EPCG in 1997-2002 Policy - Zero Duty

The notification provides for 'Zero' duty imports under EPCG scheme when the importer undertakes a higher export obligation.

Additional duty of 10% is attracted in the general case. Leather, textiles, agro and hotel industry are exempted.

Notification History: Original No. & Date: 29/01.04.97

Amended by 71/16.09.97, 89/12.12.97; 113/16.10.2002; 49/24.04.2002

08/23.04.98: Spare parts value enhanced to 20 percent of the value of capital goods imported under the notification.

Sub para (g) of para 10.2, that is, deemed exports to power, gas, and refinery sector allowed for retirement of export obligation.

09/23.04.98: Scheme extended to select export products upto the value of Rs one crore in accordance with the new Exim Policy.; 33/09.06.98; 42/30.06.98; 22/28.02.99; 60/03.08.98; 62/11.08.98; 66/26.08.98

74/09.10.98 -the word "engineering" inserted;

75/09.10.98 - Capital goods including jigs, fixture, dies and moulds have been omitted from the EPCG scheme concessional duty notifications. The concession is applicable only on spares import; 31/08.03.99; 56/11.05.99; 80/25.06.99; 92/15.07.99; 121/04.11.99.; 20/01.03.2000; 52/28.04.2000

Customs Notification text

Ntfn 29         In exercise of the powers                  0        See proviso     0
01.04.97       conferred by sub-section
                     (1) proviso of section 25 of the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962), the Central Government, being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do, hereby exempts goods specified in the Table annexed hereto from whole of the duty of customs leviable thereon which is specified in the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 (51 of 1975) and from so much of the additional duty leviable thereon under section 3 of the said Customs Tariff Act, as is in excess of the amount calculated at the rate of 10% of the value of goods:

Provided that where the said goods are required for -

(i) the manufacture of leather garments, textile garments (including knitwears), agro products and products of horticulture, floriculture, poultry and bio-tech products, marine products and software; or

(ii) rendering services by hotel industry and tourism industry, such goods shall be exempt from the whole of the additional duty leviable thereon under section 3 of the said Customs Tariff Act.

[Proviso substituted by 62/11.08.98 with the insertion of hotel industry for additional duty exemption.]

2. The exemption contained in paragraph 1, shall be subject to the following conditions, namely:-

1. The goods imported are covered by a valid licence issued under the Export Promotion Capital Goods (E.P.C.G.) Scheme in terms of Export and Import Policy permitting import of goods free of duty and the said licence is produced for debit by the proper officer of the customs at the time of clearance:

Provided that for the import of spare parts, the validity period of the licence shall be deemed to be the period permitted for fulfillment of the export obligation in full.

2. The importer executes a bond in such form and for such sum and with such surety or security as may be specified by the Assistant Commissioner of Customs binding himself to fulfill export obligation equivalent to six times the CIF value of the goods imported on FOB basis, or five times of the CIF value on Net Foreign Exchange basis as specified in the licence, or for such higher sum as may be fixed by the Licensing Authority, within a period of eight years from the date of issue of licence in the following proportions:-

SNo.

Period from the date of issue of licence

Proportion of total export obligation

1.

Block of 1st and 2nd year

Nil

2.

Block of 3rd and 4th year

15%

3.

Block of 5th and 6th year

35%

4.

Block of 7th and 8th year

50%

Provided further that export obligation of a particular block may be set-off by the excess exports made in the preceding block(s).

Provided that where the CIF value of licence is not less than Rs.100 crores, the export obligation shall be fulfilled within a period of 12 years from the date of issue of licence in the following proportions, namely: -

SNo.

Period from the date of issue of Licence

Proportion of Total Export Obligation

(1)

(2)

(3)

1.

Block of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Year

Nil

2.

Block of 6th 7th and 8th Year

15%

3.

Block of 9th and 10th Year

35%

4.

Block of 11th and 12th Year

50%:

Provided further that export obligation of a particular block may be set off by the excess export made in the said preceding block(s):

Provided also that.”; [Amended by 49/24.04.2002]

(a) with an obligation to export products of electronics, food processings, garments, leather, sport goods, gem & jewellery, agriculture, animal husbandry, floriculture, horticulture, Pisciculture, Viticulture, Poultry, Sericulture, bio-tech, engineering, textile and chemical sectors, or [The words "textile and chemical" inserted by Customs Notification No. 121/4.11.99]

(b) the export obligation shall be required to be discharged in six years from the date of issue of licence and the proportions of total export obligation for the block of 1st and 2nd year, 3rd and 4th year and 5th and 6th year shall respectively be 15%, 35% & 50%.

