Physical copy of CoO for exports to Thailand & Vietnam

Earlier on April 7 this year, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a trade notice in view of the movement restrictions in place due to COVID-19 pandemic in India wherein, the designated agencies were enabled to issue digitally signed electronic CoO.

Subsequently, the ministry of commerce and industry received various representations from exporters expressing difficulties in obtaining preferential access in Thailand and Vietnam based on the digitally signed electronic CoO.

"In view of above, the earlier procedure of issuing physical copy of Certificate of Origin (CoO) by the designated agencies for exports to Thailand to Vietnam under ASEAN-India FTA is being restored. The CoO applications under ASEAN-India FTA for exports to Thailand and Vietnam should now be submitted manually by the exporters to the offices of the designated issuing agencies i.e. EIA, MPEDA and Textile Committee," DGFT said in its Trade Notice No. 12/2020-2021.

The e-platform (coo.dgft.gov.in) will not accept CoO applications submitted for exports destined to Thailand and Vietnam. However, the e-platform shall continue to accept and process CoO applications for export to other countries under ASEAN-India FTA, the trade notice said.

"These agencies (EIA, MPEDA and Textile Committee) will henceforth issue the Certificate of Origin in physical paper format as was being done before issuance of Trade Notice 01/2020-21 dated 07.04.2020 for Thailand and Vietnam, till further Notice," the DGFT notice said.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)