CBEC amends Bill of Entry norms to prescribe late charges

The Dollar Business Bureau

The Central Board of Excise and Customs has amended the Bill of Entry (Electronic Integrated Declaration) Regulations and Bill of Entry (Forms) Regulations – a part of the Customs Act, 1962 - to prescribe late charges for delayed filing.

The amendments have been made to prescribe a late charge for delayed filing of Bill of Entry. After the amendment, the importer will be required to present the bill of entry before the end of the next day after the aircraft or vessel or vehicle carrying the goods has arrived at a customs station at which such goods are to be cleared for home consumption or for warehousing.

The free period for filing a bill of entry is till the end of the next day following the day of arrival of goods.

Entry arrival date at sea ports and arrival date of cargo at the airports, ICD, Land Customs stations would be the date for determining the charges.

Furthermore, no charges will be incurred for late presentation of Bill of Entry if the goods have arrived before the enactment of Finance Bill, 2017.

Indian Custom EDI System (ICES) captures entry inwards or arrival of the goods. Since the date of arrival of cargo is critical for determining late charges for clearances at ICDs, the Board has made amendments in the handling of cargo to make it mandatory for the customs cargo service providers to provide information about the arrival of cargo to the customs.

CBEC has also notified that in case there is no wilful delay in filing the BoE, a commissioner rank officer can consider the requests for waiver of the late charge.