| Date: |
03-09-2015
|
| Notification No: |
Customs Circular No 22/2015
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| Issuing Authority: |
Indian Customs
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| Type: |
Circular
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| File No: |
F. No. 450/06/201 |
| Subject: |
Regarding delay in furnishing reply to the Queries raised by the Department
|
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
(Central Board of Excise and Customs)
******
Circular No. 22/2015-Customs
New Delhi, dated the 03.09.2015
To,
All Chief Commissioners of Customs / Customs (Preventive)
All Chief Commissioners of Customs and Central Excise
All Commissioners of Customs / Customs (Preventive)
All Commissioners of Customs and Central Excise
Subject: Delay in furnishing reply to the Queries raised by the Department- reg.
Sir / Madam,
Trade facilitation has been accorded priority by the Government since it is
critical for Ease of Doing Business in India. The progress in Ease of Doing
Business is being monitored at the highest level.
- In order to facilitate genuine trade and to reduce dwell time, it is necessary
to streamline the procedures at every stage of assessment till out of charge of
goods is given by Proper Officer of Customs. Increasing number of queries and
resultant delay in assessment process is a matter of concern. Further, instances
have come to notice that in cases, during re-assessment of Bill of Entry by the
proper officer, the queries seeking clarification from importer are raised in a
piece meal manner. There is also no mechanism to monitor the time taken in
raising queries and completing re-assessment by the officers. The C&AG in its
report on Trade Facilitation of Import and Export through Ports has highlighted
this point and desired that a system of periodical review and analysis of
queries raised must be devised by the Department. Further, the areas where
maximum number of queries are raised should be identified which could be
disseminated for the benefit of trade so that they could take preventive action.
- The matter has been examined in the Board. Accordingly, it is decided that
genuine clarification sought by officers from importers/exporters are raised in
one go and not in a piece meal manner. Further, it is also desirable that field
formation could consider listing of the queries frequently raised in course of
assessment and disseminate them through Public Notice or sensitize trade about
the same so that importers could take preventive action to avoid such queries or
be better prepared to reply to such queries.
- Board also desires that the time taken after answering the queries should
further curtailed and in fact documents that are delayed are accorded priority
after receipt of satisfactory reply from importers.
- All Chief Commissioners are directed to instruct officers under their
jurisdiction to strictly adhere to aforementioned guidelines. Commissioner of
Customs may also devise a mechanism for monthly update/review of the same. The
review must include type and frequency of queries raised by the proper officers.
Chief Commissioners should also consider suitable sensitization of importers
about most common errors so that avoidable delays in completion of reassessment
by proper officer may be avoided in future.
- Difficulty faced if any may be brought to the notice of the Board.
F. No. 450/06/2015-Dir (Customs)
(Pawan Khetan)
OSD-Cus-IV
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