Singapore banned the export, transshipment and transit of “nitroglycerin, and mixtures containing nitroglycerin and technology required for the production or use of these items,” on July 28. Singapore made the change in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2551.

The Philippines recently issued a memorandum reiterating the minimum labeling requirements for imported meat and clarified that imports that don’t comply will be seized and possibly disposed, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 29 report. USDA said U.S. exporters are “strongly advised” to work with local importers to ensure expiration dates are included on labels. Other minimum labeling requirements include the country of origin, ingredient list, date of manufacture, and handling and storage instructions.

India recently extended the timeline for complying with new feed and feed materials standards for meat and milk producing animals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service said in a July 30 report. The new Jan. 1 compliance date applies to industry stakeholders and traders who “encountered difficulties” obtaining certification or licensing during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. USDA stressed that import approvals for any product remain subject to “local rules and regulations as interpreted by Indian officials at the time of product entry.”

India recently extended its export rebate scheme until March 2024, allowing textile traders to continue receiving rebates on central and state taxes for their exports for several years, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 27. The maximum rebate rate of 6.05% will apply to apparel exports and an 8.2% rate will apply to “made-ups,” which include home textile products such as bed linens, curtains, pillows and carpets, HKTDC said. The scheme is also expected to benefit input imports because exporters receive a “Duty Credit Scrip to the value of the embedded taxes and levies relating to any exported product,” the report said. The scrip can be used to pay customs duties on imported equipment “or other inputs or traded with other importers.”

India introduced a new document for parties seeking revalidation of export authorization under the Special Chemicals, Organism, Material, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) export control, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said July 27. The new form, dubbed ANF 20(d), will “facilitate the trade and industry” to file applications for revalidation of SCOMET export authorization.

India's Directorate General added two Harmonized System codes to its Merchandise Exports from India Scheme regulation on July 27. HS codes 30036000 and 30046000 covering "Other, containing antimalarial active principles described in Sub-heading Note 2 of chapter 30 of ITC HS" are eligible for MEIS benefits for exports made Jan. 1, 2017, to Dec. 31, 2020, at the rate of 3%.

India recently extended its implementation date for upcoming changes to standards for infant nutrition foods, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service reported July 23. The standards, which will place new requirements on certain imports, will now take effect April 1, 2022, the report said. India said it received several requests from industry to delay the implementation date.

Sri Lanka recently announced stricter regulations surrounding import delivery fees and import container deposit refunds, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council reported July 23. The country set the maximum delivery order fees payable by importers at $55 for full container loads and $63 for loose cargo loads, HKTDC said. The country also set a cap on the maximum delivery order fee that vessel operators or shipping lines can charge a freight operator: $45 for full container loads and $50 for loose cargo loads. Sri Lanka also mandated that service providers refund import container deposits within 30 days of a container being returned to a depot, assuming the relevant paperwork has been completed, the report said.

The Singapore Customs TradeNet will undergo system maintenance Aug. 8 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Aug. 15 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time, it said July 23. Singapore Customs advised users to avoid submitting applications during this time. This is in addition to the usual 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday maintenance.

Importers in India may revalidate their Advance Authorisations only once for a period of 12 months from the authorizations' expiry date issued on or after Aug. 15, India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a July 22 notice. The Advance Authorisations Scheme allows the import of inputs to be conducted duty-free if they are physically incorporated in a product designated for export, the DGFT's website said. The update changes the revalidation procedures from two revalidations of six months each to one revalidation of 12 months. The July notice also allowed submissions for the authorizations to be made online.