**Executive Summary**
This Public Notice, dated October 28, 2025, issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, announces amendments to paragraphs 2.88 and 2.91 of the Handbook of Procedures (HBP) 2023. These changes pertain to the India-European Free Trade Association Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (India-EFTA TEPA) and aim to facilitate exporters in obtaining Certificates of Origin. The notice takes effect immediately.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendments to Handbook of Procedures 2023**
* **Para 2.88 (a):** A new entry is added to the list of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs):
* "xiv. India-European Free Trade Association Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (India-EFTA TEPA)"
* **Para 2.91:** A new sub-para (e) is inserted:
* "2.91 (e): In case of India- EFTA TEPA, Certificates of Origin may also be obtained on the basis of self-declaration by the exporter concerned, in addition to issuance of Certificate of Origin by an authorised agency”.
**Impact Analysis**
**Exporters**
* **Impact:** Exporters engaged in trade under the India-EFTA TEPA are affected. They now have an additional option for obtaining Certificates of Origin (CoO).
* **Action Required:** Exporters should familiarize themselves with the option of self-declaration for obtaining CoOs under the India-EFTA TEPA, in addition to the existing process involving authorized agencies.
Key Entities Referenced
Handbook of Procedures 2023: A document governing export/import procedures; this notice amends paragraphs 2.88 and 2.91 of the handbook.
Directorate General of Foreign Trade: The body responsible for implementing the Foreign Trade Policy and related procedures; the public notice is issued by the DGFT.
Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023: The overarching policy governing India's foreign trade. The DGFT exercises powers under this policy to make the amendments.
India-European Free Trade Association Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (India-EFTA TEPA): A trade agreement between India and the European Free Trade Association, enabling self-declaration for Certificates of Origin.
Ministry of Commerce and Industry: The ministry under which the Directorate General of Foreign Trade operates.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-30102025-267275
xxxGIDHxxx
CG-DL-E-30102025-267275
xxxGIDExxx
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग I—खण्ड 1
PART I—Section 1
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 312] नई दिल्ली, बुधवार, अक्त बू र 29, 2025/कार्तकि 7, 1947
No. 312] NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2025/KARTIKA 7, 1947
okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky ;
¼okf.kT; foHkk x½
¼fons'k O;kikj egkfuns'kk y;½
lkoZtfud lwpuk
नई दिल्ली, 28 अक्त बू र, 2025
la- 29@2025&202 6
fo"k;% izfØ;k iqLrd ds iSjk 2-88 vkSj iSjk 2-91 esa l'akks/ku ds laca/k esaA
Qk- la- 01@89@180@60@,,e&25@ihlh&2d@bZ&44.—3f3o2ns'k O;kikj uhfr ¼,QVhih½
2023] ds iSjk 1-03 vkjS 2-04 ds rgr çnÙk 'kfä;ks a dk ç;ksx djrs gq,] egkfuns'kd fons'k O;kikj ,rí~okjk
izfØ;k iqLrd 2023 ds iSjk 2-91 ds izko/kkuks a es a fuEufyf[kr la'kk/s ku djrs gSa%
¼d½ izfØ;k iqLrd ds iSjk 2-88 ¼d½ ds rgr] eqDr O;kikj le>kSrks a ds ekStwnk lwph ds Ik’pkr ,d ubZ izfof"V
dk s Øe la- xiv ds lkFk fuEukuqlkj tksM+k x;k gS%
^^xiv. Hkkjr ;wjksih; eqDr O;kikj la?k] O;kikj vkjS vkfFkZd lk>snkjh le>kSrk ¼Hkkjr&bZ,QVh, VhbiZ h,½^^
¼[k½ izfØ;k iqLrd 2023 ds iSjk 2-91 es a ,d u, mi&iSjk ¼M-½ dks fuEukuqlkj tkMs +k x;k gS%
^^-291 ¼M-½ %Hkkjr&bZ,QVh, VhbZih, ds ekeys es]a izkf/k—r ,tsla h }kjk mn~xe izek.k&i= tkjh djus
ds vykok] lacaf/kr fu;kZrd }kjk Lo;a&?kk"s k.kk ds vk/kkj ij Hkh izkIr fd;k tk ldrk gSA^^
7208 GI/2025 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART I—SEC.1]
bl lkoZtfud lwpuk dk çHkko%i zkf/k—r ,tsfal;kas }kjk mn~xe izek.k&i= tkjh djus dh ekStnw k iz.kkyh
ds vykok] Hkkjr&bZ,QVh, O;kikj vkjS vkfFkZd lk>snkjh le>kSrk ¼VhbiZ h,½ ds rgr Lo;a ?kk"s k.kk }kjk
mn~xe izek.ki= ¼lhvkvs k½s izkIr djus grs q fu;kZrdks a dh lqfo/kk ds fy, izfØ;k iqLrd ¼,pchih½ 2023 ds
iSjk 2-88 ¼d½ vkSj iSjk 2-91 dks la'kkfs/kr fd;k x;k gSA
vt; Hkknw] egkfuns'kd fons'k O;kikj ,oa insu vij lfpo
MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(Department of Commerce)
(DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF FOREIGN TRADE)
PUBLIC NOTICE
New Delhi, the 28th October, 2025
No. 29 / 2025-26
Subject: Amendments in Para 2.88 and Para 2.91 of Handbook of Procedures-reg.
F. No. 01/89/180/60/AM-25/PC-2(A)/E-44332.—In exercise of powers conferred under paragraph 1.03 and
2.04 of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, the Director General of Foreign Trade hereby makes the following
amendments in the provisions of Para 2.91 of the Handbook of Procedures 2023:
(A) Under Para 2.88 (a) of HBP, a new entry with serial no. xiv is inserted after the existing list of Free Trade
Agreements (FTAs) as under:
"xiv. India-European Free Trade Association Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (India-EFTA
TEPA)”
(B) Under Para 2.91 of HBP 2023, a new sub-para (e) is inserted as mentioned below:
"2.91 (e): In case of India- EFTA TEPA, Certificates of Origin may also be obtained on the basis of self-
declaration by the exporter concerned, in addition to issuance of Certificate of Origin by an authorised agency”.
Effect of this Public Notice: Para 2.88(a) and Para 2.91 of the Handbook of Procedures (HBP) 2023 have been amended
to facilitate exporters to obtain the Certificate of Origin (CoO) under the India–EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership
Agreement (TEPA) through self-declaration, in addition to the existing system of issuance of Certificates of Origin by
the authorised agencies.
AJAY BHADOO, Director General of Foreign Trade & Ex-Officio Addl. Secy.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.