Introduction

The IJCEPA agreement was signed in October 2022 and came into force on January 1, 2023. This agreement turns the benefit of Indian bilateral trade that allows the exporters and importers of both countries to benefit from reduced or zero tariffs (taxes) on certain goods and services traded between them. This certificate allows preferential tariff rates, which are agreed in the IJCEPA certificate.

This certificate holds the export and import goods at lower customs and benefits the two countries in a rewarding manner. This Agreement applies to the territory of India and Japan, which includes their territorial sea, the airspace above their territory, and the area beyond their territorial sea, including seabed and subsoil, over which both countries have sovereign rights or jurisdiction under their laws and regulations, as well as international law, including the UN conventions on the Law of the Sea. In this article, we will provide you with deep insights into how to get the IJCEPA certificate in India for making the trade easier. Without getting the IJCEPA registration, you may not be fit for trading the goods that potentially carry the cross-border transaction and benefit the overall territory.

What is an IJCEPA Certificate?

The IJCEPA Certificate refers to the Certificate of Origin (CoO), which is an agreement signed between the government of India and the government of Japan. This agreement is signed to allow trade and investment opportunities between two countries. In order to reduce the tariffs and other trade barriers in the economy, this agreement covers the safe side to promote the goodwill of the two economies simultaneously.

Objectives of the IJCEPA

Following are the objectives of the IJCEPA:

• To allow bilateral free trade in both well-established countries
• To increase the investment opportunities by trading
• To improve the environment of organizational goals
• To make intellectual property rights safe.

Benefits of IJCEPA Certification

Here are the benefits of IJCEPA certification, which are as follows:

• Reduction in trade barriers: Under the IJCEPA Certification, the goods that are eligible under IJCEPA enjoy a full reduction in trade barriers. This helps the exporters to face fewer customs duties and at less cost of importing raw materials.
• Equitable benefits: By getting the reduction in importing procurement of raw materials, the equitable benefits can really be derived from that particular
• Increase cross-border transactions: Under the IJCEPA rules and regulations, the bilateral trade between India and Japan increases the trade volume in both countries, thereby increasing cross-border transactions.
• Dispute resolution: The agreement that is made between the IJCEPA has optimized rules and regulations so that it prevents disputes arising between two countries on the same subject.

Eligibility Criteria for IJCEPA Registration

Here are the eligibility criteria for the IJCEPA Registration, which are categorized into two preferential tariffs:

Goods wholly obtained/produced entirely in the Party:

1. Goods were taken from the sea-bed or subsoil beneath the sea-bed outside the territorial sea of both parties. However, the parties have the right to exploit such a sea bed or subsoil according to provisions of the UN convention on the law of the sea.
2. Articles collected in India or Japan which can no longer perform their original purpose in either of the Party nor are capable of being restored/repaired and which are fit for disposal or for recovery of parts or raw materials.
3. Scrap and waste are derived from manufacturing or processing operations or from consumption in India or Japan and fit only for disposal or recovery of raw materials.
4. Parts or raw materials recovered in India or Japan from articles which are no longer in condition to perform their original purpose nor are capable of being restored or repaired
5. Goods obtained or produced in India or Japan exclusively from goods that are referred to above.
6. Live animals born and raised in India or Japan
7. Animals are obtained by hunting, trapping, fishing,
8. Goods obtained from live animals in India or Japan
9. Plants and plant products are harvested, picked or gathered in India or Japan, where plants include fruits, flowers, vegetables, trees, seaweed, fungi and live plants.
10. Minerals and other naturally occurring substances are extracted or taken in India or Japan.
11. Goods of sea-fishing and other goods were taken by vessels from the Party outside the territorial seas of both parties.
12. Goods produced on board factory ships of Party outside territorial seas of both parties from goods referred to in previous point (6)

Goods not wholly produced in the either of the party:

1. Goods have a qualifying value content of not less than 35%
2. All non-originating materials used in the production of goods have undergone in either of the Party a change in tariff classification at the 6-digit level of the harmonised system.

Documents Required for IJCEPA registration

Here are the documents required for the IJCEPA Registration:

1. Details of exporter such as name, address and country
2. Details of importer such as name, address and country
3. Details of the loading port, transit port and discharging port
4. Name of vessels or flight number
5. Date of shipment, i.e., bill of loading or airway bill date (in case of retroactive issuance)
6. Item number, marks & numbers, number and kind of packages, tariff classification number based on HS 2007 and description of each good consigned.
7. HS tariff classification number in six-digit level
8. Preference criterion of goods
9. Quantity of goods
10. Invoice number and date for each good purchased
11. DSC or Digital Signature Certificate
12. IEC or Import-Export Code
13. Manufacturer exporter declaration on company's letterhead
14. Product Description
15. Purchase order from the importer party
16. Declaration

Fees Structure of IJCEPA Registration

Here are the fees for obtaining the IJCEPA Registration in India, which are as follows:

How to apply for IJCEPA Certificate?

Here are the procedures to apply for the IJCEPA registration:

Step 1: Fill out the application form:

The first step towards the application of the IJCEPA registration is filling out the application form. Our Bizfoc team of experts will help you fill out the IJCEPA registration application form.

Step 2: Submit all the required documents:

Your next step is to submit all the required documents, such as the IEC code, address, product description, etc.

Step 3: Submit the application fees.

After submitting the required documents along with the application form, you are liable to pay the application form when the application is taken ahead to proceed with the issuance of the certificate.

Step 4: Verification and approval:

After the payment of application fees, the next step is to verify and approve the application. This would be done by the concerned authority (DGFT). After getting approved, the authority would approve the application.

Step 5: Issuance of certificate:

Upon successful verification and issuance of the IJCEPA certificate, the certificate would be issued online on behalf of the applicant.

Time taken to Obtain the IJCEPA Registration

The IJCEPA registration takes around 2–3 weeks from the date of application. You can also contact our team of professionals for the time taken to proceed with the issuance of the certificate for shipment.

Validity and Renewal of IJCEPA Certificate

The IJCEPA registration is valid for 12 months from the date of issuance. Therefore, it is required to renew the IJCEPA registration once every year before the date of expiration.

Why Choose Bizfoc for IJCEPA Certificate?

Here are the top five reasons why you should choose Bizfoc for registering themselves under the India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IJCEPA) registration:

• Hassle-free procedures
• Cost-effective solution
• Respond to all your queries and doubts via communication mediums
• Free assistance of experts
• Proven success

We, the team of experts, will help you overcome the problems via communication mediums regarding IJCEPA certification and membership certificates. You can either contact us by way of email or direct phone number to get connected to our experts without any hesitation. So, for registering your India-Japan trading under IJCEPA, get free assistance today to proceed with your application successfully by undergoing hassle-free procedures.

Conclusion

The India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IJCEPA) is the pact that is signed by both countries. This agreement helps bilateral trade flourish in the global market through the cooperation of both countries. Obtaining this would benefit the expanding business opportunities and foster closer economic partnership between India and Japan by generating increased trade revenues, investment, and collaboration.

Frequently Asked Questions