KARACHI, Dec 14: The US authorities will allow entry of five per cent of over-shipped textile categories of base ceiling from Pakistan from February 1, 2005 and another five per cent in March 2005.
According to information reaching at Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) here on Tuesday, the Washington-based Council of Implementation of Textile Agreement (CITA) of the US has communicated this decision to Commerce Ministry of Pakistan recently.
The quantum of this one time allowance can go up to 15 per cent of the base ceiling, but according to EPB officials, over-shipments in the US categories 338, 347/8, 369 (S), 360, 361, 666-S and 666-P was only to tune of 5 per cent. However, in case the over-shipments increased to 15 per cent of the base ceiling, the US authorities will allow another 5 per cent in April, 2004.
In this regard, the EPB has advised exporters to the US in these categories who had commitments with their buyers to make shipments in the month of December 2004 and likely to reach destination in January 2005 to submit their applications for availing airlifting facility.
The bureau has extended the date for receiving applications from December 15 to 25 for shipment by sea and for air by December 20. Earlier, the last date for airlifting such cargos was December 15.
The EPB has asked exporters to submit the confirmed L/C, proof of audited quota in exporters pass book (Original) along with photocopies and schedule of shipment with their applications.
According to other options provided by the EPB to exporters, the Bureau would bear warehouse charges if they are less then re-routing sea freight charges, in case the US imposed embargo on these goods and the goods are kept in warehouses till February 1, 2004.
The exporters can avail the facility of airlifting their cargo from January 1 to 20, 2005 by PIA. The EPB was considering the possibility to extend airlifting facility to other destinations in the US besides New York.
The exporters can themselves ship their consignments by air after taking prior permission from the EPB. The Bureau will reimburse the freight to exporters on the freight determined by PIA and notified by the EPB.
The exporters can also reschedule their December 2004 shipments by sea from January 1 to 20, 2005 as per the arrangements with their customers. The EPB will bear 50 per cent of the cost of air freight on the freight determined by the PIA and notified by the EPB.
For shipments stuck up at US ports due to embargo, freight would be paid by the EPB for re-routing by sea only. Alternatively, exporters will have the option to keep such goods in the bonded warehouses, for which EPB will bear the cost up to February 1, 2005, subject to its cost less then the sea freight cost.
The EPB stated that the cut off date will be January 25, 2005 and no claim for refund would be entertained after this date. The claims will be entertained on the basis of date of sailing of the vessel or flight.
Exporters who want to avail facility either by air or sea, their goods should be ready for shipments by December 31, 2004. The last date for applying for swap has also been extended from December 7, 2004 to December 20, 2004. -APP
