India will Issue Late Certificate of Origin for FTA Exports, Retrospective Effect Due Covid 19 Lockdown

Foreign Government will Issue Corresponding Notice on Reciprocal Basis to Continue FTA Concessions on its Exports to India

[DGFT Trade Notice No. 59/2019-2020 dated 28 March 2020]

Subject: Retrospective Issuance of Certificates of Origin under India's Trade Agreements.

On account of the lockdown/curfew in India due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian agencies authorised, in accordance with Para 2.103 of Handbook of Procedure, 2015-2020, to issue the certificate of origin under India's free trade agreements (FTAs), comprehensive economic cooperation agreements (CECA), comprehensive economic partnership agreements (CEPA) and preferential trade agreements (PTAs) are temporarily closed and unable to issue the certificate of origin.

2. In view of these exceptional circumstances, the certificates would be issued retrospectively by the concerned Indian agencies after they open their offices. Therefore, in the interim period, the customs authorities and other competent authorities in the trading partners with whom India has a trade agreement may kindly allow the eligible imports under preferences on a retrospective basis subject to the subsequent production of the certificates of origin by the Indian exporters.

3. India would also stand ready to honour its preferential trade agreement imports subject to the respective governments also making a formal request or putting up a notice in this regard.

This issues with the approval of the competent authority.