Azo Dyes Testing Exempted for EU, China, Serbia, Poland and Denmark

[DGFT Notification No. 19 dated 4^th September 2015]

Subject: Amendment of General Notes No.10 regarding Import Policy.

In exercise of powers conferred by Section 3 of FT (D&R) Act, 1992, read with paragraph 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2015-2020, as amended from time to time, the Central Government hereby amends the General Note 10 Regarding Import Policy under ITC (HS), 2012 – Schedule – 1 (Import Policy). The amended General Note 10 shall read as under:

2. Heading: Textile and Textile Articles Containing Hazardous Dyes:

I. Import of textile and textile articles is permitted subject to the condition that they shall not contain any of the hazardous dyes whose handling, production, carriage or use is prohibited by the Government of India under the provisions of clause (d) of subsection (2) of Section 6 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with the relevant rule(s) framed thereunder. For this purpose, the import consignments shall be accompanied by a pre-shipment certificate from a textile testing laboratory accredited to the National Accreditation Agency of the Country of Origin. The details of Accredited Agencies are available in: http://ilac.org/signatory-search/?q=all.

II. In cases where such certificates are not available, the consignment will be cleared after getting a sample of the imported consignment tested & certified from any of the agencies

(i) Textiles Committee of Ministry of Textiles (http://textilescommittee.nic.in/) and its various testing facilities,

(ii) Central Silk Technological Research Institute (CSRTI) (located at Bangluru, Karnataka) and Eco Testing Laboratory Central Silk Technological Research Institute (located at Bhagalpur, Bihar, and Varanasi Uttar Pradesh); of the Central Silk Board (the details can be accessed from the website of the Central Silk Board: http://csb.gov.in). The sampling will be based on the following parameters:

a. At least 25% of samples are drawn for testing instead of 100%.

b. While drawing the samples, it will be ensured by Customs that majority samples are drawn from consignments originating from countries where there is no legal prohibition on the use of harmful hazardous Dyes.

c. The test report will be valid for a period of six months in cases where the textile/textile articles of the same specification/quality are imported and the importer, supplier and the country of origin are the same.

III. However, the above procedure at 2. I and II, regarding testing of Textiles and Textile Articles for presence of Azo Dyes, will not be applicable for imports originating from the countries as listed in Appendix-2X, where the use of Azo Dyes in Textiles and Textile Articles is banned.

3. Effect of this notification

Textiles and Textile Articles originating from specific countries as in para 2.III above are exempted from testing of samples for presence of Azo Dyes.

[DGFT Public Notice No. 32 dated 4^th September 2015]

Subject: Incorporating a new Appendix.

In exercise of powers conferred under Paragraph 2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2015-20, the Director General of Foreign Trade hereby amends the Appendices under Foreign Trade Policy, 2015 – 20 by incorporating a new Appendix to be known as Appendix–2X enlisting the countries wherefrom import of Textiles and Textile Articles is exempted from testing of samples for presence of Azo Dyes as per General Notes 10(III) as incorporated vide Notification No.19 /2015-2020, dated 4 th September, 2015.

APPENDIX- 2 X

Testing of Textiles and Textile Articles for presence of Azo Dyes will not be required for imports originating from the following countries:

I. European Union (EU) Countries

II. Serbia

III. Poland

IV. Denmark

V. China

2. Effect of this Public Notice

The Appendix–2X is being introduced in the Appendix and Ayat Niryat Forms of FTP 2015-20 listing the countries wherefrom import of Textiles and Textile Articles is exempted from testing of samples for presence of Azo Dyes.