Chief Commissioner to Examine 7 Day Plus Import Delay Cases

[CBEC Circular F.No.450/25/2009-Cus.lV dated 18^th November 2015]

Subject: Trade facilitation - Monitoring of pending bills of entry

While reviewing various measures put in place for trade facilitation in recent months including the Customs Clearance Facilitation Committee, the Board has felt that Commissioners and Chief Commissioners need to increase their involvement by closely monitoring pending Bills of Entry. It has been decided that all Commissioners shall put in place an operating procedure by which they shall receive a list of all Bills of Entry pending for more than 72 hours from the time of either 'entry inwards' or filing of bill of entry, whichever is later. Each such case will be reviewed by the Commissioner with the Group to examine the reasons for delay and in particular qualitatively evaluate the queries raised, if any.

2. Similarly, the Board has desired that Chief Commissioners shall review all pending Bills of Entry, which are not cleared within 7 days (from date & time of 'entry inwards' or filing of bill of entry, whichever is later) with the Commissioners and Group.

3. This exercise must be viewed not only as a measure for trade facilitation but also as ongoing exercise for reviewing performance of the Appraising Groups. In the course of examining cases where inordinate delays in clearance are noticed by Chief Commissioners due to any systemic faults, the same should be taken up for remedial measures. Those involving coordination with other departments should be taken up as agenda items in CCFCs. Any such issue which may require the intervention of the Ministry shall be referred to the undersigned for taking up in the Central Customs Clearance Facilitation Committee. Further, reduction of overall dwell time may be closely monitored month on month and progress achieved in this regard may be communicated.