CBIC releases Advisory on System changes vide Budget 2024-25, ICES to become inactive during these hours

The Directorate General of Systems and Data Management, under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), has issued a crucial advisory, outlining the impending changes in the Indian Customs EDI Systems (ICES) following the presentation of the Union Budget 2024-25 on February 1, 2024.

The Indian Customs EDI Systems (ICES), a flagship application of NIC, was launched in the year 1995. It is the outcome of a systems study conducted by National Informatics Centre and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs in 1992 at a number of Customs Houses throughout the country.

The Union Budget 2024-25 is scheduled to be presented in the Parliament on February 1, 2024. Following the budget presentation, the Directorate General of Systems will oversee the updation of Notifications and Tariff Directories in ICES. Nominated budget officers from Directory Management sites will conduct this exercise.

Filing of Bills of Entry (BE) will be unavailable from 11:00 hours onwards on February 1, 2024, until the completion of ICES update. Section 48 approvals will also be halted after 11:00 hours on the same day. Other services at ICEGATE, however, will continue as usual.

While Shipping Bill (SB) filing and assessment continue unaffected, sites are advised to monitor Let Export Orders of relevant SBs after February 1, 2024, until directory changes are online, especially in light of potential changes in Export Duty, Export Cess, or other export-related levies.

Processing of BEs filed before 11:00 hours on February 1, 2024, will proceed as usual. Field formations should monitor Prior Bills of Entry filed before or on February 1, 2024, for any change of duty liability.

The ICES system will be available for filing and processing of documents (BE) only after suitable updation according to the Budgetary changes. This process is generally completed within 48 hours in collaboration with Directory Management sites and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), unless substantial new levies are introduced.

Importers, Customs Brokers, and members of the trade are advised to schedule the clearance of their BEs in line with the indicated timelines. Deputy Director of ICES emphasizes that leveraging technology for serving taxpayers will continue to be a priority, and manual collection of duty, if any, should be conducted before or on February 1, 2024.

To Read the full text of the Order CLICK HERE

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