TARIFF VALUE OF POPPYSEEDS AND BRASS SCRAPS REVISED

Thesynergyonline Economic Bureau

CUSTOMS NOTIFICATION (N.T.)
NO.10/2010-CUSTOMS (N.T.)
Dated: January 29, 2010

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962), the Board, being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient so to do, hereby makes the following further amendment in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), No. 36/2001-Cus (N. T.), dated, the 3 rd August 2001, namely: -

In the said notification, for the Table, the following Table shall be substituted namely:-
"TABLE

(M. Satish Kumar Reddy)
Director to the Government of India

Note: - The Principal notification was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, vide Notification No. 36/2001 - Customs (N.T.), dated, the 3 rd August, 2001 (S. O. 748 (E), dated, the 3 rd August, 2001) and was last amended vide Notification No. 6/2010-Customs (N.T.), dated, the 15 th January, 2010 (S. O. 93 (E) dated 15 th January, 2010).

CUSTOMS NOTIFICATION (N.T.)
NO.9/2010-CUSTOMS (N.T.)
Dated: January 27, 2010
Exchange rate wef 1st Feb-2010

In exercise of the powers conferred by section 14 of the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962), and in supersession of the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) No. 186/2009-Customs (N. T.), dated the 29 th December, 2009 vide number S. O. 3305 (E), dated the 29 th December, 2009, except as respects things done or omitted to be done before such supersession, the Central Board of Excise and Customs hereby determines that the rate of exchange of conversion of each of the foreign currency specified in column (2) of each of Schedule I and Schedule II annexed hereto into Indian currency or vice versa shall, with effect from 1 st February, 2010 be the rate mentioned against it in the corresponding entry in column (3) thereof, for the purpose of the said section, relating to imported and export goods.
SCHEDULE-I

[F. No.468/1/2010-Cus.V]

PRASHANT KUMAR
UNDER SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA

FIEO CHIEF CALLS FOR URGENT MODIFICATION OF CUSTOM DUTY STRUCTURE

Thesynergyonline News Service

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 28 : THE FIEO Chief has called for an urgent modification in custom duty structure to address inverted duty structure and promote import of raw
material instead of finished goods. Citing the case of ceramic tiles, Mr. O. P. Garg, President, Federation of Indian Export Organisations said, “Following China’s induction into Bangkok Agreement, the basic custom duty on import of ceramic tiles from China came down to as low as 6.45%. On the contrary, the domestic manufacturers of ceramic tiles pay 15 % of basic customs duty on import of raw material.” According to Mr. Garg, this kind of duty structure is devoid of the basic rationale and discourages domestic manufacture of finished goods.

“This reminds me of the pre-colonial duty structure when the import of raw material was discouraged and that of finished goods was promoted to help the industries at Manchester and Lords,” added Mr. Garg.

He also said, this anomaly is not unique to ceramic tiles industry but there are many more industries that are facing unwarranted competition from cheap imports particularly where imports are under effected under preferential trading arrangements. FIEO chief has suggested that the import duty on raw material should be brought down below that on finished products so that the domestic industries enjoy the level-playing field with import goods.

CABINET NOD FOR SIGNING MOU BETWEEN CBEC AND AUSTRALIAN CUSTOMS

Thesynergyonline News Service

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 7 : WITH the volume of trade going up with many developed countries for India, the need of the hour is to have mutual cooperation agreements with them in Customs matters. Keeping in mind the future requirements of the Customs the Union Cabinet today approved the proposal to sign an MoU between the CBEC and the Australian Customs Service of the Commonwealth of Australia for mutual assistance in Customs matters.

MoU will help in the availability of reliable, quick and cost-effective information and intelligence for the prevention and investigation of Customs offences and apprehending of Customs offenders.

The salient features of the Memorandum of Understanding are as follows:-

Scope : The Memorandum of Understanding will cover assistance by sharing information and intelligence to ensure proper application of customs law and the prevention, investigation and combating of customs offences. All assistance under this MoU shall be provided in accordance with the national laws. The information or assistance shall in particular relate to: (i) enabling detection of false declarations with regard to value, description and origin of goods; authenticity of any official documents in support of a declaration made before the customs authorities; (iii) new trends, means or methods in committing customs offences; and (iv) new customs law enforcement techniques.

Special Assistance : In specific cases, upon request, the assistance shall extend to providing information on whether goods are imported or exported into the customs territory of any of the contracting parties lawfully and about the customs procedure, if any, under which the goods have been placed.

Special Surveillance : On request, the requested administration of the contracting parties shall provide information and intelligence, and maintain surveillance over: (i) goods either in transport or in storage notified by the requested administration as giving rise to suspected illicit traffic towards the customs territory of requesting party; (ii) means of transport suspected by the requesting administration of being used to commit customs offences in the customs territory of either party; and (iii) premises suspected by the requesting administration of being used to commit customs offences in the customs territory of either party.

Technical Cooperation: The MoU provides for the contracting parties to cooperate with each other in customs matters including: (i) exchange of customs officers or experts for understanding each other’s customs techniques; (ii) exchange of information and experience in the usage of interdiction and detection equipment; exchange of professional, scientific and technical data relating to customs legislation and procedure; (iv) exchange of information on actions undertaken with third countries in relation to technical cooperation; and (v) exchange of information to cooperate in the simplification and harmonization of their customs procedures.

Confidentiality of Information : Any information or intelligence received under the MoU is required to be used solely for the purposes of the MoU and with strict regard to confidentiality.

Exemptions : The assistance under the MoU can be refused where, in the opinion of the concerned administration, it would infringe upon its sovereignty, security, public order or other vital national interests. Assistance can be postponed on the ground that it shall interfere with an ongoing investigation, prosecution or proceeding.