Provided also that in case of licence of CIF value of Rs. ten lakhs or more but less than twenty crores, where the licence is issued with an obligation to export products of software sector, the export obligation shall be required to be discharged in six years from the date of issue of licence and the proportion of total export obligation for the block of 1st and 2nd years, 3rd and 4th years, and 5th and 6th year respectively be 15%, 35% and 50%. [Substituted by 09/23.04.98; amended by Ntfn 121/ 04.11.99]

3. The importer produces within 30 days from the expiry of each block of two years from the date of issue of licence or within such extended period as the Assistant Commissioner of Customs may allow, evidence to the satisfaction of the Assistant Commissioner of Customs showing the extent of export obligation fulfilled, and where the export obligation of any particular block of two years is not fulfilled in terms of the preceding condition, the importer shall within three months from the expiry of the said block pay duties of customs of an equal amount equal to that portion of duties leviable on the goods but for the exemption contained herein which bears the same proportion as the unfulfilled portion of the export obligation bears to the total export obligation together with interest at the rate of 15% per annum from the date of clearance of the goods. [Amended by 113/16.10.02]

4. The importer shall, if he fails to discharge a minimum 25% of the export obligation prescribed for any particular block of two years for two consecutive blocks, be liable to pay forthwith, the whole of the duties of customs leviable on the goods imported but for the exemption contained in this notification together with interest at the rate of 15% per annum from the date of clearance of the goods. [Amended by 113/16.10.02]

5. The importer shall, if he fails to import goods, including the spares permitted for import during the entire period of export obligation, for a minimum value of twenty crores of rupees within two years from the date of issue of the licence or within such extended period as the licensing authority may allow, be liable to pay forthwith the whole of the duties of customs leviable on the goods imported but for exemption contained in this notification together with interest at the rate of 24% per annum from the date of clearance of the goods;

Provided that in case of licences issued

(a) with an obligation to export products of electronics, food processing, garments, leather, sport goods, gem and jewellery, agriculture, acquaculture, animal husbandry, floriculture, horticulture, pisciculture, viticulture, poultry, sericulture, bio-tech and engineering, textile and chemical sectors, or [The words "textile and chemical" inserted by Customs Notification No. 121/4.11.99]

(b) the minimum value together with the value of the spares specified in the Table annexed hereto shall be rupees one Crore.

Provided further that in case of licences issued with an obligation to export products of software sector, the minimum value together with the value of the spares specified in the Table annexed hereto shall be rupees ten lakhs.

Provided also that the aforesaid conditions of minimum value of import which is rupees twenty crores, or rupees one crore, or rupee ten lakhs, as the case may be, shall be deemed to have been complied with where the shortfall in import is within 10% of the limits so prescribed.

[The third proviso substituted by 33/09.06.98]

6. The capital goods imported, assembled of manufactured are installed in the importer’s factory or premises and a certificate from the jurisdictional Assistant Commissioner of Central Excise or independent Chartered Engineer, as the case may be, is produced confirming installation and use of capital goods in the importer’s factory or premises, within six months from the date of completion of imports or within such extended period as the said Assistant Commissioner of Customs may allow.

[Substituted by 42/30.06.98]

Provided that in case of-

(i)    manufacturer exporter and merchant exporter having supporting manufacturer(s) vendor(s),

(ii)   import of irrigation equipment for use in contract farming for export of agri-culture products, and

(iii) imported rendering services,-

        the capital goods may be installed at the factory/premises of such other persons whose name and address are endorsed on the license referred to in condition

(1) and where the bond for full difference of duty, if necessary in terms of condition

(2) with a Bank Guarantee is executed by the importer and such other person binding themselves jointly and severally to fulfill the export obligation and all other conditions of this notification and to pay duty with interest in case of default. [Amended by 52/28.04.2000]

7. Notwithstanding anything contained in conditions (3) and (4), where the Licensing Authority grants extension of block wise period for any block(s) or overall period of fulfilment of export obligation upto a period of two years or regularisation of shortfall in export obligation not exceeding 5% of such export obligation, the said block wise period or overall period of export obligation may be extended and the said shortfall in export obligation be condoned by the Assistant Commissioner of Customs or Deputy Commissioner of Customs:

Provided that in respect of licence of CIF value not less than Rs.100crores, extension of overall period of export obligation shall not be allowed. [Substituted by 49/24.04.02]

3. Where the goods are found defective or unfit for use, the said goods may be re-exported back to the foreign supplier within 3 years from the date of payment of duty on the importation thereof:

Provided that at the time of re-export the goods are identified to the satisfaction of the Assistant Commissioner of Customs or Deputy Commissioner of Customs as the goods which were imported. [Inserted by 52/28.04.2000].

