Mumbai: The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), under the Union ministry of commerce & industry, has issued a directive addressing the issuance of Registration-Cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) for medical devices. This directive is aimed at resolving the difficulties faced by the medical device industry in obtaining the necessary certifications for export benefits under the Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RODTEP) scheme.
The DGFT’s Public Notice No. 18/2023 dated June 23, 2023, included the Export Promotion Council (EPC) for Medical Devices in Appendix 2T of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023. This inclusion was meant to authorize the EPC for Medical Devices to issue RCMCs for specific items, with existing RCMCs issued by Engineering Export Promotion Council of India (EEPC India) remaining valid until their expiry.
The EPC for medical devices has not yet begun regular operations or integrated into the DGFT’s Common Digital Platform for issuing RCMCs. This has caused significant delays and complications for the medical device industry in obtaining the mandatory RCMC required for export benefits and customs clearance.
To mitigate these issues, DGFT has decided that until the EPC for medical devices becomes fully operational, RCMCs can be issued by the EEPC India and any other relevant EPC for medical devices. This temporary measure is intended to facilitate smoother operations for the medical device industry.
EEPC India is the trade and investment promotion organization for the engineering sector sponsored by the Union ministry of commerce & industry. Set up in 1955, EEPC India now has a membership base of over 12,000 out of whom 60% are SMEs.
Customs authorities have been requested to accept RCMCs issued by EEPC India and any other concerned EPC for medical devices until further notice. This directive aims to ensure that medical device exports continue without unnecessary hindrances.
This decision, approved by the competent authority, is expected to provide immediate relief to the medical device industry, ensuring continued access to export benefits and smoother customs processes.
This announcement reflects the Union ministry of commerce & industry’s commitment to supporting the medical device sector and addressing the challenges faced by exporters. The interim measures will remain in place until the EPC for medical devices is fully functional, ensuring that the industry’s export activities are not disrupted.
