Here is a comprehensive update of developments from India’s foreign trade during 16 – 23 April.

India

Authority: Ministry of Home Affairs

Notification: Clarification w.r.t exemptions of specific activities incl. supply of essential goods

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of Home Affairs

Notification: Standard Operating Procedure for movement of stranded labour with in State published

Notification number: NIL

Date: 19 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of Home Affairs

Notification: More Additions for Small and Medium Sectors in Exemption List for Lockdown

Notification number: NIL

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of Home Affairs

Notification: MHA issues order to exempt certain activities regarding Minor Forest Produce, Plantations, NBFCs, Cooperative Credit Societies and Construction in Rural Areas from Lockdown Restrictions to fight COVID-19

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of Home Affairs

Notification: MHA circular clarifying agri and horticulture activities

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Authority: Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Notification: Laying down of modalities for import of Peas and Pulses for the fiscal year 2020-21.

Notification number: Trade Notice No. 06/2020-2021

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Notification: Restriction on import of Pulses

Notification number: Trade Notice No. 05/2020-2021

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Notification: Procedure for allocation of quota for import of (i) Calcined Pet Coke for use as Calcined Pet coke (CPC) in Aluminium Industry and (ii) Raw Pet Coke for CPC manufacturing industry for the year 2020-2021 is notified

Notification number: Public Notice No. 04/2015-2020

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Authority: Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Notification: Formulations made of Paracetamol changed to free for exports. However, Paracetamol APIs remain restricted

Notification number: Notification No. 03/2015-2020

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Authority: Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Notification: Additional quantity of 745 MTRV (Seven Hundred and Forty-Five Metric Ton Raw Value) of raw cane sugar, for export to USA, under TRQ, up to 30.09.2020, has been notified

Notification number: Public Notice No. 03/2015-2020

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Authority: Directorate General of Foreign Trade

Notification: Import of additional quota of Urad (2.5 lakh MT) for the fiscal year 2019-20.

Notification number: Trade Notice No. 04/2020-2021

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Authority: Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs

Notification: IGST refunds on exports-extension in SB005 alternate mechanism- reg

Notification number: Circular No. 22/2020

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs

Notification: Review of Circular No. 17/2020 dated 03.04.2020 namely, ’’Measures to facilitate trade during the lockdown period- section 143 AA of the Customs Act, 1962’’ - reg

Notification number: Circular No. 21/2020

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs

Notification: Electronic Sealing-Deposit in and removal of goods from Customs Bonded Warehouses

Notification number: Circular No. 20/2020

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs

Notification: Exchange rate of one unit of foreign currency equivalent to Indian rupees

Notification number: Notification No.39/2020 - Customs (N.T.)

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of Steel

Notification: Order for extension of date of enforcement of 12 Indian Steel Products Standards published

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of Steel

Notification: Helpdesk established for taking up issues raised by various stakeholders including secondary steel producers

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Authority: Bureau of Indian Standards

Notification: SMART Registration – Discontinuation of offline test reports

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of Railway

Notification: Announcement of incentives for Freight traffic reg

Notification number: Press Release

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Authority: Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai

Notification: DG Shipping Order extended the validity of original DGS Order No. 7 and 8 reg

Notification number: Order No. 11

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Authority: Karnataka Government Secretariat

Notification: Additional activities permitted w.e.f 23rd April 2020 reg

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Authority: Revenue and Disaster Management Department

Notification: SOP for movement of goods, workers and opening of vehicle repair shops reg.

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of shipping

Notification: Exemption or remission of charges at Major Ports reg

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Office of the Commissioner of Customs, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh & Chandigarh

Notification: Special refund and drawback disposal drive reg

Notification number: Public Notice No. 16/2020

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Office of the Commissioner of Customs, Jodhpur

Notification: Special refund of drawback disposal drive by Customs (Jodhpur) reg

Notification number: Public Notice No. 16/2020

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Directorate General of Trade Remedies

Notification: Initiation of Anti-Dumping investigation concerning imports of "Copper & Copper Alloy Flat Rolled Products" originating in and exported from China PR, Korea RP, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand

Notification number: Case No. ADD-0I- 06/2020

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Authority: Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying

Notification: Extension of Validity of Sanitary Import Permit (SIP) due to COVID-19 Lockdown: SIP Portal is not functioning completely and not able to issue Sanitary Import Permits (SIPs) at present. Importers are advised not to import consignments of livestock products into the country without valid SIP, otherwise, such consignments will be straightaway rejected.

