Here is a comprehensive update of developments from India’s foreign trade during 27 June – 4 July 2019.

 
1. Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) published following:

• Import of ‘Walnuts in any form’ is placed under Appendix 4J with pre-import condition and reduced EO period under Advance authorization with immediate effect – DGFT Public Notice No. 15/2015-2020 dated 03 July 2019.

• Stakeholder can send their suggestion regarding new Foreign Trade Policy on email id ftp2019-dgft@gov.in or submit online on http://bit.ly/2NuJh9Z within 15 days - DGFT Trade Notice No. 22/2019-20 dated 03 July 2019.

• Clarification on Jurisdictional RA/RA concerned for SEIS-Para 3.06 (c) of Handbook of Procedures –DGFT circulars no 25/2015-20 dated 1 July 2019.

• Validity of Pre-Shipment Inspection Agencies (PSIAs) extended upto 30.09.2019 – DGFT public notice no 14/2015-2020 dated 28 June 2019.

• Invites suggestions on review of the Foreign Trade Policy - Trade Notice No. 21/2019-20 dated 28 June 2019.

2. Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) published following:

• Updated version of Part-A and Part –B of the "CGST Rules, 2017 published by CBIC dated 28 June 2019.

• CBIC notifies Tariff Value of Edible Oils, Brass Scrap, Poppy Seeds, Areca Nut, Gold and Silver -notification no 47/2019-Cus (NT) dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to extend the due date for furnishing the declaration FORM GST ITC-04 – CBIC Central Tax notifications no 32/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to carry out changes in the CGST Rules, 2017 - CBIC Central Tax notifications no 31/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Clarification on various doubts related to treatment of secondary or post-sales discounts under GST –CBIC circular 105/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to provide exemption from furnishing of annual return / reconciliation statement for suppliers of online information database access and retrieval services (“OIDAR services”) - CBIC Central Tax notifications no 30/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to prescribe the due date for furnishing FORM GSTR-3B for the months of July, 2019 to September, 2019 - CBIC Central Tax notifications no 29/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to extend the due date for furnishing FORM GSTR-1 for registered persons having aggregate turnover of more than 1.5 crore rupees for the months of July, 2019 to September,2019 - CBIC Central Tax notifications no 28/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to prescribe the due date for furnishing FORM GSTR-1 for registered persons having aggregate turnover of up to 1.5 crore rupees for the months of July, 2019 to September,2019 - CBIC Central Tax notifications no 27/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to extend the due date of filing returns in FORM GSTR-7 - CBIC Central Tax notifications no 26/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to specifies retail outlets established in the departure area of an international airport, beyond the immigration counters, making tax free supply of goods to an outgoing international tourist, as class of persons who shall be entitled to claim refund –CBIC Central Tax (Rate) notifications no 11/2019 dated 29 June 2019.

• Seeks to exempts any supply of goods by a retail outlet established in the departure area of an international airport, beyond the immigration counters, to an outgoing international tourist – CBIC Integrated Tax (Rate) notifications 11/2019 dated 29 June 2019.

• Seeks to specify retail outlets established in the departure area of an international airport, beyond the immigration counters, making tax free supply of goods to an outgoing international tourist, as class of persons who shall be entitled to claim refund -CBIC Integrated Tax (Rate) notifications 10/2019 dated 29 June 2019.

• Seeks to specifies retail outlets established in the departure area of an international airport, beyond the immigration counters, making tax free supply of goods to an outgoing international tourist, as class of persons who shall be entitled to claim refund -CBIC Union Territory Tax (Rate) notifications 11/2019-Central Tax (Rate) dated 29 June 2019.

• Exempts any supply of goods by a retail outlet established in the departure area of an international airport, beyond the immigration counters, to an outgoing international tourist – CBIC Compensation Cess (Rate) notification no 01/2019 dated 29 June 2019.

• Refund of taxes paid on inward supply of indigenous goods by retail outlets established at departure area of the international airport beyond immigration counters when supplied to outgoing international tourist against foreign exchange – CBIC Circular no 106/2019 (F. No. CBEC-20/16/04/2018-GST) dated 29 June 2019.

