DGFT authorises KCCI to issue Certificates of Origin for J&K exporters

Srinagar, Feb 1: In a significant development, the Directorate General Foreign Trade (DGFT), has authorised the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries to issue a Certificate of Origin (Non- preferential) to exporters in J&K.

The DGFT had initially delisted KCCI from the roster of authorised institutions in September 2023. However, KCCI contested the decision, asserting that they had not received any compliance notification from DGFT and subsequently raised the issue with the Commerce Ministry. After persistent efforts by KCCI, DGFT issued a Public Notice Enlistment vide No.38/2023 on January 31, 2024.

Javed Tenga, President of KCCI, highlighted that it took four months of strenuous efforts to overturn the earlier decision, following the fulfilment of all requirements for onboarding on e-CoO on the Common Digital Platform.

Certificates of Origin are essential documents required by exporters in India to establish the origin of the goods they intend to export.
These certificates are issued by chambers and councils approved by DGFT.

"We considered it a challenge to regain the authority to issue certificates of origin as quickly as possible. KCCI was delisted due to some issues, and now that we have regained the authorisation, we are grateful to all our members who patiently stood by us," stated Javed Tenga, expressing his gratitude for the support received during the process.

The restoration of the authority is seen as a positive development for exporters in Jammu and Kashmir, allowing them to obtain Certificates of Origin from KCCI for their non-preferential exports.

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) expressed its gratitude to Director General of Foreign Trade Santosh Kumar Sarangi for reconsidering the earlier decision, as per Public Notice No 31/2023 dated 20-09-2023. The re-enlistment of KCCI as an authorised chamber to issue Certificates of Origin in Jammu & Kashmir has been hailed as a morale booster for exporters in the region. The exporter community welcomed the development, and KCCI extended its thanks to its members for their understanding and support during the de-enlisted period. The move is expected to facilitate smoother export processes for businesses in Jammu and Kashmir.