November 8, 2018

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

• Notification No. 43/2015-2020 dated 5 November, 2018 (Click Here). Para 4.32(i) and para 6.01(a) of Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20 are amended to allow export of findings like posts, push backs, locks which help in collating the jewellery pieces together, containing gold of 3 carats and above up to a maximum limit of 22 carats only from domestic tariff area and EOU/ EHTP/STP/BTP Units.


• Public Notice No. 44/2015-2020 dated 5 November, 2018 (Click Here). Details of products falling under the jurisdiction of s.no 11 Export Promotion Council for EOU and SEZ units and sl no 22 Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) of Appendix 2T revised.


• Public Notice No. 43/2015-2020 dated 1 November, 2018 (Click Here). Date for implementation of Track and Trace system for export of drug formulations with respect to maintaining the Parent-Child relationship in packaging levels and its uploading on Central Portal has been extended upto 01.07.2019 for both SSI and non SSI manufactured drugs.


• Trade Notice No. 37/2015-2020 dated 2 November, 2018 (Click Here) regarding online issuance of RCMC by EPCs & its uploading on DGFT server. The EPCs which are already issuing RCMCs online are advised to upload the same on the DGFT’s server and the exercise is to be completed by 31 December 2018.

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

• CBIC Circular No. 42 published on 2 November 2018 (Click Here) regarding Procedure for a Pilot on Transhipment of Export Cargo from Bangladesh to third countries through Land Customs Stations (LCSs) to Kolkata Port / Airport, in containers or closed bodied trucks


• CBIC Circular No. 43 published on 8 November 2018 (Click Here) regarding Implementation of Paperless Processing under SWIFT-Uploading of Supporting Documents ( eSANCHIT) in Exports.


• Notification No.77/2018-Customs published on 1 November, 2018 (Click Here) seeks to further postpone the implementation of increased customs duty on specified imports originating in USA from 2nd November, 2018 to 17th December, 2018


• Notification No.90/2018 - Customs (N.T.) published on 1 November, 2018 (Click Here) notifies exchange rate of one unit of foreign currency equivalent to Indian rupees.

3. The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published Direction under Section 16 (5) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 dated 1 November, 2018 (Click Here) regarding import of specialty foods for IEM and hypoallergenic conditions.

4. Vietnam Ministry of Industry and Trade promulgated Circular No. 39/2018 / TT-BCT dated 5 November, 2018 (Click Here) providing for the inspection and verification of the origin of export goods. This regulation will be effective from 14 December, 2018.

5. The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) published Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals Code Instrument No. 4 (MRL Standard) Amendment Instrument 2018 (No. 10) (Click Here) dated 2 November, 2018. It amends the MRLs of agricultural and veterinary chemicals and MRLs for pesticides in animal feed commodities for certain compounds.

6. Ministry of Health, Israel published food additive amendments on 30 October related to food additives Xanthan Gum E 415, Citric Acid E 330, Sucralose E 955, Pectins E 440 and Sorbates E 200-203.

7. Korean Food and Drug Administration has published following:

• Notice No.  2018-88 published on 2 November 2018 (Click Here) revised some provisions relating to the amendments specified in such taboo ingredients


• Notice No.  2018-87 published on 2 November 2018 (Click Here) amended criteria and methods for labeling allergen-inducing foods such as children's preference foods


• Notice No.  2018-86 published on 2 November 2018 (Click Here) amending regulations on the Standards and Methods for Displaying Nutrients and High Caffeine-containing Foods for Children's Favorite Foods


• Notice No.  2018-84 published on 2 November 2018 (Click Here) amending Regulations on the criteria and methods for labeling nutritional ingredients and caffeine-containing foods for children's favourite foods.

8. Ministry of the Environment and Food,Denmark has published following:

• BEK No 1247 of 02 November 2018 (Click Here) published executive order on Additions, etc. for food


• BEK No 1248 of  02/11/2018 (Click Here) published executive order on Food Contact Materials

9. United Kingdom

• Statutory Instrument No 1136 published on 5 November 2018 (Click Here) regarding the Plant Health (England) (Amendment) (No. 5) Order 2018. The order will come into force from 29 November 2018.    


• Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland no 186 published on 31 October (Click Here) regarding The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland), 2018. The regulation will come into force from 29 November 2018.  


• Statutory Instrument No. 1122 published on 1 November 2018 (Click Here) regarding the Ship Recycling (Requirements in relation to Hazardous Materials on Ships) (Amendment etc.). The regulation will come into force from 31 December 2018.  

10. Ministry of Agriculture, Hong Kong amended Protection of Endangered species of Animals and plants ordinance (Click Here) on 6 November 2018

11. South Africa

• Department Of Energy published Notice No. 1209 on 06 November 2018 (Click Here) amending the regulations in respect of petroleum products


• Department Of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheriespublished Notice No. 1190 on 02 November 2018 (Click Here) regarding Plant Breeders’ Rights Act 1976

12. Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) published following

• Decision of the Board of the EEC No 176 published on 6 November 2018(Click Here) changes made to the Classifiers Used to Fill in Customs Documents which contains benefits for the payment of customs duties (Appendix 7); types of documents and information (Annex 8);features of the payment of customs and other fees charged by the customs authorities (Annex 10); countries of the world (Appendix 22).


• Decision of the Council of the EEC No 91 published on 6 November 2018 (Click Here) changes were made to certain issues related to goods for personal use. According to the changes, from January 1, 2019, the quantitative norms of duty-free import of goods by individuals for personal use are reduced. According to decision following conditions will apply ;

1. From January 1 to December 31, 2019, the rate of duty-free import of goods should not exceed 1000 euros, and weight - 50 kg.


2. From January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 inclusive - the cost of goods imported by individuals for personal use does not exceed the equivalent of 750 euros, and (or) the weight does not exceed 35 kg.


3. From January 1, 2021 - the cost does not exceed the amount equivalent to 500 euros, and (or) the weight does not exceed 25 kg.


4. Currently, until December 31, 2018, individuals are allowed to import goods for personal use duty-free, the cost of which does not exceed the equivalent of 1,500 euros and (or) the weight does not exceed 50 kg.


5. In terms of exceeding the value or weight norms, the rate of import customs duty in the amount of 30% of the customs value, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg of weight, is valid.

• Federal Customs Service of Russia on 6 November 2018(Click Here) informs about the ways to ensure the fulfillment of the obligation to pay customs duties, taxes, special, anti-dumping, countervailing duties.


• Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No 1293 of 2 November 2018 (Click Here) published the rates of the environmental tax for 2018 for each group of goods to be disposed of after they lose consumer properties paid by producers, importers of goods that do not provide independent recycling of waste from the use of goods.


• Decision of the Council of the EEC no 84 published on 30 October 2018 (Click Here) adopted technical regulations of the EAEU “On the safety of combustible natural gas prepared for transportation and (or) use.


• Decision of the Council of the EEC No 77 ,published on 30 October 2018 (Click Here) changes decision of the ECE Council on the labelling of fur clothing.


• Decision of the Council of the EEC No 75published on 30 October 2018 (Click Here) changes technical regulations of the Customs Union "Food products in part of its labelling. The criteria for the concepts of “easy readability”, “clarity” were clarified, requirements for font height were specified, which specify certain information when labelling food products, and requirements for placing information about a fictitious name of food products on packaging. 


• Decision of the Council of the EEC No 72 of 30 October 2018 (Click Here). New item marine passenger vessel HS 8901101009 added to the List of categories of goods whose temporary residence and use in the customs territory of the EAEU in accordance with the customs procedure for temporary admission (admission) are allowed without paying import duties and taxes.

13. Regulation (EU) 2018/1649 published on 5 November 2018 (Click Here) amending Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1334/2008 regards removal from the Union list of certain flavouring substances

14. Presidential Documents, USA Proclamation 9813 of October 30, 2018 (Click Here) modified the List of Products Eligible for Duty-Free Treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences. The corresponding MFN/ preferential tariff updated on the Indian Trade Portal – www.indiantradeportal.in.