Importers and exporters can now access the prevailing customs duty regime and related government policies on any product, simply by the click of a mouse. The finance ministry on Tuesday unveiled an online customs tariff database, which will be made operational in a week. It also released the database as a comprehensive CD with customs tariffs.
?This is the first ever online database for customs tariff, which will be accessible by the ministry of finance as well as the general public,? chief economic advisor (CEA) Arvind Virmani said after launching the database. ?The database will help in analysing the issues related to customs tariff very quickly and in a user-friendly way. It will help in the customs reforms process and help businessmen, researchers and those interested in this to get reliable data online without referring to bulk e-books,? he added. The database will be updated on monthly and daily basis and is expected to aid policymaking by providing research and analysis facilities for deciding customs tariff. It will also facilitate reforms in the customs duty regime.
The CEA has already initiated an exercise to identify and analyse the issues in customs tariff reform and the online database will provide the foundation for the study. The exercise is expected to give a comprehensive industrywise listing of major issues and their possible solutions. Export and import figures, government policies on products will be made available on the database, which will be linked with other databases like that of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
?The CD contains authentic and reliable information on the complex customs duties, exemptions … electronically without making one refer to the bulk e-Books,? said HAC Prasad, senior economic advisor in the finance ministry.