Afghanistan Included in SAFTA Rules of Origin

[Ref: Notification No. 27/2013 – Customs (N.T.) dated 1 March 2013]

In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 5 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 (51 of 1975), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules to amend the Determination of Origin of Goods under the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) (here in after referred to as the “Agreement”) between the Government of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Member States comprising the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Kingdom of Bhutan, the Republic of India, the Republic of Maldives, the Kingdom of Nepal, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 2006, namely:-

1. (1) These rules may be called the Determination of Origin of Goods under the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) (here in after referred to as the “Agreement”) between the Government of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Member States comprising the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Kingdom of Bhutan, the Republic of India, the Republic of Maldives, the Kingdom of Nepal, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Amendment) Rules, 2013.

(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

2. In rule 1 of the Determination of Origin of Goods under the Agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) between the Government of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) Member States comprising the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, the Kingdom of Bhutan, the Republic of India, the Republic of Maldives, the Kingdom of Nepal, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, 2006, in sub-rule (1) for the words “the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka”, the words and figures “the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan” shall be substituted.

[F. No. 467/30/2003-Cus.V]