The Government of India, through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's Department of Commerce (SEZ Division), has issued an important clarification regarding the implementation of the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE) at non-IT/ITES Special Economic Zones (SEZs). The directive, communicated via Letter No. J.16/3/2007-SEZ Vol-V on June 29, 2024, is set to take effect from July 1, 2024.
I am directed to refer to this Department's letter of even number dated 22.06.2024 on the subject mentioned above informing the roll-out of Customs Automated System (ICEGATE) across all non-IT/ITES SEZs with effect from July 01, 2024 and to issue public notices accordingly.
Department of Commerce has received several issues/queries from various stakeholders regarding smooth migration from SEZ-Online to ICEGATE with effect from July 01, 2024. This Department has also been requested to allow parallel filing in ICEGATE as well as SEZ-Online platform during the initial period of transition. The issues / apprehensions as well as requests have been examined in consultation with ADG (Systems), CBIC and following has been decided:
(i) ICEGATE shall be rolled out across all non-IT/ITES SEZs w.e.f. July 01, 2024. Accordingly, all stakeholders should be encouraged to use ICEGATE portal and discouraged to use SEZ-Online portal.
(ii) SEZ Units which migrate to ICEGATE w.e.f. July 01, 2024 shall be eligible to avail benefits under the RODTEP Scheme. Units filing the documents on SEZ-Online shall not be eligible to claim the said benefits.
(iii) On the requests received from various stakeholders, filing of documents by the units will also be allowed on SEZ-Online till July 15, 2024. However, it is clarified that no RODTEP benefits shall be available to such Units during the said period unless they migrate to ICEGATE.
(iv) It must be ensured that the Units which have once migrated to ICEGATE are not allowed to file documents on SEZ-Online portal again. However, the Development Commissioner may allow filing of documents/details to continue on SEZ-Online in respect of such modules which are not yet available on ICEGATE till the availability of the corresponding module(s) on ICEGATE.
(v) Bills of Entry (B/E) for clearance of goods imported prior to roll-out of ICEGATE for SEZs may continue to be filed on SEZ-Online, such imported goods having no footprint on ICEGATE. The "T" type B/E in ICEGATE meant for DTA clearance from trading/warehousing unit cannot be filed unless there is a corresponding "Z" type B/E, such details being mandatory.
(vi) Documents for clearance filed till June 30, 2024 [Bills of Entry (Import/DTA Sale), Shipping Bills, TR/PR, Zone to Zone Transfer) will be processed on SEZ-Online, as no record or footprint of goods imported would be available on ICEGATE.
You are requested to inform all stakeholders accordingly.
Official copy of the clarification has been attached below
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