Guwahati: In an official communiqué issued yesterday, the Union Ministry said that effective October 1, imports of a range of paper commodities, including newsprint and handmade paper, will be subject to mandatory registration. In addition, an interface for installing the Paper Import Monitoring System has been created (PIMS).

This policy change does not apply to paper goods such as money paper, bank, bonds, check paper, and security printing paper.

The decision was made in response to domestic paper sector concerns over the dumping of paper products in the nation through different tactics such as under-invoicing and re-routing commodities through other countries in lieu of trade agreements. The import policy for major paper goods has been changed from "Free" to "Free subject to mandatory registration under the Paper Import Monitoring System." The DGFT issued a notification to that effect yesterday, according to the ministry of business and industry."

The order will also apply to a variety of paper goods, including newspaper, handmade paper, wallpaper base, duplicating paper, coated paper, uncoated paper, Litho and offset paper, tissue paper, and others.

"Any importer can obtain an automatic registration number online by paying a registration fee of 500, and the importer can apply for registration no earlier than the 75th day and no later than the 5th day before the expected date of arrival of the import consignment."  stated by the commerce ministry. The government further stated that the automatic registration number issued will be valid for 75 days.

"Multiple Bill of Entries shall be permitted in the same registration number within the registration validity term for the permissible amount." "Online registration will be available from July 15, 2022," according to the government.