The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) hosted an interactive session with Mr. P.K. Das, Member Customs & Special Secretary, CBIC and other senior Customs officials to create awareness about the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) scheme of the World Customs Organisation to facilitate global trade.

Senior Customs officials including Mr. A. P. S. Suri, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Mumbai Zone; Mrs V Rama Mathew, Commissioner of Customs; Mr. Pankaj Kumar, J C; Mr. R. S. Bhati, DC Customs and Mr. Bhramanand Prasad, DC (Export) were also present at the session.

Mr Das briefly explained the AEO certification which is based on a framework of standards to secure and facilitate global trade (SAFE). It can enhance ease of doing business at Customs and offer other benefits. Some of these are Express clearance of Import and Export; Mutual Recognition Agreement Benefits for export from India and Express Clearance in the country of foreign buyers; AEO category status 2 and status 3 holders can get benefit of paying import duty later, etc.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Pramod Agrawal, Chairman GJEPC thanked Mr Das for coming to Mumbai to listen to the concerns of exporters and to interact with them on AEO. He said that a number of exporters from the G&J industry have applied for recognition as AEO, including Bharat Diamond Bourse and Surat Hira Bourse.

He raised some of the other issues being faced by the industry at Customs with regard to exports such as increase on import duty of diamonds, need for a SOP for Import and Export through PCCCC at Mumbai, among others.

A number of leading exporters were present on the occasion and participated in the discussions, seeking clarifications about the AEO certification and other issues.