Table

SNo.

Description of goods

(1)

(2)

1.

Capital goods.

2.

Capital goods in SKD/CKD condition to be assembled into capital goods by the importer.

3.

Components of capital goods required for assembly or manufacture of capital goods by the importer.

4.

Spare parts including Jigs, Fixtures, Dies, Moulds not exceeding 20% of the value of goods specified at serial nos. 1, 2 and 3 as actually imported and required for maintenance of capital goods so imported, assembled or manufactured. [Amended by 08/23.04.98]

Explanation- In this notification, -

‘(1)   Capital Goods" means,

(i)    any plant, machinery, equipment and accessories required for -

(a) manufacture or production of other goods, including packaging machinery and equipments, refractories, refrigeration equipment, power generating sets, machine tools, catalysts for initial charge, and equipment and instruments for testing, research and development, quality and pollution control;

(b) use in manufacturing; mining, agriculture, marine, aquaculture, animal husbandry, floriculture, horticulture, pisciculture, poultry, viticulture and sericulture; and

(c) in the case of hotel industry and tourism industry, plant, machinery, equipment and accessories required from rendering services, specified in the Annexure I; and

(d) in the case of marine products, plant, machinery, equipment and accessories, specified in Annexure II;

(e) manufacture of textile products, which are specified in Annexure III, and

(f) manufacture of chemical products, namely dye and dye intermediates and drug and drug intermediates, which are specified in Annexure IV;

[Explanation (1) substituted by 60/03.08.98; Sl. No. (b) and (c) amended by Ntfn 121/04.11.99; Sl. No. (e) and (f) inserted by Ntfn 121/04.11.99]

(2) “Export and Import Policy” means the Export and Import Policy April, 1997 - March 2002 published vide notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Commerce, 1/1992-2002 dated the 31st March 1997

(3) “Licensing Authority” means the Director General, Foreign Trade appointed under section 6 of the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 (22 of 1992) or an officer authorised by him to grant a licence under the said Act;

‘(4) “export obligation”,-

(i) in relation to importers other than hotel industry and tourism industry rendering services, means export to a place outside India of products manufactured with the use of capital goods imported, assembled or manufactured in terms of this notification or making of supplies of such products in terms of clauses (a), (b), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of paragraph 10.2 of the Export and Import Policy; and

(ii) in relation to hotel industry and tourism industry rendering services, means receiving payments in freely convertible foreign currency for services rendered through the use of such capital goods; [Clause (4) substituted by 60/03.08.98]

(iii) means, export of goods in terms of the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department of commerce) No 28 (RE-2003)/2002-2007 dated 28th January 2004. [Sub-clause 4(iii) inserted by 29/28.01.2004]

(5) “Net foreign exchange”, in relation to importers other than hotel industry and tourism industry, means FOB value of products exported in discharge or obligation in terms of this notification minus CIF value of inputs used in manufacture thereof where such inputs have been-

(a) imported by the importer directly against a licence or

(b) procured indigenously, for which the importer claims replenishment under the Duty Exemption Scheme as contained in Chapter 7 of the Export and Import Policy.

[Clause (5) substituted by 60/03.08.98]

(6) “product”, for the purpose of engineering sector, means,-

(a)   machine tools, parts and accessories thereof,

(b)   automotive components and accessories,

(c)   bicycle parts and accessories,

(d)   hand tools, cutting tools and small tools,

(e)   castings and forgings (ferrous and non-ferrous), all sorts,

(f)    pumps, electric motors and parts thereof,

(g)   fastners, all types (ferrous and non-ferrous),

(h)   bright bars and shafting,

(i)    scientific and surgical instruments.

[Clause (6) inserted by 74/09.10.98]

(7) “tourism industry” means, hotels, travel agents, tour operators or tourist transport operators, who are certified as Export House or Trading House or Star Trading House or Super Star Trading House in terms of notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Commerce, No.33 (RE-98) 1997-2002 dated the 26th November, 1998; [Sl. No. 7 inserted by 31/08.03.99]

Annexure – I

[See clause (i) of the explanation]

A.    Food and Beverges Equipment (other than Household type)

[Copy Available with ABS]