Exporters provide inputs for

next Annual Supplement to FTP

Mr. R.S. Gujral, DGFT (5th from left) addressing the meet. On his right are Dr. R.K. Dhawan, Chairman, FIEO(NR); Mr. S R Reddy, Jt. DGFT; Mr. Amitabh Jain, Zonal Jt. DGFT & Mr. Ajay Sahai, DG, FIEO. On Mr. Gujral’s left are Mr. M Balagangadharan, Addl. DGFT; Mr. Tapan Mazumdar, Jt. DGFT and Mr. A K Singh, Jt. DGFT.

In order to provide inputs for annual supplement to Foreign Trade Policy which is likely to be announced in the month of April, FIEO organized an open house of its member exporters with DGFT officials on 15th January at New Delhi. About 100 exporters joined the open house.

Initiating the discussion, FIEO’s Northern Region Chairman Dr. R. K. Dhawan expressed concern at appreciating rupee and sought policy intervention to check the ongoing erosion of exporters’ competitiveness. As the first measure, he urged for policy stability saying that exporters must get sufficient advance notice before any restriction is imposed on exports in terms of price, quantity or quality.

As the next important measure, Dr. Dhawan requested the DGFT officials to grant one-time amnesty to all exporters who have failed to fulfill export obligations under EPCG scheme in the face of appreciating rupee and suggested that exporters should be allowed to use duty scrips issued under DFCE & Target Plus schemes for paying import duties under EPCEG scheme.

FIEO Director General Mr. Ajay Sahai demanded that realisation in rupee against supplies made to SEZ units should also get benefits under Drawback, DEPB, DFIA & Focus Product Scheme. He further demanded that all exporters should be made eligible for MDA benefits without any threshold criteria.

Citing export data for April-November 2007, Director General of Foreign Trade Mr. R. S Gujral conceded that exports were declining for many sectors  due  to hardening of  rupee  and  assured

A view of the audience.

that necessary policy relief would be provided to exporters under the annual supplement. Meanwhile, he informed the exporters that the central government was impressing upon the state governments to devise refund mechanism for all state level taxes to exporters.

Dispelling fears about continuation of DEPB scheme, Mr. Gujral assured that the existing scheme would continue till the GST (goods and services tax) was put in place. He further informed that the DGFT had established full electronic connectivity with Customs for DEPB scheme and would soon have similar arrangement for Advance Authorisation scheme and Export Promotion Capital Goods scheme.

Sensitization Programmes on Bar Coding in Mumbai, Goa

MSME-Development Institute, Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises is organizing day-long Sensitization Programmes on Bar Coding in Mumbai and Goa. Details of the programmes are as under;

Mumbai

Date & Time: 12th February, 2008; 1000 hrs to 1700 hrs

Venue: Seminar Hall, SMEDI, Mumbai

Last Date for applying:

8th February, 2008

For application and details contact: Director, MSME-Development Institute, Mumbai

Ministry of MSME, Government of India

Kurla Andheri Road, Sakinaka, Mumbai 400 072

Tel: 022 28576090/3091/7166

Fax: 022 28578092

GOA

Date & Time :22nd February, 2008 – 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

Venue: Panaji, Goa

For application and details contact : The Director, MSME-Development Institute,

Opp. Konkan Railway Station, Quepem Road, Margao, Goa 403 601; Tel: 0832 – 270503/94; 

Fax : 2710525

Interested SSI/SMEs, planning to implement Bar Coding System and willing to avail Government Financial Assistance, may join the above programmes.

Dr. R K Dhawan,(left) presenting a bouquet to the Chief Guest Mr. R S Gujral. Mr. Ajay Sahai is at extreme right.

Exporters Suggest

Participating member exporters of FIEO suggested following measures for next annual supplement:

  • Bhadohi and Dadri ports should be inserted in online application of Focus Product Scheme in DGFT website so as to enable the exporters to take the benefit of the Scheme.

  • Option should be provided to endorse any new job worker in the Target Plus Scheme scrip during the validity of the Certificate. 

  • Validity of Target Plus should be extended for a further period of 12 months.

  • DGFT server should mention the date of shipping bill to be linked from Customs to calculate ‘date’ as per Public Notice No.56 (RE-2007)/2004-2009 dated 1.10.2007.

  • Relief should be granted for import of Coconut Oil under Advance Licence

  • A provision in the Policy should be made to the effect that if the exporter exports 75% of annual value of the production subject to a minimum specific EO fixed on the licence, the EO imposed against the EPCG licence would be subsumed.

  • Option should be given to exporters, especially Status Holders, to produce Installation Certificate issued by an Independent Chartered Engineer under EPCG Scheme, in lieu of Central Excise.

  • Zero Duty EPCG Scheme should be introduced. 

  • All promotional scheme like SFIS, Target Plus, Duty Free Credit Scheme for Agro Status Holders etc. should be made transferable,

  • Average Export Obligation under EPCG Scheme should be relaxed.

  • Deemed Export Benefit should be given against supply of Cement and Steel required for setting up Mega Power Projects.

  • There should be no insistence on certificate of terminal excise duty paid invoices for Grant of Deemed Export benefit.

 

Federation of Indian Export Organisations
New Delhi, INDIA.