Efforts required to Reduce the compliance burden for citizens and business activities

Circular No. ES/113/2021-22 26^th July, 2021

To: Members of the Council

Sub: Efforts required to Reduce the compliance burden for citizens and business activities

Dear Member,

We would like to inform you that CBIC has issued Circular No. 17/2021-Customs dated 23^rd July, 2021 on the above subject.

As you may aware, the Govt. of India has been focussing its efforts to reduce compliance burden for citizens and business activities. With this endeavour, various procedures and requirements stated under various provisions in the Customs Act,1962 are being revisited so that compliances under these laws can be simplified/dispensed with, in order to enhance ease of doing business and minimize regulatory compliances.

It is to mention that, CBIC has undertaken a series of next generation reforms under the umbrella of ‘Turant Customs’ initiative to enable Faceless, Paperless and Contactless clearance, leading to enhanced Ease of Doing Business.

Accordingly, the Board has decided to abolish renewals of Licence/Registration in Customs Brokers Licensing Regulations, 2021 and Sea Cargo Manifest and Transhipment Regulations, 2018 incorporating the following changes:

To provide lifetime validity of the licenses/registrations;
To enable provision for making the licenses/registrations invalid in case the licensee/registration holder is inactive for the period exceeding 1 year at a time;
To empower Principal Commissioner or Commissioner of Customs to renew a license/registration which has been invalidated due to inactivity; and
To provide for voluntary surrender of license/registration.

Considering the far implications of these measures, it has been decided that above changes will be reviewed after six months (i.e. January 2022) by the Board for its impact and bring changes, if necessary.

For detailed information, members may kindly refer to Circular No. 17/2021-Customs dated 23^rd July, 2021.

Members are requested to kindly make a note of the above.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

S. BALARAJU
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR