New Delhi, Apr 9 (KNN) In view of the movement restrictions in place due to COVID-19 pandemic in India, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has asked the designated agencies to issue digitally signed electronic certificates of origin only and provide no hard copy of the same.

The Online Platform for Preferential Certificate of Origin is being further expanded to take up various other FTAs/PTAs including – AIFTA, IJCEPA, SAPTA, SAFTA, APTA, ISLFTA.

The platform has been designed as a single-point access for all FTAs/PTAs, for all designated Certificate of Origin (CoO) issuing agencies and for all export products, and is accessible at the URL: https://coo.dgft.gov.in

DGFT explained that the applicant exporter may download the certificate, so issued, from the online platform and share the e-certificate with the authorities in the FTA partner countries.

Facility to view/print the issued certificates from the workstations/office of the applicant has also been provided. These online certificates will maintain the same layout, appearance and validity as the paper certificate.

DGFT said, "As the exporters are aware, Certificate of Origin for exports from India to Chile under India-Chile PTA, exports to Nepal under SAFTA & SAPTA and exports to Republic of Korea under India-Korea Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IKCEPA) are already being applied and issued through this online platform."

Now this facility will be extended to various other FTAs/PTAs through online platform with effect from April 7, 2020.

A traceability and verification functionality is already built into the eCoO Platform. The electronic copy of the certificate will carry a digital signature of an authorized officer as already agreed to under the FTA/PTA.

Certificates issued on this electronic platform can be verified by scanning the QR code available on the certificate or by cross checking the authenticity of the certificate serial number on the platform at https://coo.dgft.gov.in.

As and when the functioning of the issuing agency offices resumes, the Certificate of Origin, so issued on the electronic platform, will also be made available in hard copy with ink-signature of the issuing officer to the applicant exporter besides the e-certificate. The certificate issuance process will continue to remain online. (KNN Bureau)