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Electronic filing of Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP)

Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP)

Electronic filing of Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP)

The Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a Trade Notice for Electronic filing of Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO) for India’s Exports from 15th April 2021. The trade notice given by DGFT informed that the Common Digital Platform is being expanded beyond the Preferential Certificate of Origin to facilitate electronic filing and issuance of Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin.

Synopsis of DGFT Trade Notice

The synopsis of the DGFT Trade Notice about the Electronic filing of Non – The preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) is as follows:

  • The Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) applications for exports need to be submitted through the e-COO platform to the designated issuing agencies.
  • No manual application for such a CoO should be submitted to an issuing agency after 15.04.2021. However, any manual applications submitted before the prescribed date may be processed by the issuing agencies.

Non-preferential Certificate of Origin

Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) states that the goods being exported are not given any preferential tariff treatment, and the due duties must be levied upon the goods being moved.

Common Digital Platform for Issuance of Certificate of Origin – CoO e-platform

The standard digital platform is single-point access for Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) for all Free Trade Agreements for all agencies and all products. This CoO e-platform is designed to facilitate exporters through a secure, electronic, paperless Certificate of the Origin issuance process. All designated Certificate of Origin issuing agencies are required to work through this portal.

Important Announcement for Exporter

Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin export applications must be submitted through the e-COO platform to the designated issuing agencies.

No manual application for such a CoO should be submitted to an issuing agency after 15.04.2021. However, any manual applications submitted before the prescribed date may be processed by the issuing agencies.

Manual submission of GSP CoO applications

  • Applications for Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin must be submitted through the e-CoO platform from 15th April 2021. However, there shall be a transition period for CoO (NP) issuing agencies to onboard this common digital platform.
  • Submitting CoO (NP) applications on this online platform shall not immediately be mandatory for the exporters.
  • The existing procedure of submitting paper CoO applications directly to the designated issuing agency shall also be in operation in parallel.
  • Submission and issuance of CoO (NP) by the issuing agencies through their paper-based system may continue until 31st July 2021or until further orders.

Features of online Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin applications

For Online Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin applications, the e-CoO system will generate a set of three CoO leaves, i.e., electronic, original, and duplicate.

  • The electronic copy shall bear the officer’s image signature and the issuing agency’s stamp.
  • The other copies shall not bear the image sign and seal of the issuing agency.
  • Wherever required, the exporter may choose to get the prints of these remaining copies duly signed in wet ink by the issuing officer along with the stamp of the issuing office.

As part of this online CoO (NP) application process, the exporters can also choose to avail of the option of requesting attestation of the supporting documents submitted with the application.

These wet ink signed copies of the CoO(NP), and the attested documents (if any) may be collected by the applicant exporter by post or in person for suitable submission to the concerned authorities in the importing country.

The authenticity of the online CoO (NP) issued shall be verifiable through the QR code displayed on the certificate. Verification may also be done by keying the certificate number at the verification link on the e-CoO platform.

Exporter Registration in Common Digital Platform

The concerned Exporters may please take note of the following additional points for registering in the Common Digital Platform:

  • Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) would be required for electronic verification. The digital signature would be the same as used in other DGFT applications
  • The digital signature may be Class II or Class III and should have the IEC of the firm embedded in the DSC
  • Any new applicant exporter needs to register at the e-platform initially. The password will be sent to the email and mobile number of the IEC holder.
  • If the IEC holder desires to update the email on which communication is sent, the same will be done using the ‘IEC profile Management’ service on the DGFT website.
  • Once registration is completed, the IEC branch details will be auto-populated as per the DGFT-IEC database.
  • The applicant is required to ensure that updated IEC details are available in the DGFT system. Necessary steps may be taken to modify the IEC details online, whenever required

Documents Required for Non – Preferential Certificate Origin (CoO NP)

The following documents need to be submitted to get the Non – Preferential Certificate Origin (CoO NP):

  • Details of quantum/origin of inputs/consumables used in the export product.
  • Two copies of Invoices
  • Packing List in duplicate for concerned invoice

Fee for Non – Preferential Certificate Origin (CoO NP)

The exporter needs to pay a fee not exceeding Rs.100 per certificate as may be prescribed by the concerned agency.

Exporter Registration Procedure

The exporter must access the Common Digital Platform’s official website to issue a Certificate of Origin. Before proceeding with the registration process, confirm the following:

  • Exporters must update the IEC details on the DGFT portal (precisely mobile number & email id) as every basic information regarding exporter required will be fetched from there only.
  • Exporters need to obtain the Digital Signature Certificate containing the IEC and the name of any listed director in the IEC portal of DGFT.
Electronic filing of Non - Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) - Homepage
Electronic filing of Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) – Homepage

Click on the Registration option from the home page, or the already registered user can log in to the portal using the credentials.

Electronic filing of Non - Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) - User Registration
Electronic filing of Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) – User Registration

Insert the Digital Signature Certificate and Enter ten digit IEC Code to start the registration process. Read Declaration, select “I Agree,” and submit “Save & Next” to proceed with the registration.

Check the details and furnish the required information as required. On successful registration, the exporter can go to the login screen and log in with the credentials received by email.

  • User Name – Registered IEC (10-digit alphanumeric/numeric code)
  • Password – As received in the email.

Procedure to Apply Non – Preferential Certificate Origin (CoO NP) through Common Digital Platform

From the Home page of Common Digital Platform, click on the online exporter Registration and login option. Provide the credentials along with the captcha and click on the login button.

Electronic filing of Non - Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) - Login
Electronic filing of Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) – Login

After login into the portal, the dashboard will display; select the online application for Non – The preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO) option. The application form will demonstrate and provide all mandatory details:

After furnishing the details, upload the digitally signed documents and click on submit button.

Note: You must attach DSC for uploading the documents and submitting the application.

Click on the Preview Certificate to View the draft CoO NP / Click make Payment to initiate the payment process. After successful application submission, the exporter will receive an alert in the form of email and SMS. The same also is informed to the office where the application is filled.

Get the Certificate of Origin (CoO)

After submitting applications, the Common Digital Platform will generate all the existing CoO NP copies along with an additional one, i.e., an electronic one. The electronic copy shall bear the officer’s image signature and the issuing agency’s stamp. The exporter may get the remaining copies duly ink-signed by the issuing officer with authorization from the designated issuing office. The compositions of the CoOs so issued may be collected by post or in person for any submission to the FTAs/PTA’s partner countries’ authorities.

The DGFT’s notification about the Electronic filing of Non – Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) is as follows:

Trade Notice 48 -Launch of NP CoO

Extension of Date for e-Filing of Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP)

The Director-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has extended the Date for Mandatory electronic filing of Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin (CoO NP) through the Common Digital Platform vides a Trade Notice No. 04/2022-2023 dated 27th April 2022.

With this notification, DGFT informed us that the transition period for mandatory e-filing of the Non-Preferential Certificate of Origin had been extended till 1st August 2022. Meanwhile, the existing systems for submitting and processing non-preferential CoO applications in manual/paper mode are allowed.