DGFT Notifies Authorised Agencies for Issuance of Certificate of Origin Under India–UK CETA
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has issued a Public Notice amending Appendix 2B of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 to notify the authorised agencies permitted to issue Preferential Certificates of Origin (CoO) under the India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (India–UK CETA).
This is a procedural trade facilitation update aimed at operationalising the Certificate of Origin issuance framework under the newly introduced agreement.
What Has Changed?
DGFT has included India–UK CETA in Appendix 2B of FTP 2023 and officially notified the agencies authorised to issue Preferential Certificates of Origin for exports to the United Kingdom under the agreement.
The notification covers multiple sector-specific and regional authorities authorised to issue CoO based on product categories and jurisdiction.
List of Authorised Agencies Under India–UK CETA
S.No. | Name of the Agreement | Authorized Agencies | Product Assigned to each agency |
20. | India-United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (India-UK CETA) | Directorate General of Foreign Trade and its regional offices | All products |
Export Inspection Council and Export Inspection Agencies | All products | ||
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) | Agricultural Products | ||
Marine Products Export Development Authority and regional offices | Marine products | ||
Central Silk Board and regional offices | Silk products | ||
Coir Board | Coir and Coir products | ||
Development Commissioner, Handicraft and regional offices | Handicrafts | ||
Spices Board | Spices and Cashew nuts | ||
Textile Committee and regional offices | Textiles and Clothing | ||
Tobacco Board | Tobacco and Tobacco products | ||
Cochin Special Economic Zone | All products by Units in SEZs and EOUs located within the jurisdiction of the Zonal Development Commissioner | ||
Falta Special Economic Zone | All products by Units in SEZs and EOUs located within the jurisdiction of the Zonal Development Commissioner | ||
Kandla Special Economic Zone | All products by Units in Surat SEZs and all SEZs and EOUs located within the jurisdiction of the Zonal Development Commissioner | ||
MEPZ Special Economic Zone | All products by Units in SEZs and EOUs located within the jurisdiction of the Zonal Development Commissioner | ||
NOIDA Special Economic Zone | All products by Units in SEZs and EOUs located within the jurisdiction of the Zonal Development Commissioner | ||
SEEPZ Special Economic Zone | All products by Units in SEZs and EOUs located within the jurisdiction of the Zonal Development Commissioner | ||
Vishakhapatnam Special Economic Zone | All products by Units in SEZs and EOUs located within the jurisdiction of the Zonal Development Commissioner |
Impact on Exporters
This notification provides operational clarity for exporters intending to claim preferential tariff benefits under India–UK CETA.
By formally identifying the authorised agencies, DGFT has enabled exporters across various sectors to initiate Certificate of Origin issuance through the appropriate authorities based on their product category and business jurisdiction.
The inclusion of specialised export promotion bodies such as APEDA, MPEDA, Spices Board, Textile Committee, and sector-specific boards is expected to improve administrative efficiency and streamline processing for exporters.
The notification is also important for businesses operating in SEZs and EOUs, as designated SEZ authorities have been specifically empowered to issue CoO within their respective jurisdictions.
Compliance Perspective
Exporters intending to avail benefits under India–UK CETA should ensure that Certificate of Origin applications are filed through the correct authorised agency based on product classification and operational jurisdiction.
Businesses should also maintain adequate supporting documents relating to origin qualification, product eligibility, and export records to avoid future verification or compliance issues.
Proper agency selection and documentation accuracy will play an important role in smooth utilisation of preferential duty benefits under the agreement.
How Preface Consulting Can Help
Preface Consulting assists exporters with:
- Certificate of Origin advisory
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- Export documentation management
- Customs and international trade consulting
Our team helps businesses streamline compliance processes and efficiently manage export-related regulatory requirements.