Testing of imported Textile/Textile Articles for its composition and Hazardous Dyes

PUBLIC NOTICE No. 81 /2015 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (N.S.- IV) JAWAHARLAL NEHRU CUSTOM HOUSE, NHAVA SHEVA, TAL: URAN, DIST: RAIGAD, MAHARASHTRA- 400 707. F.No. S/26-Misc- 898/2015-16 Gr-III Date:15.10.2015 PUBLIC NOTICE No. 81 /2015 Sub: Testing of imported Textile/Textile Articles for its composition and Hazardous Dyes – reg. Attention of all Importers, Customs Brokers and Public is invited to the Boards Circular No. 23/2004 dated 15.03.2004 on the above mentioned subject and DGFT Notification No. 19/2015- 2020 dated 04.09.2015 and DGFT Public Notice No. 32/2015-2020 dated 04.09.2015. 2. Import of textile and textile articles is permitted subject to the condition that they shall not contain any of the hazardous dyes whose handling, production, carriage or use is prohibited by the Government of India under the provisions of clause (d) of subsection (2) of Section 6 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with the relevant rule(s) framed there under. For this purpose, the import consignments shall be accompanied by a pre-shipment certificate from a textile testing laboratory accredited to the National Accreditation Agency of the Country of Origin. The details of Accredited Agencies are available in: http://ilac.org/signatory-search/?q=all. 3. In cases where such certificates are not available, the consignment will be cleared after getting a sample of the imported consignment tested & certified from any of the agencies (i) Textiles Committee of Ministry of Textiles (http://textilescommittee.nic.in/) and its various testing facilities, (ii) Central Silk Technological Research Institute (CSRTI) (located at Bangluru, Karnataka) and Eco Testing Laboratory Central Silk Technological Research Institute (located at Bhagalpur, Bihar, and Varanasi Uttar Pradesh); of the Central Silk Board (the details can be accessed from the website of the Central Silk Board: http://csb.gov.in). The sampling will be based on the following parameters: a. At least 25% of samples are drawn for testing instead of 100%. b. While drawing the samples, it will be ensured by Customs that majority samples are drawn from consignments originating from countries where there is no legal prohibition on the use of harmful hazardous Dyes. c. The test report will be valid for a period of six months in cases where the textile/textile articles of the same specification/quality are imported and the importer, supplier and the country of origin are the same. 4. However, the above procedure at 2 and 3, regarding testing of Textiles and Textile Articles for presence of Azo Dyes, will not be applicable for imports originating from the countries as listed below, where the use of Azo Dyes in Textiles and Textile Articles is banned. i) European Union (EU) Countries

ii) Serbia iii) Poland iv) Denmark v) China. 5. Therefore, Textiles and Textile Articles originating from specific countries as mentioned in Para 4 above are exempted from testing of samples for presence of Azo Dyes. 6. All the Trade Associations/Members of Regional Advisory Committees and Custom House Agents’ Association are requested to publicize the contents of this Public Notice among their members/constituents 7. Difficulties faced, if any, may be brought to the notice of Additional Commissioner of Customs Group-III, N.S.-V. –Sd– (SUBHASH AGRAWAL) COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS NS-V, JNCH, NHAVA SHEVA. To, All the members of the trade. Copy to:

1. Chief Commissioner of Customs, JNCH, Mumbai-II.
2. Commissioner of Customs (N.S.-I, III &V), JNCH, Mumbai-II.
3. All Addl./Joint Commissioners of Customs, JNCH, Mumbai-II.
4. All Deputy/Asstt. Commissioners of Customs, JNCH, Mumbai-II.
5. Website of JNCH.