Mumbai: The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) is preparing to launch the proposed Eligible Manufacturer-Importer (EMI) scheme by 1 March, with a draft framework expected within the next five to six days for stakeholder consultation, Chairman Vivek Chaturvedi said.
Speaking at a media interaction in Mumbai, Chaturvedi said the scheme will initially run for two years, offering qualifying manufacturer-importers a preview of the benefits under the new system. Companies that are not currently recognised as Authorised Economic Operators (AEOs) will be eligible for the scheme during this period, provided they meet prescribed compliance requirements and work towards securing full AEO certification.
An internal committee is finalising the eligibility criteria, and detailed guidelines will soon be placed in the public domain for feedback.
The EMI scheme is aligned with the government’s push for trust-based, technology-driven customs administration. With artificial intelligence and machine learning increasingly used in risk profiling and cargo screening, the framework seeks to minimise physical inspections and reduce human intervention.
In the Union Budget 2026-27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed extending similar duty deferral benefits to eligible importers and lengthening the validity of advance rulings from three to five years.
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