Cross-border trade: FBR issues PSW (Evidence of Identity) Regulations

ISLAMABAD: All users of Pakistan Single Window (PSW) engaged in cross-border trade including import, export and transit as well as trade related service providers have to give evidence of identity by obtaining user identity (UID) by electronic means.

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Monday issued Pakistan Single Window (Evidence of Identity) Regulations, 2023.

According to the regulations, the procedure shall apply to all users whether individuals, sole proprietorships or bodies corporate registered with the FBR or the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan, government organizations, diplomatic missions, foreign individuals and businesses or any other commercial and non-commercial entity engaged in cross-border trade i.e., import, export and transit as well as the users involved in the provision of trade related services such as customs clearing agents, shipping agents, bonded carriers, logistic operators, warehouse operators, transporters, or any other such business associated with cross-border trade, included or intended to be included in the PSW system.

Under the new regulations, all persons wishing to conduct a cross-border trade transaction whether imports, exports, or transit must access the PSW portal and follow the electronic process through the PSW interface.

FBR notifies PSW Evidence of Identity Rules, 2022

The subscribers to the PSW system shall renew and revalidate the system generated CID upon expiry of the validity period as prescribed in the ‘PSW Evidence of Identity Rules’, by following the process which includes, inter alia, payment of prescribed subscription fee.

An applicant shall be required to complete the subscription process within a period of two months from the date of payment of subscription fee. In case of expiry of the period of two months, the applicant shall have to initiate the process afresh which shall inter alia include payment of subscription fee as well.

The PSW system shall generate an electronic message to alert the subscriber of the expiry of the validity period in a timely manner, FBR added.

The operating entity may refuse to issue UID, or suspend or cancel the existing UID, if the applicants or the existing subscribers, as the case may be, have been barred from conducting a foreign trade transaction under any applicable national or international law or legal, quasi-legal or administrative order by the authority of competent jurisdiction due to their involvement in smuggling, commercial or customs fraud, identity theft, trade-based money laundering, terrorist financing, terrorism, or contravention of any other national or international law, it added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023