TIOL-DDT 616 · the untouched capture
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<body> <p align="justify"><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#663399" size="3">TIOL-DDT 616</font></b><font size="2"><b><br>
18.05.2007<br>
Friday</b></font></font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">Customs gets trade mark – IPR enforcement agency</font></b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Government has brought in the <b>Intellectual Property Rights (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules, 2007</b>. These rules were in force for the last 10 days secretly preserved and hesitatingly released yesterday. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Highlights:</b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Notice by the right holder – A rights holder can give a notice to the Customs Commissioner requesting for suspension of clearance of goods suspected to be infringing intellectual property right with a fee of Rs. 200/-.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The right holder shall:</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">++ execute a bond with the, undertaking to protect the importer, consignee and the owner of the goods and the competent authorities against all liabilities and to bear the costs towards destruction, demurrage and detention charges incurred till the time of destruction or disposal</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">++ execute an indemnity bond with the Commissioner of Customs indemnifying the Customs authorities against all liabilities and expenses on account of suspension of the release of allegedly infringing goods.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">After the grant of the registration of the notice by the Commissioner on due examination, the import of allegedly infringing goods into India shall be deemed as prohibited within the meaning of Section 11 of the Customs Act.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Where the Deputy Commissioner of Customs has a reason to believe that the imported goods are suspected to be goods infringing intellectual property rights, he shall suspend the clearance of the goods. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Goods of a non-commercial nature contained in personal baggage or sent in small consignments intended for personal use of the importer are not subject to these Rules. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Protection to Customs officers</b> when acting in good faith and having followed the procedures - They are not liable for </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(a) any failure to detect goods infringing intellectual property rights, </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(b) the inadvertent release of such goods, and </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(c) any other action in respect of such goods.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.taxindiaonline.com/RC2/subCatDesc.php3?subCatDisp_Id=24&filename=notification/custom/2007/cnt07_047.htm" target="_blank">NOTIFICATION NO. 47/2007-Cus., (N.T.), Dated: May 8, 2007</a></font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">Import of IPR infringing goods prohibited</font></b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Having armed itself with the <b>Intellectual Property Rights (Imported Goods) Enforcement Rules, </b>the Revenue has now prohibited the import of the following types of goods.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1. goods having a false trade mark.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2. goods having a false trade description.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">3. goods having a design in which copyright exists in respect of the class to which the goods belong or any fraudulent or obvious imitation of such design except when the application of such design has been made with the licence or written consent of the registered proprietor of the design.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">4. products for which a patent is in force under the Patents Act,1970 except in cases where the consent from the patentee in India has been obtained.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">5. product obtained directly by the process made or produced where patent for such process is in force under the Patents Act 1970 except in cases where the consent from the patentee in India has been obtained.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">6. Goods having a false Geographical Indication.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">7. goods which are prohibited to be imported by issuance of an order issued by Registrar of Copyrights under section 53 of the Copyright Act,1957</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.taxindiaonline.com/RC2/subCatDesc.php3?subCatDisp_Id=24&filename=notification/custom/2007/cnt07_049.htm" target="_blank">NOTIFICATION NO. 49/2007-Cus., (N.T.), Dated: May 8, 2007</a></font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">Remarkable job – Congrats! CBEC</font></b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>DDT</b> is amazed! The Board has done a remarkable almost impossible job. It has traced and superseded a Notification issued 47 years ago, Yes in 1960 and has now issued a new notification in its place. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">By Notification No. 135/1960 – cus dated 31.12.1960, taking out of India or <b>the State of <st1:City w:st="on">Pondicherry</st1:City></b> by sea or land was prohibited for</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(i) goods which are required by a notification under section 117 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 (43 of 1958), to have applied to them an indication of the country or place in which they were made or produced or of the name and address of the manufacturer or the person for whom the goods were manufactured, but which have not applied to them such indication in the manner specified in the notification;</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(ii) any goods which are required to be stamped under section 74 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 (43 of 1958), but which have not been stamped in the manner specified in the Trade Marks Rules,1959.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">This old notification is now superseded with the new Trade Marks Act, 1999and the Trade Marks Rules, 2002 replacing the old Act and rules and of course the reference to <st1:City
w:st="on">Pondicherry</st1:City> is also removed. The new notification prohibits export of the goods, namely:-</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(i) which are required by a notification under section 139 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999 (47 of 1999), to have applied to them an indication of the country or place in which they were made or produced or of the name and address of the manufacturer or the person for whom the goods were manufactured, but which have not applied to them such indication in the manner specified in the notification;</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(ii) any goods which are required to be stamped under section 81 of the Trade Marks Act, 1999 (47 of 1999) but which have not been stamped in the manner specified in the Trade Marks Rules, 2002</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.taxindiaonline.com/RC2/subCatDesc.php3?subCatDisp_Id=24&filename=notification/custom/2007/cnt07_050.htm" target="_blank">NOTIFICATION NO. 50/2007-Cus., (N.T.), Dated: May 8, 2007</a></font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">Yet another old notification amended in tune with IPR Enforcement Rules</font></b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">As per Notification No. 1/1964 – cus dated 18.1.1964, the import of the following goods are prohibited.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> (i) <b>counterfeit coin </b>or coin made under the Native Coinage Act, 1876, or Indian Coin, which is not of the established standard in weight or fineness.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(ii) any <b>obscene book, </b>paphlet, paper, drawing, painting, representation, figure or article.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(iii) goods having applied thereto a <b>false trade mark </b>within the meaning of section 77 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(iv) goods having applied thereto a <b>false trade description </b>within the meaning of clause (f) of sub-section 1) of section 2 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958, otherwise than in relation to any of the matter specified in sub-clauses (ii) and (iii) of clause (u) of that sub-section.