Customs relaxes rules in outsourcing by an authorized courier

The Dollar Business Bureau

The Director of Customs in its latest notification via circular no., 59/2016-Customs dated Dec 2, 2016, has agreed to relax certain rules in the clearance of imported courier shipments. Earlier an authorised Courier could not sub-contract/outsource functions permitted or required to be carried out by him to any other person, without the written permission of the Commissioner of Customs.

It is in this regard the Express Industry Council of India (EICI) had written to the Board that it is experiencing difficulty in obtaining permission each time they want to outsource any of the components in the door to door supply chain. EICI has further elaborated on the subject by saying that it is not viable and efficient for a courier operator to own entire supply chain and seek permission each time he/she needs to outsource certain components in the delivery chain.

An authorised courier performs varieties of activities during the process of assessment and clearance of the goods followed by delivery at the door. Some of these are core activities and critical to his role as an authorised courier whereas some are non-core activities. Like other sectors, it is understandable that an authorised courier would like to outsource some its non-core activities without the rigour of obtaining permission each time. As per the
said regulations, an authorised courier means a person engaged in the international transportation of the goods on an express door to door delivery basis and is registered in this behalf by the Principal Commissioner of Customs or Commissioner of Customs. The condition of taking permission for outsourcing activities in the sub-regulation (j) of the Regulation 13 is to ensure the integrity of the supply chain and also to protect the interests of the revenue.

In view of this, Board is of the view that relaxation from such permission merits consideration with regard to certain components of the supply chain before entry inwards/after clearance of the imported courier shipments and before carting in/after ‘Let Export’ of the export shipments. Accordingly, Board has decided that for functions namely pick-up or local delivery of export/imported courier packages/shipments, transportation for officials and housekeeping activities permission will not be required. Prior intimation would suffice. Needless to add, the authorised courier will ensure that due diligence is exercised and necessary checks carried out before outsourcing these activities.