Member Customs Assures APTMA Of Resolving EFS Related Issues

Member Customs, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Mukarram Jah Ansari Tuesday assured the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) of resolving all customs-related issues on priority

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Sep, 2022 ) :Member Customs, Federal board of Revenue (FBR) Mukarram Jah Ansari Tuesday assured the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) of resolving all customs-related issues on priority.

He was speaking to the APTMA members during his visit to APTMA House here. Chief Collector Customs Ms. Rabab Sikandar, Director General IOCO Mubashar Baig, Collector Customs Appraisement, Lahore, Ms. Anbreen Tarar, Collector Customs Faisalabad Saeed Wattoo and Collector Customs Sialkot Nayar Shafiq also accompanied the Member Cuatoms on the occasion. APTMA Chairman Northern Zone Hamid Zaman along with Senior Vice Chairman Kamran Arshad and Secretary General Raza Baqir werea also present.

Member Customs said that exports were the top priority of the government and keeping this in view APTMA was the very first organisation, he was visiting after assuming the office of Member FBR.

He said necessary changes would be incorporated in the relevant rules, regulations and laws whenever required. He added Pakistan Single Window was being upgraded and some 74 departments would be incorporated in it. He added that Port Community System and trade information portal would also be in place to facilitate the industry and necessary awareness sessions would be arranged shortly for information of trade and industry.

He continued to state that in order to develop indirect export module for Export Facilitation Scheme (EFS) before mid October, 2022. He also appointed Collector Faisalabad as focal person to resolve issues relating to wastages etc. of textile sector, and also to resolve audit issues of the industry.

He asked APTMA to appoint a focal person to resolve issues on the module related to indirect exporters.

In his welcome address, Chairman APTMA North Zone Hamid Zaman highlighted several impediments in the implementation of the EFS introduced in July 2021.

According to him, the Indirect Export Module had yet not been deployed and manual filing of indirect export GDs (goods declaration) creating banking and refund difficulties. He also pointed out that the department was not allowing transfer of plant and machinery in case of the merger of the production units.

He said the concept of revolving values should be introduced where the amount of exported goods may be automatically restored in approved value. Also, automatic switching from any existing scheme to EFS without audit etc., should be allowed under the scheme.

He said the system should show available face value. Module for zero rated procurement of local inputs not yet implemented, which required immediate attention.

He said the renewal of manufacturing bond licenses held up for want of PCA audit was resulting in suspension of whole manufacturing and exports.

According to him, custom duty may be charged at the net transactional value, excluding freight, port handling charges etc., as the WTO agreement authorizes member states to include or exclude such charges.

He said that a lack of coordination between shipping line and customs was causing delays. There was a need of introducing digital audit and doing away with routine audit of calling voluminous record of all imports, purchases, manufacturing / supplies.

He also suggested the implementation of open door policy at least for two hours a day.

Kamran Arshad presented vote of thanks while a memento was also presented to the visiting Member Customs at the end of the meeting.