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(v) ******* deleted***********</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(vi) ******* deleted***********</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(vii) goods made or produced beyond the limits of India and intended for sale, and having applied thereto a design in which copyright exists under the Indian Patents and Designs Act, 1911, in respect of the class to which the goods belong or any fraudulent or obvious imitation of such design except when the application of such design has been made with licence or written consent of the registered proprietor of the design.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(viii) goods which are required by a notification under section 117 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958, to have applied to them an indication of the country or place in which they were made or produced the name and address of the manufacturer or the person from whom the goods were manufactured, unless such goods show such indication applied in the manner specified in the notification.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> (ix) <b>cotton yarn, manufactured outside India, </b>such as is ordinarily imported in bundles, if each bundle containing such yarn has not been conspicuously marked:-</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(a) with the name of the manufacturer, exporter or wholesale purchaser in India, of the goods, and</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(b) with an indication of the weight and the count of the yarn contained in it, in accordance with the rules made under section 75 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> (x) cotton sewing, darning, crochet or handicraft thread manufactured outside India, if each of the units in which the thread is supplied has not been conspicuously marked:-</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(a) with the name of the manufacturer, exporter or wholesale purchaser in India, of the goods, and</font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#663399" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">(b) with an indication of the weight and the count of the yarn contained in it, in accordance with the rules made under section 75 of the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Now this 43 year old notification is amended to </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">1. Delete clauses (iii),(iv) and (vii) – rightly so as they have now been brought under the Notification No. 49/2007 Cus NT prohibiting <b>Import of IPR infringing goods, </b>detailed above<b>.</b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">2. Substitute the<b>Trade Marks Act, 1999 </b>for the <b>Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958. </b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font color="#FF6666" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>It is sheer brilliance at its peak for the hard working boys in the Board to have realized that these two notifications exist, then to fish them out and amend/supersede them. A remarkable feat indeed and DDT wholeheartedly salutes these brilliant officers. </b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.taxindiaonline.com/RC2/subCatDesc.php3?subCatDisp_Id=24&filename=notification/custom/2007/cnt07_048.htm" target="_blank">NOTIFICATION NO. 48/2007-Cus., (N.T.), Dated: May 8, 2007</a></font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">But then why the delay?</font></b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Having given away those bouquets, it has to be pointed out that these notifications had to be amended in 1999, when the <b>Trade Marks Act </b>replaced the <b>Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958. </b>There has been a delay of 8 years. But as they say “better late than never” </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">And the most unfortunate part is that these new notifications are all dated 8<sup>th</sup> May 2007, but have been published only yesterday. What were they doing for ten long days? The notification manufacturing process in the Board suffers from some serious defects which needs immediate correction, but as today’s DDT is unusually long, on that some other time.</font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">Tariff Value of Brass Scarp – steep hike</font></b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The CBEC has increased the Tariff Value of imported Brass Scrap from Rs. 4,386 to 4604/-. There is no change in the Tariff Value of other products.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="http://www.taxindiaonline.com/RC2/subCatDesc.php3?subCatDisp_Id=24&filename=notification/custom/2007/cnt07_051.htm" target="_blank">Notification Nos.<u>51/ 2007-CUS.,(N.T.) , Dated: May 16, 2007</u></a></font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">I have neither friends nor enemies in the corporate sector – FM</font></b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Finance Minister was reacting to Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh’s charge that the UPA government was selective with regard to income tax raids. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The FM added</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">You know, everybody knows that when a CAG paragraph is there, immediately section 147 notice is issued and assessments are reopened. There is no friend, There is no enemy.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India said in its report that big corporate houses, including Reliance Industries and Tata Motors, were under assessed resulting in a short levy of taxes exceeding Rs 1,000 crore. <br>
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Besides, the CAG named cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar who were given exemptions by the IT authorities. However, the government clarified that the cricketers were being asked to pay their dues. </font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>"This government in matters relating to finance will be absolutely scrupulous and will observe financial prudence. We will not favour anyone. We will not disfavour anyone</b>," asserted the FM.</font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">RBI</font></b><font color="#006600"><b> and 910 branches of Banks to accept Advance Income Tax</b></font></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">As many as 910 computerised branches of public and private sector banks will receive advance income tax in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. These arrangements have been made for the convenience of the income tax assesses. Of the 910 bank branches 833 branches are public sector bank branches, 36HDFC bank branches, 9 ICICI bank branches, 19 UTI bank branches and 13 IDBI bank branches. The Reserve Bank of India has advised income tax assesses to take advantage of these standing arrangements made for their convenience.<br>
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Long queues and inconveniences can be avoided at the Reserve Bank of India counters if the assesses in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai utilise the services being made available at various designated branches of banks and deposit their income tax dues well in advance of the last date.</font></p>
<p align=center><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b><font color="#006600">Common Advance Ruling Authority for Income Tax, Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax.</font></b></font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The Union Cabinet gave its approval for introduction of a new legislation to provide for constitution of a single Authority for Advance Rulings on Central Taxes as a substitute for the Authority for Advance Rulings constituted under the Income Tax Act, and the Authority for Advance Rulings (Central Excise, Customs and Service Tax)</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The approval will facilitate the constitution of a common Authority for Advance Rulings.</font></p> <p align="justify"><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ministry of Finance will undertake the Legislation on introduction of the Authority for Advance Rulings on Central Taxes Bill, 2007 in the ensuing session of Parliament.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font color="#FF6666" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">And after that rather longish DDT, </font></p>
<p align="justify"><font color="#FF6666" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Until Monday with more DDT</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font color="#FF6666" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Have a nice Weekend.</font></p>
<p align="justify"><font color="#FF6666" size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Mail your comments to </font><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="mailto:vijaywrite@taxindiaonline.com">vijaywrite@taxindiaonline.com</a> </font></p>
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