• Processing of refund applications in FORM GST RFD-01A submitted by taxpayers wrongly mapped on the common portal – CBIC circular 104/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Clarification regarding determination of place of supply in certain cases - CBIC circular 103/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Clarification regarding applicability of GST on additional / penal interest – CBIC circular 102/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Seeks to extend the due date for furnishing FORM GSTR-9, FORM GSTR-9A and FORM GSTR-9C under section 44 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017- CBIC Order No. 6/2019 - Central Tax dated 28 June 2019.

 
3. Ministry of Steel, India seeks comments on draft steel scrap policy – Ministry of Steel, India issued dated 28 June 2019.

4. FAQs on changeover guidelines for implementation of revised standards of batteries / cells i.e. IS 16046(Part-1):2018/IEC 62133-1:2017 published by Bureau of Indian Standards on 21 June 2019.

5. Pakistan amending Baggage Rules, 2006 - Pakistan Customs SRO 689(I)/2019 dated 1 July 2019.

6. Malaysia published the following: 

• Malaysia amends National Forestry Act 1984 -Attorney-General’s Chambers P.U. (A) 180/2019 dated 1 July 2019.

• Malaysia published Motor Vehicles (Exemption of Ad Valorem Registration Fees) (Revocation) Rules 2019 - Attorney-General’s Chambers P.U. (A) 178/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Malaysia published Motor Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) (Amendment) (No. 2) Rules 2019 -Attorney-General’s Chambers P.U. (A) 177/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Malaysia published Excise Duties (Sweetened Beverages) (Payment) Order 2019 - Attorney-General’s Chambers P.U. (A) 176/2019 dated 28 June 2019.

• Malaysia published food additive amendment -Malaysia’s Ministry of Health published on 27 June 2019.

7. Enforcement decree of livestock epidemic prevention act published – South Korea published Presidential Decree No. 29950 on 02 July 2019.

8. European Union published the following:

• EU withdraw approval of active substance dimethoate by amending Regulation (EU) No 540/2011. Dimethoate is registered in India under Insecticides Act, 1968.

• Requirements for export of products containing processed animal protein derived from ruminants and non-ruminants to EU region – Regulation (EU) 2019/1091 dated 26 June 2019.

• EU terminates import of welded tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of square or rectangular cross-section, of iron other than cast iron or steel other than stainless, originating from North Macedonia, Russia and Turkey – EU decision 2019/1109 dated 27 June 2019.

• EU amends Annexes I and IV of Regulation (EC) No 2003/2003 relating to approved fertilisers in EU –Regulation no 2019/1102 dated 27 June 2019.

• EU renews approval of the active substance tolclofos-methyl as per Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 –Regulation no 2019/1101 dated 27 June 2019.

• EU renews approval of the active substance desmedipham as per Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 and Regulation (EU) No 540/2011 – Regulation no 2019/1100 dated 27 June 2019.

• EU imposes anti-dumping duty on imports of ceramic tableware and kitchenware originating from China – Regulation no 2019/1099 dated 27 June 2019.

• EU approved efficient vehicle exterior lighting using light-emitting diodes for use in internal combustion engine vehicles and non-externally chargeable hybrid electrified vehicles as an innovative technology for reducing CO2 emissions from passenger - EU Decision no 2019/1119 dated 28 June 2019.

9. United Kingdom published the followin:

• UK published Plant Health (England) (Amendment) Order 2019 - Statutory Instrument 2019 No. 1070 dated 2 July 2019.

• UK published Trade Remedies (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 effective from 23 July 2019 -Statutory Instrument 2019 No. 1076 dated 2 July 2019.

10. Denmark published the following:

• Order on the use of radiation generators published -Health and Age Ministry, Denmark BEK nr dated 4 July 2019.

• Order on the use of radioactive substances -Ministry of Health and the Elderly BEK nr 670 dated 4 July 2019.

