Paper Import Monitoring System to help curb dumping, re-routing goods

New Delhi, Jul 12 (PTI) Introduction of the Paper Import Monitoring System (PIMS) will help curb dumping of the product and re-routing goods through other countries to take advantage of trade pacts, the commerce ministry said on Tuesday.

The ministry had in May made import registration under PIMS mandatory for inbound shipments of 201 types of paper and paper boards such as glazed newsprint, handmade paper and tissue paper.

The ministry has launched the system, under which an importer will have to provide advance information online about the import of these goods and obtain a registration number.

"Based on the demand of domestic paper industry, the introduction of PIMS is intended to curb imports under others category tariff lines, dumping of paper products in the domestic market by way of under-invoicing, entry of prohibited goods by mis-declaration, re-routing goods through other countries in lieu of trade agreements,' the ministry said.

It said if processing of these 201 products has taken place in special economic zone (SEZs), free trade and warehousing zone (FTWZ), and export oriented units (EOUs), then an importer in the domestic tariff area will require to register under PIMS.

However, this registration will not be required by the domestic territory (DTA) area units at the time of customs clearance from the SEZ/FTWZ/EOU to DTA if no processing has taken place of the item.

The system would come into effect from October 1. However, the online facility of registration will be available from July 15.

"The PIMS shall be applicable on import by a domestic territory area unit on a wide range of paper products covering 201 tariff lines, such as newsprint, handmade paper, coated paper, and uncoated paper," it added.

However, paper products like currency paper, bank bond and cheque paper, and security printing paper have been excluded from mandatory registration. PTI RR RR ABM ABM