FBR develops e-Commerce clearance facility

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Customs has developed an e-Commerce automated clearance facility in collaboration with the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Ministry of Commerce and e-commerce operators, a statement issued by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) said on Friday.

The facility would help promote consumer e-Commerce exports, it added.

The new system would facilitate the e-Commerce trade and document the e-Commerce exports from Pakistan.

The system would allow commercial banks to register e-Commerce traders in WeBOC system of Pakistan Customs, the statement said, adding that under the SBP regulatory framework for business-to-commerce (B2C) e-Commerce exports, the exporters would export their e-Commerce consignments without the requirement of E-Form up to $5000/consignment. The shipments would be made through courier companies registered with the Pakistan Customs who would file the goods declaration in WeBOC system on behalf of exporters.

Each individual consignment would be identified on the basis of unique HAWB number, the statement added.

The details of export shipments would be accessible to banks in the e-Commerce profile of the exporters in the system after the export of goods from Pakistan.

The exporter would be required to ensure realisation of export proceeds within 60 days from the date of shipment, while the export proceeds would be received from abroad by commercial banks, through banking channel or international payment scheme / gateway, either in foreign currency or in Pakistani rupee from the Non-Resident Rupee Account Repatriable. Various MIS reports have been provided in the system to the State Bank and other commercial banks for settlement of export realisation and fulfillment of other regulatory requirements. The e-Commerce operators have lauded the initiative that would remove the difficulties being faced by the SME sector in exporting their goods; thus, playing an effective role in improving the country’s rating in the ease of doing business index.

Training sessions have been conducted by the Pakistan Customs in collaboration with the central bank and the Ministry of Commerce, the statement added.