CBIC again defers e-sealing on deposit, removal of goods from customs warehouses

The customs department has deferred the implementation of mandatory electronic sealing for deposit and removal of goods from customs warehouses for the fourth time.

The requirement of e-sealing of goods was to come into effect from January 1, 2019.

The customs department had in June last year decided that radio-frequency identification (RFID) sealing shall be required on transport of goods for deposit in a warehouse as well as removal therefrom.

Therefore, wherever the 'warehousing regulations' prescribe affixing of a 'one-time lock', the importer or owner of the goods shall use RFID anti-tamper one-time-locks.

The e-sealing requirement for deposit in and removal of goods from customs bonded warehouses was originally to come into effect from August 15, 2018, which was then deferred to October 1, 2018. Its implementation was again postponed to November 1, 2018, and then further to January 1, 2019.

In a letter to principal chief commissioners/chief commissioners of customs, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) said the implementation of the e-sealing norms stands deferred.

"The board has decided to further defer the implementation" of electronic sealing for deposit in and removal of goods from customs bonded warehouses, the CBIC said.