Policy Circular No. 18 dated 10^th July 1998

Representations have been received from the exporters that due to the pen down strike in Regional Licensing Authorities the applications are not being received by the Regional Licensing Authorities. In order to ensure that export activity is not adversely affected the following steps may be taken immediately:

(i)     As per Paragraph 4.30 of the Handbook of Procedures  (Vol. 1) 1997-2002, all cases wherever approval of licences is given by the Committees at the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, the licences shall be issued by the Regional Licensing Authorities. Now it has been decided that till the time normalcy is restored in the Regional Licensing Offices, such licences shall also be issued by the concerned section at the DGFT, Headquarters.

(ii)    As per Paragraph 7.18 of EXIM Policy, exports made from the date of receipt of an application for an Advance Licence may be accepted towards discharge of export obligation. Head of Regional Licensing Authority must ensure that applications submitted by the applicants are duly accepted so that the exports are not held up. Arrangement must be made with the help of the officers and the officials who are working to ensure that no applicant is turned back.

(iii)   Meetings like Regional Advance Licensing Committee Meeting, EPCG Committee Meeting etc. should be held as per the schedule and must not be postponed. Every effort should be made to ensure the normal functioning in the Regional Licensing Offices.

This issues with the approval of DGFT.