin are the same. 11. Clearance of imported metal scrap: 11.1 In terms of the relevant provisions of the Foreign Trade Policy, the following procedure is prescribed for clearance of imported metal scrap. (i) Import of any form of metallic waste, scrap will be subject to the condition that it will not contain hazardous, toxic waste, radioactive contaminated waste / scrap containing radioactive material, any type ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Cochin 15. Ahmedabad ICD 3. Ennore 16. Dadri (Greater Noida) ICD 4. JNPT 17. Jaipur ICD 5. Kandla 18. Jodhpur ICD 6. Kolkata 19. Kanpur ICD 7. Mormogua 20. Loni. Ghaziabad 8. New Mangalore 21. Ludhiana ICD 9. Mumbai 22. Malanpur ICD 10. Mundra 23. Mulund ICD 11. Paradip 24. Nagpur ICD 12. Pipava 25. Pitampur ICD 13. Tuticoron 26. Udaipur ICD (iv) Import of other kinds of metallic waste ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... d No.8/2010-Cus., dated 26-3-2010 and Instructions F.No.450/80/2000-Cus.IV, dated 24-7-2000, F.No.450/132/2004-Cus.IV, dated 4-1-2005, F.No.450/122/2005-Cus-IV, dated 13-10-2005, F.No.450/08/2007-Cus.IV, dated 22-1-2007, and F.No.450/19/2005-Cus.IV, dated 2-4-2009] 12. International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM-15): 12.1 International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) are prescribed as per IPPC convention of FAO to reduce the risk of introduction / or spread of quarantine pest associated with wood packaging material (including dunnage) made of coniferous and non coniferous raw wood, in use in international trade. 12.2 DGFT, vide Notification No 54/2009-2014 dated 3-8-2010 has made it mandatory that export of goods including plant and plant products using wood packaging materials such as pallet, dunnage, crating, packing blocks, drums, cases load boards, pellet collars shall be allowed subject to compliance of ISPM-15. 12.3 On export side, a large number of consignments are intercepted abroad for non- compliance of ISPM-15 Standards relating to wood packaging materials used for export of materials, as informed by Department of Agriculture and ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
|
