KARACHI: Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has been advised to allow examination/ weighment should be allowed before filing goods declaration (GDs) in order to verify contents of containers.
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in its proposals for budget 2020/2021 submitted to the FBR said that as per proviso of para 1 Section 79 of Customs Act, 1969, in case of used goods, before filing of goods declaration, the owner can make a request to an officer of customs to permit the owner to examine the goods and thereafter make entry of such goods by filing a goods declaration.
“As per KYOTO Convention of WCO guidelines Standard 3.9 “Before lodging the goods declaration the declarant shall be allowed, under such conditions as may be laid by the customs (a) to inspect the goods; and (b) to draw samples,” the FPCCI said.
The apex trade body proposed that examination / weighment may be allowed before filing of goods declaration, in all cases, where the owner is in doubt about the contents of the consignment, especially in cases of machinery, fabrics, article of plastic and food items etc.
“Keeping in view the above facts, the weighment / examination before filing of goods declaration may be allowed for all class of goods,” the FPCCI advised.
The FPCCI also highlighted an issue related to time duration related to decision of cases as heavy demurrages were hampering economic activities.
The FPCCI said that as per sub-section 3 of Section 179 of Customs Act 1969 (IV of 1969) the cases are required to be decided within 90 days of the issuance of show cause notice or within such period extended by the collector for which reason shall be recorded in writing, but such extended period shall in no case exceed sixty days.
The FPCCI proposed that the period specified to decide the cases under sub-section 3 of section 179 should be fifteen working days instead of existing period i.e. 90 days and further the extended period of 60 days should be reduced to 07 working days as an estimated cost Rs.15000 to 20000 per day is incurred on a 40 ft container.
Therefore, to reduce the cost of doing business and trade facilitation the cases should be decided within 15 working days.
