Date:23/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/09/23/stories/2005092303060300.htm

Back Exporters, importers can use digital signatures from Nov 1

K.R. Srivats

New Delhi , Sept. 22

THE trading community, especially importers and exporters, can now use digital signatures on the bills of entry and the shipping bills that are filed with the ICEGATE, the portal of the revenue department that provides e-filing services to the trade.

From November 1, all bills of entry and shipping bills filed through ICEGATE would have to be digitally signed and authenticated through the digital signature certificates.

iCERT is the certifying authority that has been set up by the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) for issuance of digital signature certificates.

A revenue department official said that iCERT has been licensed by the controller of certifying authorities under the Information Technology Act 2000 for issuing class III certificates. Such certificates provide assurances of the identity of the individual subscribers.

To avail themselves of this facility, traders would be required to obtain digital certificates from iCERT.

As a trade facilitation measure, the Government has decided that no fee would be charged for application filed during the current financial year 2005-06.

India's annual merchandise trade is estimated at about $185 billion.

A foreign trade expert said that the facility to use digital signatures would enable the trade to undertake secure transactions with the revenue department over Internet.

It would also obviate the need for taking printouts of the electronically filed bills of entry and shipping bills for signatures to the customs department.