Legal cover to WeBOC rollout: nine customs rules to be amended

The Federal Board of Revenue has decided to introduce legal changes in nine different customs rules including transit rules to give legal backing to the rollout of Web-Based One Customs (WeBOC) clearance system across the country. Sources told Business Recorder here on Saturday that the rollout of the WeBOC is under process, but all relevant customs rules have yet not been amended.
Some Collectors of Customs have suggested sketchy amendment to the rules, which has created confusion at the Board level. There is a lack of co-ordination between Collectors of Customs in drafting the rules for WeBOC. Without amendment to nine customs rules, legal cover cannot be given to the WeBOC. The Board has decided to amend the relevant customs laws ie Transshipment Rules, Transit Rules, IP Rules, Sealing/De-sealing Rules, Warehousing and Safe Transportation Rules, MCD Rules, PD Account and E-payment and E-Auction laws. The FBR has also decided to introduce new Rules on Carrier Declaration AFU Import and Export. The rollout of the WeBOC would start from February 28, 2013 but so far legal amendments have not been made in customs rules.
The FBR has constituted committees for drafting legal changes in the law with reference to development of new modules in the WeBOC software. The FBR said that some of the Model Customs Collectorates have sent the draft rules/amendments in the law without getting input of other relevant Collectorates and asked the Board to get comments on legal changes, ie, IP Module and Sealing/De-Sealing etc. In Transit Module, legal changes were sent but later, some other Collectorates suggested more changes. In some cases, the legal changes are not comprehensive and have not been signed by both Collectors of the relevant committee. For example, in Transshipment Rules-the form at the end of the rules have not been amended, sources said.
Sources said that due to lacunas and additional changes by some other Collectorates, FBR Chairman has desired the relevant committees may send updated draft of legal changes after consulting the other Collectorates in next 2-3 days to avoid delay in the rollout of the WeBOC. The legal changes would be introduced in the Transshipment Rules by Collector MCC Appraisement Lahore/Sambrial; Transit Rules Collector MCC Peshawar/Quetta; IP Rules Collector MCC Appraisement/Preventive, Karachi; Sealing/De-sealing Rules, Collector MCC Preventive Karachi; Warehousing and Safe Transportation Rules, Collector MCC Export/Preventive, Karachi; MCD Rules, Collector MCC Port Qasim Karachi, PD Account and E-Payment Collector MCC Preventive Lahore and legal changes would be introduced in the E-Auction Rules by Collector MCC Appraisement Karachi.
Sources said that the Project Director (PD) WeBOC has informed the FBR that RSDs of various modules developed by the WeBOC development team has not been signed by the committee formulated for the purpose. The FBR Chairman instructed that all the committees will submit their reports within two days. In this regard, the Modu1e Development Committee shall submit the report within two days. The action would be taken by Committee notified vide Board's C.No 1(5)/R&A/2011/44901-R dated 27.3.2012 composed of PD WeBOC, Collectors MCC Appraisement, PaCCS, Port Qasim, Peshawar and Quetta, within two days.
PD WeBOC pointed out that for the roll-out of WeBOC the corresponding legal changes are to be incorporated by the Law and Procedure (L&P) Section of the Board. On this the Member Strategic Planning and Statistics (SPR&S) stated that the legal changes are secondary in nature and can be made without much delay. PD WeBOC would submit the report regarding legal changes to the L&P Section of the Board within two days and the changes to be made accordingly within five days by the L&P Section of the FBR.
Sources said that the L&P Section of the Board would make rules for the use of fee collected on goods declaration (GDs) under the WeBOC system. PD WeBOC would submit the draft rules to the L&P Section of the Board for approved/ issuance. The PD WeBOC would submit the draft rules to the L&P Section of the Board within two days, which shall be processed, got approved and issued by the L&P Section within five days.
Sources said that the PD WeBOC then presented the vertical and horizontal roll-out plan of the WeBOC and informed the house that WeBOC is to be implemented/rolled-out at all Custom Stations & all main/auxiliary modules to be developed by February 28, 2013. At this point, the Chief Collector (Central) suggested that two months period for the roll-out is too long, and that it could be completed within one month. It was decided that the WeBOC roll-out is to be completed within one month, however, if any component required more time, the same could be given extension on case to case basis.
On the issue of WeBOC Users' IDs issuance, sources said that the PD WeBOC indicated that the issue of WeBOC Users' IDs issuance is yet to be solved. FBR Chairman directed that the module for issuance of Users' IDs may be put on the net and all the Collectors may be given the authority to issue users' IDs to their relevant importers/exporters.
PD WeBOC briefed the FBR on the training plan of the project office regarding WeBOC training to the officers of customs. It was requested that selected officers, well equipped with the technical know-how for the program may be sent as there are limited slots for training. The collectors assured PD WeBOC that suitable officers will be sent for the training. In this regard, the Collectors will nominate suitable officers for the training courses on WeBOC. All the Chief Collectors and Collectors would take necessary action according to the training schedule given by the PD WeBOC.
Project Director WeBOC sought approval of the Chairman FBR for utilisation of GD processing Fee for upgrading of infrastructure; local area network; Wi-Fi hot spot; digital cameras; access control devices; tablet to feed examination report and UPS, Generators etc; band width upgradation - presently 18 mbps - to increase to 36 mbps and data centre upgradation. FBR Chairman principally agreed with PD WeBOC's proposals, however, PD WeBOC was directed to submit the proposals to the FBR for formal approval, sources added.