UAE steel manufacturers have filed complaints with Indian customs regarding alleged illegal steel scrap imports from the UAE, citing falsified documentation and export fee evasion, as reported by Zee News.
The companies claim some shippers are smuggling steel scrap into India using fraudulent documents, causing revenue losses for Indian customs and risking improper goods entering the country.
The complaints highlight several violations, including altered bills of lading, incorrect country-of-origin declarations, and fake certificates, such as the certificate of origin and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC).
A letter to Surjit Bhujbal, a member of India’s Central Board of Indirect Taxes, urged immediate action, emphasizing that these practices breach the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and international maritime laws.
In response to new UAE regulations, which impose a USD 109 per ton export fee on industrial waste like steel scrap, some exporters are allegedly circumventing these fees with deceptive tactics, including fake bills of lading and incorrect HS code declarations.
UAE steel firms underscored the importance of enforcing CEPA to maintain the strong UAE-India trade partnership established in May 2022.
