Indian Customs Single Window - Integrated Declaration
CENTRAL Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has taken-up the task of implementing 'Indian Customs Single Window Project' to facilitate trade. This project envisages that the importers and exporters would electronically lodge their Customs clearance documents at a single point only with the Customs. The required permission, if any, from Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) such as Animal Quarantine, Plant Quarantine, Drug Controller, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Textile Committee etc. would be obtained online without the importer/exporter having to separately approach these agencies. This would be possible through a common, seamlessly integrated IT systems utilized by all regulatory agencies, logistics service providers and the importers/exporters. The Single Window would thus provide the importers/exporters a single point interface for clearance of import and export goods thereby reducing dwell time and cost of doing business.
CBEC has since developed the 'Integrated Declaration', under which all information required for import clearance by the concerned government agencies has been incorporated into the electronic format of the Bill of Entry. The Customs Broker or Importer shall submit the "Integrated Declaration" electronically to a single entry point, i.e. the Customs Gateway (ICEGATE). Separate application forms required by different PGAs like Drug Controller, AQCS, WCCB, PQIS and FSSAI would be dispensed with.
The integrated Declaration replaces 9 separate forms that an importer or his broker was supposed to file with various agencies. These are Customs Bill of Entry, Customs valuation declaration, Application for import of livestock products, Application for import of pet animals/aquatic/other animals, birds and poultry (chicks), Application for quarantine inspection and clearance of imported plants/plant products, ADC Drug sheet for import (Appendix - II), Additional ADC Sheet for drug category and composition, Application for post shipment examination by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, and Application form for NOC from FSSAI for food items imported into India.
The system has been modified to enable simultaneous processing of bill of entry by PGA and Customs.
CBEC says, "This is a major initiative of the Department and is expected to significantly simplify and expedite the clearance process."
CBEC Circular No. 10/2016., Dated: March 15 2016