New Delhi
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has introduced an open application programming interface (API) facility for issuance and verification of Certificates of Origin (CoO) through the Trade Connect e-Platform for eligible exporters, simplifying applications and reducing repetitive data entry.
The facility allows exporters to integrate their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), accounting or other business software with the DGFT’s CoO system. Until now, exporters had to enter CoO-related information separately on the DGFT platform, despite the same details being available in their systems.
Under the new system, application data can be transferred electronically from an exporter’s software to the DGFT platform. The move is expected to reduce errors from repeated data entry and speed up applications.
The API facility covers both Preferential and Non-Preferential Certificates of Origin. Preferential CoOs are issued under Free Trade Agreements, Regional Trade Agreements and Preferential Trade Agreements, allowing exporters to claim tariff concessions in importing countries. Non-Preferential CoOs support customs clearance, compliance, trade remedy and other trade purposes without tariff benefits.
Exporters can obtain API credentials through API management section of the CoO portal and register the IP addresses from which their systems will connect.
DGFT has made three APIs available: the Authentication Token API for secure login, the CoO File API for application submission and certificate receipt, and the Certificate Verification API for verifying issued certificates.
A transaction ledger will track each application’s status, including Draft, In Process, Approved, Certificate Issued and Rejected, along with acknowledgement IDs, file numbers, dates and certificate numbers.
