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In a positive move for exporters, the government has simplified norms for exporters to avail benefits of an advance authorisation scheme under which free imports of input materials are allowed. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) implements this scheme under the Foreign Trade Policy. The eligibility of inputs is determined by sector-specific norms committees based on input-output norms.

To make the norms fixation process more efficient, the DGFT said that it has created a user-friendly and searchable database of ad-hoc norms fixed in the previous years. These norms can be used by any exporter without approaching the norms committee. The database is hosted on the DGFT website and allows users to search using export or import item descriptions, technical characteristics, or Indian tariff classification codes. It added ‘This trade facilitation measure simplifies the advance authorisation and norms fixation process, resulting in shorter turnaround times for exporters, improved ease of doing business, and reduced compliance burden’. 

Explaining the process, the directorate stated that to access the database, an exporter or public can visit the DGFT website and if an ad-hoc norm matches the item description, the applicant can apply for the scheme under the 'No-Norm Repeat' basis. This option, it said, allows users to obtain an advance authorisation without approaching the committee again, reducing the workload and enabling faster processing. 

The commerce ministry is taking a series of measures to promote ease of doing business for exporters, which are hit by global demand slowdown and war between Russia and Ukraine. India's exports contracted by 22 per cent, the steepest decline in the last three years, to $32.97 billion in June on account of global demand slowdown, especially in the Western markets like the US and Europe.