|
No.14/005/106/2006
Feb 17, 2006
Members of the Council,
Dear Members,
Sub: Improvement in the quality and timely availability of International Trade Data
We invite your kind attention to the Council’s Circular No.07/MRU/DGCI&S/2005 dated 1st Oct 2005 on the captioned subject.
In the said circular, it was mentioned that the export data, which is captured by Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence & Statistics (DGCI&S) from the Shiping Bills filed by the exporters had several errors in terms of classification of the export items according to ITC HS classification. Several errors were also found in terms of quantity. In some cases the chapter numbers were also wrongly mentioned in the Shipping Bills not matching with description of the item.
Similar discrepancies /errors were found in the import data which is taken from the Bills of Entry filed for different items of imports.
Apparently, the wrong classifcation / codes and quantity errors result in compilation of in-appropriate data on international trade of the country. Obviously such in-appropriate data provide incorrect trends in the export-import trade. Therefore, Government as well trade and industry is seriously concerned about the present state of affairs relating to trade data collection.
Needless to mention that reliable and timely trade is a fundamental requirement for both the Government as well as the Trade & Industry in making necessary analysis and also to formulate appropriate international trade strategies.
In this connection, the Council had organized Seminars / Workshops in different regions on “Importance of quality Trade Data”. These programmes were conducted in association with officals from DGCI&S, Customs Department and representatives from Customs House Agents Associations.
The basic objective of such programmes was to sensitize the members of trade & industry about the need for improving the quality and timely availability of international trade data and to emphasis on furnishing correct information about the description of the items with its relevant ITC HS classification and unit of measurement.
In this backdrop, the Council once again request the member-exporters to kindly provide correct information about export items in the shipping bills with relevant ITC HS Codes. Also in respect of Bills of Entry for import items.
A detailed list of ITC(HS) codes in respect of leather & leather products including footwear falling under Chapter 41,42,43 & 64, as published by the DGFT / DGCI&S is forwarded once again for information and necessary reference. Kindly use these classification codes, while preparing the Shipping Bills / Bills of Entry for export-import items.
While on the subject, we would like to mention that in case these are any new products which cannot be classified separately under the existing ITC(HS) codes, you may please furnish the suggestion in the following format.
| S.No. |
Description
of Item |
Suggested
ITC (HS)
Codes |
Unit
of Measurement
(Pieces/ Pairs/ sq.ft./ kg) |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Further, the unit measurements for different items are presently given in ITC HS Classification in Chapter 41,42,43 & 64. In case you feel that these units of measurements are not appropriate for the respective commodity / product of export-import, please provide your suggestion for changing Unit of Measurement in the following format.
| S.No |
Description of
items |
ITC HS
Codes |
Present unit
of
measurement |
Suggested
Unit of
Measurement |
Justification |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
Based your suggestions in these formats, the Council shall take up with DGFT for notifying the new items with appropriate classification code in the ITC (HS) classification of Export-Import items and also to change the unit of measurement .
Member-exporters may kindly note all the above matters and take suitable action in this regard immediately.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
K Abdul Sattar Khan
Assistant Director
|
