The SIMS System
SIMS is a Steel Importing Monitoring System instituted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India to provide advance information about steel imports to both, the government as well as relevant stakeholders.
Purpose of SIMS
The purpose of the licensing system is to provide statistical data on steel imports entering India prior to arrival of the imports. Once a week, the data submitted on the steel licenses are compiled, checked and published on the Ministry of Steel website for the public to analyse.
About SIMS and Recent Developments
Ministry of Commerce and Industry has established Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) by Notification No. 17/2015-2020 dated 05.09.2019 to add policy condition against 284 entries of Chapter 72, 73 and 86 of ITC(HS), 2017 Schedule-I for compulsory registration1.
Recently DGFT vide Notification No. 33/2015-2020 dated 28.09.20 extends the areas of SIMS registration to include all the entries in chapters 72, 73 and 86 of ITC(HS), 2017 Schedule-I for compulsory registration2. Moreover, vide Public Notice No. 19/2015-2020 dated 28.09.20 the procedure for the same has been further clarified3. Bill of Entry filed on or after 16.10.2020 for import of steel under the aforesaid chapters shall require compulsory registration under SIMS.
Fee Structure and Timelines
Any business importing steel products under chapter 72, 72 and 86 of ITC(HS) is required to apply for a license under SIMS System, importers, importing agents or brokers may apply for this license. License will require for each customs entry and one may import multiple products in one license. Registration fee of Rs.1 per thousand of CIF Value of import will need to be paid through electronic mode subject to minimum of Rs.500/- and maximum of Rs. 1,00,000/- as previously mentioned will remain the same.
Earlier importer shall require to obtain license prior to submitting Bill of Entries with customs and it should be filed out between 15 to 60 days before expected arrival of import into India, will remain the same.
Procedure of SIMS System
As previously notified importer may apply for the License of steel import under SIMS system after login in SIMS website. The importer requires to apply for new registration and have to fill his details of import properly and after paying the required fees he will be granted a License Number with 75 days validity. Once a License generated it is not possible to cancel or modify the same as SIMS has not yet issue clarification on these problems hence it is importers responsibility to fill the proper details of import in the application.
Once License Number generated importer have to enter the license number and expiry date details in the Bill of Entry for customs clearance of the consignment.
1Notification No. 33/2015-2020 dated 28.09.20
2Public Notice No. 19/2015-2020 dated 28.09.20
3Notification No. 17/2015-2020 dated 05.09.2019
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