• Ionizing radiation and radiation protection notice -Ministry of Health and the Elderly Ministry dated 4 July 2019.

• Denmark published order on the use of chemical substances and mixtures in pesticides - Ministry of the Environment and Food BEK no 644 dated 29 June 2019.

11. United States published the following

• USA established pesticide tolerances for Fluopyram – Environmental Protection Agency Rule 2019 - 13936 dated 1 July 2019.

• USA established pesticide tolerances for Valifenalate – Environmental Protection Agency Rule 2019 -13990 1 dated 1 July 2019.

• USA established pesticide tolerances for Mefentrifluconazole – Environmental Protection Agency Rule 2019 -13520 1 dated 1 July 2019.

• USA established pesticide tolerances for Ethiprole –Environmental Protection Agency Rule 2019 -13546 dated 1 July 2019.

12. Eurasian Economic Union published the following:

• Reduced import duty on aniline and its salts from 5% to 0% - Decree no 201 dated 26 June 2019.

• From July 1 to November 30, 2019, an experiment will be conducted in Russia on the labeling of perfumes and toilet water with identification tools –Decree no 814 dated 6 June 2019.

13. Russia published the following:

• From 1 July an experiment has begun in Russia to ensure traceability of imported refrigerators, freezers, heat pumps, industrial vehicles, self-propelled, used in factories, warehouses, ports or airports for the transport of goods over short distances, tractors, forklift trucks, other carts, bulldozers, washing machines for household or laundry, equipment for washing, cleaning, pressing, drying, ironing, pressing, monitors and projectors, children’’s strollers , child safety seats , electronic integrated circuits, storage devices etc -Russian Government decree no 807 dated 25 June 2019

• Milk and cream, condensed milk, yogurt, kefir, butter, cheese and cottage cheese, ice cream are subject to mandatory labelling during the period of 15 July 2019 to 29 February 2020 – Russian Government decree no 836 dated 2 July 2019.

14. Australia published the following:

• Import permits required from 1st September for imports of cut flowers and foliage from countries with high non-compliance and high volumes of trade into Australia – Australia Import industry advice no 108-2019 dated 1 July 2019.

• Introduces import conditions for thermally treated salmonid products from a country with an approved competent authority - Import Industry Advice Notice No. 106-2019 dated 28 June 2019.

15. Food additive amended by Israel with regard to sorbates effective from 15 July 2019 - Ministry of Health - 13 June 2019.

16. Canada published the following:

• Amended certain marketing authorizations on food additives to enable the approval of five new food additives -  Ministry of Health Act: SOR/2019-210 dated 27 June 2019.

• Amended list of permitted food enzymes to enable the use of lipase from Trichoderma reesei morph lip3 in Bread, Flour, Whole Wheat Flour, Unstandardized Bakery Products, and Pasta - Health Canada published notice no. NOM/ADM-0134 on 27 June 2019.

17. Guidelines on packing lists of the numbers and classes of imported clothing published - Jordan published Circular no. 721 of 2019 dated 30 June 2019.

18. Non-woven bags carrying imported goods must comply with basic requirements; 1. Minimum weight loss of GSM 70. 2. It can be restored (Recyclable). 3. Have a producer address or trademark (Trademark) 4. Show her carrying capacity in kg. 5. It has been certified to its quality by the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS). – Tanzania Bureau of Standards issued public notice on 1 July 2019.

19. The MFN / pref. tariff of Malaysia has been updated on the Indian Trade Portal - www.indiantradeportal.in.

Regulars:

20. A section titled “Alerts on SPS/TBT measures” has been created on the Indian Trade Portal. List of SPS/TBT measures announced by various countries is available in the section. A provision to search measures product/country-wise and to submit representation against the alerts is also available under the section.

21. Please visit the “Trade/Tender Queries” section on the Indian Trade Portal regularly for the latest business opportunity in the international market. The section is being updated by the Indian missions abroad.

Please feel free to send us your feedback/suggestion on the Indian Trade Portal. Your inputs will help us to make the portal more informative and useful.

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