Issues such as providing timelines for import & export cargo clearance, use of IT tools to mitigate delays, reduce number of queries, and transparency regarding clearance of goods were discussed during a session held by Jawaharlal Nehru Customs House (JNCH) and Brihanmumbai Custom Brokers Association (BCBA).
To focus on faceless assessment in customs and reinforce the trade facilitation measures, Jawaharlal Nehru Customs House (JNCH) and Brihanmumbai Custom Brokers Association (BCBA) organised an interactive open house session for trade and industry, exporters and importers at IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi.
To facilitate EoDB, various initiatives were discussed such as providing the statutory timelines for clearance of import and export cargo, use of IT tools and EDI system to mitigate the delays, reduce the number of queries, create non-intrusive examination process, requirement of a nodal officer, transparency regarding clearance of goods under Customs (Administration of Rules of Origin under Trade Agreements) Rules, 2020 (CAROTAR, Rules, 2020).
One of the important requests made on behalf of the trade was to create a comprehensive escalation mechanism in digital format to help the trade and industry for quick redressal of the pending import consignments. Dushyant Mulani, President, BCBA, gave a detailed presentation based on the feedback received from the industry. While addressing the gathering, Rajesh Pandey, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone II, JNCH, announced the issuance of PN NO 46/2024—mid-year special drive (MSD), which will help to expedite the clearances substantially and help identify and remove the bottlenecks faced by the trade. This meeting is being held at the behest of the request made by FFFAI for revamping the faceless assessment structure and for gathering the feedback and understanding of real-time issues was vital, he conveyed.
Pandey also thanked the BCBA for organising the meeting with the trade and conveyed that accurate declaration along with documents would be essential to reduce the dwell time. Emphasising on the aspects of providing principles of natural justice to the trade and industry under faceless, he conveyed that custom brokers and the association being partners to the Customs Department need to work for faster turnaround of import and export cargo to make the logistics in the country efficient.
