Here is a comprehensive update of developments from India’s foreign trade during 25 July - 1 August 2019.

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

• Power to condone delay in payment of fee for excess utilisation of duty saved amount has been granted to the RA - Public Notice No. 22/2015-20 dated 31 July 2019.

• Time upto 31.12.2019 has been allowed to the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and State Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to finalize the modalities and complete the entire process of export of balance quantity of Red Sanders wood allocated to each entity by the DGFT against the quota permitted by CITES - Notification No. 12/2015-2020 dated 29 July 2019.

• Import policy of ’’Ethyl Alcohol and other spirits, denatured, of any strength’’ has been changed from ’’Free’’ to ’’Restricted’’ - Trade Notice No. 27/2019-20 dated 29 July 2019.

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

• Tariff Value of Edible Oils, Brass Scrap, Poppy Seeds, Areca Nut, Gold and Silver are notified -Notification No. 53/2019-Cus (NT) dated 31 July 2019.

• Exempt the hiring of Electricbuses by local authorities from GST - Central Tax (Rate) Notification No. 13/2019-Central Tax (Rate) dated. 31 July 2019 .

• GST rates reduced on Electric Vehicles, and charger or charging stations for Electric vehicles - Central Tax (Rate) Notification No. 12/2019-Central Tax (Rate) dated 31 July 2019.

• Exempt the hiring of Electric buses by local authorities from GST - Integrated Tax (Rate) Notification No. 13/2019-Integrated Tax (Rate) dated 31 July 2019 .

• GST rates reduced on Electric Vehicles, and charger or charging stations for Electric vehicles - Integrated Tax (Rate) Notification No. 12/2019-Integrated Tax (Rate) dated 31 July 2019.

• Exempt the hiring of Electric buses by local authorities from GST - Union Territory Tax (Rate) notification - Union Territory Tax (Rate) Notification No. 13/2019-Union Territory tax(rate) dated 31 July 2019.

• GST rates reduced on Electric Vehicles, and charger or charging stations for Electric vehicles - Union Territory Tax (Rate) Notification No. 12/2019-Union Territory tax(rate) dated 31 July 2019.

• Extend last date for furnishing FORM GST CMP-08 for the quarter April -June 2019 till 31.08.2019 -GST Notification No. 35/2019-Central Tax dated 29 July 2019.

3. India: Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2019 published - Ministry of Steel Order S.O. 2614(E) published on 26 July 2019.

4. Malaysia:

• Amend Drug Guidance Document (DRGD), 2019 -Ministry of Health Reference. No. BPFK/PPP/07/25 (15) dated 31 July 2019.

• Directives for all products containing lamotrigine that packaging contain drug information leaflets for users (RiMUP) with additional Brugada-Type ECG safety information - Ministry of Health Reference. No. BPFK/PPP/07/25 (14) dated 19 July 2019.

• Directives for all products containing hydrochlorothiazide include a combination should update packaging and drug information leaflets for users (RiMUP) with the addition of non-melanoma skin cancer related safety information - Ministry of Health Reference. No. BPFK/PPP/07/25 (11) dated 19 July 2019.

• Directives for all products containing fluoroquinolone group antibiotics (oral and injection preparations) should update packaging and medication information leaflets for users (RiMUP) with the following safety information: a) Canceling and limiting indications of fluoroquinolone group antibiotics b) Disabling and potentially permanent warnings side effects (tendinitis, tendon rupture, peripheral neuropathy & central nervous system / neuropsychiatric effects) - Ministry of Health Reference. No. BPFK/PPP/07/25 (12) dated 19 July 2019 .

• Poisons (Amendment of Poisons List) (No. 3) Order 2019 published - Attorney General’s Chambers dated 25 July 2019.

5. Nepal: Announcement made regarding Maximum retail sales price (MRP) of Home appliance - Ministry of Finance dated 29 July 2019.

6. Korea:

• Enforcement Rule of Health Functional Foods Act published - Prime Ministerial Decree No. 01560 dated 31 July 2019.

• Food additive amendment published - Food and Drug Administration Notice 2019-63 dated 25 July 2019.

7. EU: Impose a definitive countervailing duty on imports of certain polyethylene terephthalate (PET) originating in India -EU Regulation (EU) No 2019/1286 dated 30 July 2019.

8. EEU - Classify equipment used in comprehensive self-service car wash under HS 8424300100 and Cardiological Occluder (a medical device for treating the heart) under HS 9021909009 - Decision no 122 published on 26 July 2019.

9. Australia:

• Automatic Entry Processing for Commodities (AEPCOMM) will be expanded to include new commodities for Imports from 26 August 2019. Fresh garlic and garlic shoots commodity group is out of scope (AEPCOMM) - Import Industry Notice No. 122-2019 dated 31 July 2019.

• Maximum Residue Limits amended - Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) amendment no. 186 dated 25 July 2019.

10. Canada: Modifies the List of Contaminants and Other Adulterating Substances in Food to Add a Maximum Level for Cyanide in Apricot Kernels - Reference Number: NOM/ADM C-2019-1 dated 25 July 2019.

11. South Africa : Impose 102.10% provisional payment in relation to safeguard against increased imports of threaded fasteners of iron or steel (excluding those of stainless steel and those identifiable for aircraft) classifiable in tariff subheadings 73181541, 73181542 and 73181630 from India and other countries - Government Gazette No. 4259 dated 26 July 2019 .

12. Lebanon: Decision concerning the prevention of registration, importation and circulation of certain medicines for medical preparations withdrawn in the country of origin - Department of Pharmaceuticals and medicines Resolution 1430-2019 dated 24 July 2019 .

13. The MFN tariff of Maldives has been updated on the Indian Trade Portal - www.indiantradeportal.in.

Regulars:

14. 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.

15. 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 on csom@fieo.org. Your inputs will help us to make the portal more informative and useful.

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