The certification period for the import of chemicals in India has been extended

Recently, under pressure from domestic end-user industries that rely on imported raw materials, India has decided to extend the start date of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) import compulsory certification for many chemicals again to March or April 2023
.

BIS import compulsory certification covers a wide range of imported chemicals
.
India's BIS certification of imported acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), dichloroethane (EDC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) will be postponed until March 12, 2023 following this extension of the mandatory certification start date; BIS certification for imported paraxylene (PX), polycarbonate (PC) and polyurethane (PU) will be postponed until March 19, 2023; BIS certification for imported ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), polyethylene (PE) materials for molding and extrusion, synthetic microfibers and various types of polyester will be postponed until April 3, 2023; BIS certification for imported maleic anhydride (MA), styrene and acrylonitrile will be postponed until April 24, 2023
.

Previously, India's mandatory BIS certification period for imported chemicals had been postponed by one year
.
Domestic companies point out that mandatory certification may lead to higher costs and delays
in import deliveries.
At present, India's plastics processing industry is still strongly opposed to BIS compulsory certification, believing that it may have a serious impact
on India's exports of finished plastics.

Arvind Goenka, Chairman of the Council for the Promotion of Plastics Export of India, said: "High raw material costs continue to plague the operating costs
of Indian exporters.
Considering India's import dependence on polymers and the high price of raw materials compared to China and other countries, the idea of the Indian government considering the implementation of BIS standards for imported raw materials may be the last straw that breaks our industry
.
”

In April~August 2022, the first five months of the current fiscal year, India's plastic exports fell by 3.
5% year-on-year to US$5.
44 billion
.
Official data showed that the country's plastic exports fell 1.
7% year-on-year to $1.
04 billion
in August alone.

BIS compulsory certification is a compulsory certification
implemented by the Indian government for specific products taking into account factors such as public health and safety and mass consumption.
The purpose of this certification is to provide the end consumer with quality-assured, safe and reliable products
.
All products included in the compulsory certification need to obtain a product certification certificate according to Indian product standards before they can enter the market
.