Notification number: NIL

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Authority: Embassy of India, Algeria

Notification: Algerian Economy and COVID 19- updated note received from Embassy of India

Notification number: NIL

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Authority: Government of Punjab, Department of Labour

Notification: Extension in working hours of factory workers

Notification number: NIL

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Authority: Department of Revenue and Disaster Management

Notification: Lock down measures guidelines reg. compressed

Notification number: NIL

Date: 19 Apr 2020

Authority: Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation

Notification: PCR Kits approved for testing of Covid-19 as on 19.04.2020

Notification number: NIL

Date: 19 Apr 2020

Authority: Ministry of Civil Aviation

Notification: 274 flights operated under Lifeline Udan to transport essential medical supplies across the country

Notification number: NIL

Date: 18 Apr 2020

Authority: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade

Notification: Review of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy for curbing opportunistic takeovers/acquisitions of Indian companies due to the current COVID-19 pandemic

Notification number: Press note 3

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Authority: NIL

Notification: UP guidelines for starting activities from 20 April 2020

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Authority: Department of Revenue

Notification: Permission of select activities as per MHA order reg

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Authority: Food Safety and Standard Authority

Notification: Direction under Section 16 (5) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 dated 16th April 2020 regarding extension of Provision of Provisional NIC (P-NOC) to other imported food products in view of the lockdown due to COVID-19 

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Authority: Office of the Development Commissioner MEPZ Special Economic Zone

Notification: Operation of SEZ and EOU under MEPZ SEZ reg

Notification number: NIL

Date: 15 Apr 2020

Authority: Office of the District Magistrate, Solan, Himachal Pradesh

Notification: Instructions for compliance w.r.t movement of workers, employees reg

Notification number: NIL

Date: 15 Apr 2020

Authority: Delhi Disaster Management Authority

Notification: Validity of e-passes extended till 03.05.2020 regarding

Notification number: NIL

Date: 14 Apr 2020

ASEAN

Country: Laos

Authority: NIL

Notification: Customs Procedures for Export-Import, Customs through Local and Customary Border

Notification number: No. 3708 / MOF

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Country: Indonesia

Authority: Indonesian Agricultural Quarantine Agency

Notification: Importation of Live Animals (Pet animals and Mammals) from importing country that is not free from COVID-19 should be accompanied by Certificate of Declaration free from COVID-19 (SARS-Cov-2) and Certification of Laboratory Analysis that the consignment (live animals) is negative tested COVID 19 (SARS-Cov-2) from accredited laboratory or authorised laboratory in the importing country. The measure effective from 21 April 2020

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Country: Indonesia

Authority: Ministry of Finance

Notification: Concerning Provision of Customs and / or Excise Facilities as well as Taxation of Imported Goods for the Purpose of Handling Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19)

Notification number: Regulation Number 34 / PMK.04 / 2020

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Country: Indonesia

Authority: NIL

Notification: Presidential Regulation concerning Amendment to Presidential Regulation Number 71 Year 2015 concerning Determination and Storage of Staple Goods and Important Goods

Notification number: Regulation No. 59

Date: 8 Apr 2020

Country: Indonesia

Authority: NIL

Notification: Presidential Regulation on the Arrangement and Simplification of Import Licensing

Notification number: Regulation No. 58

Date: 8 Apr 2020

Country: Indonesia

Authority: NIL

Notification: Provisions on the Use of National Sea Transportation and National Insurance for the Export and Import of Certain Goods

Notification number: Regulation No. 40

Date: 1 Apr 2020

Country: Indonesia

Authority: Ministry of Trade

Notification: Third Amendment to Regulation of the Minister of Trade No. 24 of 2018 concerning Provisions and Procedures for the Issuance of Certificate of Origin for Goods from Indonesia

Notification number: Regulation No. 39

Date: 1 Apr 2020

Country: Myanmar

Authority: Food and Drug Administration

Notification: New Cosmetics Recordings (New) Available on 20-4-2020

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Country: Myanmar

Authority: Food and Drug Administration

Notification: Certificate of Importation Medication issued on 20-4-2020

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Country: Myanmar

Authority: Food and Drug Administration

Notification: Certificate of Importing Medicines Imported on 20-4-2020

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Country: Myanmar

Authority: Ministry of Commerce

Notification: Announcement of the specifications for the value-added crops, particularly maize, sesame, pulses and beans

Notification number: Newsletter No. 2/2020

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Country: Philippines

Authority: NIL

Notification: Guidelines on the Registration of Organic Bio-control Agents (OBCA) Producers and Products

Notification number: Circular No. 05

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Country: Philippines

Authority: NIL

Notification: Guidelines on the Registration of Organic Soil Amendments (OSA) Producers and Products

Notification number: Circular No. 04

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Country: Philippines

Authority: Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry

Notification: Accepts Electronic Export Health Certificate during the enhanced community quarantine period

Notification number: NIL

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Country: Singapore

Authority: Singapore Food Agency

Notification: Maximum Residue limits established for pesticides

Notification number: NIL

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Country: Vietnam

Authority: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Notification: Approving internal processes in handling administrative procedures in the livestock domain under the management functions

Notification number: Decision 1466 / QD-BNN-CN

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Country: Vietnam

Authority: Minister of Industry and Trade

Notification: Amending Joint Circular 47/2011 / TTLT-BCT-BTNMT regulating the management of import, export and temporary import - re-export of substances that deplete the ozone layer under the provisions of the Montreal Protocol on substances depleting the ozone layer promulgated

Notification number: Circular 05/2020 / TT-BCT

Date: 20 Apr 2020

SAARC

Country: Nepal

Authority: Department of Food Technology and Quality Control

Notification: Precautionary measures for food business operator during COVID 19 pandemics.

