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23 August, 2018

August 23, 2018

As per Notification 25/2015-2020 dated 17 August, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT import of Pet Coke is allowed for only cement, lime kiln, calcium carbide and gasification industries, when used as feed stock or in the manufacturing process on Actual User Condition.

As per Notification 26/2015-2020 dated 21 August, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT export of Beach Sand Minerals have been brought under STE and shall be canalised through Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL). Beach sand minerals, permitted anywhere in the export policy, will now be regulated in terms of policy under SI. No. 98A of Chapter 26 of Schedule 2 Export Policy.

As per Notification 27/2015-2020 dated 21 August, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT import Policy of bio-fuels revised from ’’Free’’ to ’’Restricted’’ and allowed for non-fuel purpose on Actual user basis as per the National bio-fuel Policy, 4 June, 2018.

As per Trade Notice 25/2015-2020 dated 17 August, 2018 (Click Here) issued by the DGFT for allowing import of 125 MT of Peas or less (entire quantity as applied) per contract irrespective of advance payment made before 25.04.2018.

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) EDI division has introduced new facility which enables exporters who obtained Advance Authorizations under self-declaration basis to view status of their applications online as per the Trade Notice 24/2018 dated 16 August, 2018 (Click Here).

The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published following:
- Direction under Section 16 (5) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 dated 16 August, 2018 (Click Here) regarding permission for use of ethephon for artificial ripening of fruits
- Guidance Note No. 04/2018 dated 16 August, 2018 (Click Here) related to use of ethylene gas for artificial ripening of fruits.
- File No. 12012/02/2018-QA dated 21 August, 2018 (Click Here) related to list of 172 FSSAI notified laboratories along with their NABL accreditation, scope of testing, contact details etc, is given at Annexure –I.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, India published Pesticides (Prohibition) Order, 2018 dated 16 August, 2018 (Click Here) pertaining to ban on 18 pesticide to manufacture, import, formulate, transport, sell, use any pesticide specified under column (2) of the Schedule to this Order from the date specified under column (3). The Government banned use of 12 pesticides with immediate effect and issued orders for banning six others from 31 December, 2020.

Ministry of Steel, India published Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2018 dated 20 August, 2018 (Click Here) pertaining to the list of steel products under mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification.

The National Agency of Drug and Food Control, Indonesia published Regulation No. 14 Year 2018 dated 20 August, 2018 (Click Here) regarding prohibition of addition of Vitamin K in dairy products.

Ministry of Public Health, Thailand published Notification No. 135, Special Editions, 198 D, 16 August, 2018 (Click Here) pertaining to standards for quality components, purity or other characteristics of narcotic drugs, as well as the packaging and storage of narcotic drugs. This notification shall come into force after a one hundred and eighty days from the date of publication.

The Laos Department of Import and Export, Ministry of Industry and Commerce issued a notice on the removal of Rough Diamond Export (Blossom) export license and revised the inspection of Gravity Diameter No. 3749/BK dated 15 August, 2018 (Click Here). In the past implementation, the export of rough diamonds was based on two licenses issued by the Department of Import and Export: i) Raw diamond export licenses; and ii) the KPC certificate (Kimberley Process Certificate is hardwood) which has been implemented with excessive redundancy, overlap and documentation. Therefore, the Department of Import and Export has issued a notice of elimination of the licensing of Raw Diamond (Blade) Export Permit by using the KPC Certificate (Kimberley Process Certificate only).

The Government of Vietnam published following:
- Circular no. 22/2018 / TT-BCT dated 21 August, 2018 (Click Here) pertaining to guiding the experimental auction of tariff quotas for sugar import in 2018. This Circular takes effect from 21 August, 2018 to 31 December, 2018.
- Circular no. 20/2018 / TT-BCT dated 15 August, 2018 (Click Here) related to addition of “Tapes and pads, tampons, napkins and diapers for babies and similar articles, of any material” (ITC-HS: 9619) in ‘List of textile and garment products subject to regulation’, promulgated together with the national technical regulation on levels of formaldehyde and aromatic amines converted from azo dyes in the textile and garment products (QCVN: 01/2017 / BCT). This Circular takes effect on 1 January, 2019.
- Decree No. 107/2018/ND-CP dated 15 August, 2018 (Click Here) on rice export business, which specifies conditions for rice export business, effective from 1 October, 2018.
- Decree 105/2018/ND-CP dated 11 August, 2018 (Click Here) pertaining to organization and operation regulation of the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group.

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Published Notice No. 2018-60 on 16 August, 2018 (Click Here) revising their food regulations, including numerous MRL changes.

Eurasian Council for Economic published decision dated 21 August, 2018 (Click Here) identifies some types of transformers for microwave ovens on which 0% import duty has imposed.

The Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS) published an amendment to Annex I: Additives with different functional classes and with an established ADI dated 20 August, 2018 (Click Here) of its food additive regulations.