Non-Compliance and Misclassification of Imported Goods under ‘Others’ Category may shift such items from ‘Free’ to ‘Restricted’ Category: DGFT [Read Circular]

CESTAT - Import bulk resale - stocks goods - Non-Compliance - Imported Goods - Taxscan

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued the notice stating that Non-Compliance and Misclassification of Imported Imported Goods under ‘Others’ Category may shift such items from ‘Free’ to ‘Restricted’ Category.

On January 17, 2020, Rajbir Sharma, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade in the Department of Commerce under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Government of India) issued a notice addressing the Members of Trade, Regional Authorities (RAs) of DGFT, Custom Commissioners and the Joint Secretary.

The Ministry noticed that while imported goods most of the importers were mentioning incorrect 8-digit HS codes and at the same time the casual usage of 8-digit HS code is in practice.

The notice advised the members of trade and commerce to use 8-digit HS codes for the import items and should not put the items in the ‘other’ category while filing the Bill of entry. The main reason for publishing this notification is to increase the transparency of the members and reduce the use of the ‘other’ category as much as possible.

This notice also warned the members of Trade and Commerce that if they continued to use the ‘other’ category in a general sense, then they will restrain the import items and change the status of the import items from the ‘free’ category to ‘restricted’ category.

Wherefore, the subject-matter of the notice was to warn the importers to diligently provide 8 digit HS code while making any transaction at the same time the importers were asked to reduce the use of ‘other’ category for the purpose of availing ‘free’ trade. This notice also pertained to the warning that if this practice of using ‘other’ category would continue the government would take necessary steps and one amongst them would be to change the status of the import items from ‘free’ to ‘restricted’ category.

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