Notification number: NIL

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Country: Nepal

Authority: Department of Food Technology and Quality Control

Notification: Notice for Import permit schedule during COVID 19 lockdown period.

Notification number: NIL

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Country: Sri Lanka

Authority: Department of Imports and Exports Control

Notification: Sri Lanka Customs and Commercial Banks are obliged to suspend the facilitation of importation of certain items under the payment term relating to Letter of Credit (LC), Documents against Acceptance (DA), Documents against Payment (DP), Advance Payment and combination of these, from April 16, 2020 to July 15, 2020.

Notification number: Gazette No 2171/05

Date: 16 Apr 2020

European Union

Authority: European Commission

Notification: Proposes amend Regulation (EU) 2018/848 by June 2020 on the provisions for the use of in-conversion and non-organic plant reproductive material. Some provisions can affect also organic operators in Third Countries

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Authority: European Commission

Notification: Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/167 as regards harmonised standards for certain international mobile telecommunications cellular networks equipment

Notification number: Decision (EU) 2020/553

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: European Commission

Notification: Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices, as regards the dates of application of certain of its provisions amended

Notification number: NIL

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Authority: European Commission

Notification: EU authorises the placing on the market of partially defatted chia seed (Salvia hispanica) powders as novel foods under Regulation

Notification number: NIL

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Authority: European Commission

Notification: EU makes correction to the Union list of novel foods concerning the specifications of Schizochytrium sp

Notification number: NIL

Date: 17 Apr 2020

MERCOSUR

Country: Argentina

Authority: National Food Commission

Notification: Simplifies the regulations applicable to the pickling process and expands the universe of pickled products and processed vegetables, packaged in acidic liquid coverage products

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Country: Brazil

Authority: Health Department

Notification: Resolution establishes criteria for the import of products for in vitro diagnosis of Coronavirus during the Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to the new Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Japan & South Korea

Country: Japan

Authority: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Notification: Notice on new coronavirus infectious diseases related to import and export of agricultural chemicals

Notification number: NIL

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Country: South Korea

Authority: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

Notification: Livestock Sanitation Management Act Enforcement Rules published

Notification number: Prime Minister No. 0161

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Australia

Authority: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Notification: Consumer Goods (Miniature Motorbikes) Safety Standard 2019: A regulation banning miniature motorbikes with unsafe design and introduces new requirements including a speed limiting device, warnings and user instructions

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment

Notification: Medium risk plants for use as nursery stock

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Authority: Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment

Notification: Import condition for processed grapes leaves established

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Authority: Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment

Notification: Temporary changes to operation of Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) facility at Mickleham during COVID-19

Notification number: Import Industry Advice Notice No. 57-2020

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Authority: Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment

Notification: Temporary measures to assist with assessment and issuance of import permits due to COVID-19

Notification number: Import Industry Advice Notice No. 56-2020

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Authority: Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment

Notification: Import condition for cacti for use as nursery stock

Notification number: NIL

Date: 17 Apr 2020

Russia

Authority: NIL

Notification: Announced duty-free import of medical products to combat COVID-19

Notification number: Order no. 545

Date: NIL

Canada & USA

Country: Canada

Authority: Pest Management Regulatory Agency

Notification: Adopted MRLs for tetraniliprole.

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Country: Canada

Authority: Health Canada

Notification: Canada proposes modification to the list of permitted food enzymes to enable the use of Phospholipase from Aspergillus oryzae AT969 in Bread, Flour, Whole Wheat Flour and Unstandardized Bakery Products

Notification number: NIL

Date: 20 Apr 2020

Country: USA

Authority: Department of Resource Recycling and Recovery, State of California

Notification: By 1 June 2021, proposes to adopt rules to clarify processes and develop criteria to determine the types of food service packaging that are reusable, recyclable, or compostable as required by the Sustainable Packaging for the State of California Act

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Jordan, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Switzerland, Tanzania and Taiwan

Country: Jordan

Authority: NIL

Notification: Plastic prices published

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Country: Jordan

Authority: NIL

Notification: Metal prices published

Notification number: NIL

Date: 22 Apr 2020

Country: South Arabia

Authority: Saudi Food and Drug Authority

Notification: Temporary changes to certification requirements for imported live animals and animal products/by-products

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Country: South Africa

Authority: Chief Veterinary Officer

Notification: Temporary changes to certification requirements for imported live animals and animal products/by-products

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Country: Switzerland

Authority: State Secretariat for Economic Affairs 

Notification: Temporary exemptions from the authorisation requirements, conformity assessment procedures for medical devices and personal protective equipment are introduced as well as import requirements for placing medicinal products on the market

Notification number: NIL

Date: 16 Apr 2020

Country: Tanzania

Authority: Tanzania Buru of Standards

Notification: Proposes to adopt standards for following products by June 2020 Edible ices, Samosa (Manda) and spring roll sheets, Pasta products, Ice cream cone

Notification number: NIL

Date: 21 Apr 2020

Country: Taiwan

Authority: Food and Drug Administration

Notification: Adopted an amendment to the Standards for Specification, Scope, Application and Limitation of Food Additives. The amendment is effective April 14, 2020.

Notification number: NIL

Date: 14 Apr 2020

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