The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has issued a list of 61 Covid related goods/apparatus on which exemption of customs duty, regulatory duty, and additional customs duty will be available at the import stage up to June 30, 2021.
A notification SRO.1251(I)/2020 issued by the FBR here on Tuesday revealed that the duties and taxes exemption would be available on the import of different kinds of Diagnostic Support and health safety items including medical equipment/machinery and apparatus like coronavirus detection kits, surgical masks, multimode ventilator with air compressor, face shields, and other medical equipment.
Federal Cabinet accorded approval to an exemption from duties and taxes on import of 61 goods/items for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19, for a period of three years.
Ministry of Finance & Revenue and the FBR issued three SROs, thereby promulgating the exemptions for a period of three months from the date of issuance of the said notifications, ie, from March 20 June 19, 2020, with the stipulation that the said period may be extended for another three months by the Board, on the recommendation of Ministry of NHSR&C, if adverse circumstances related to Covid-19 pandemic prevails.
Due to the continued surge of Covid-19 and on the request of the Ministry of NHSR&C, the FBR, on June 19, 2020, the period of exemption was extended for another period of three months, ie, from June 20 to September 30, 2020, after necessary approval of the Federal Cabinet, which was sought by the FBR.
Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations & Coordination again approached the FBR for an extension in the period of exemption for another three months, ie, October to December 2020.
However, the approval of the Cabinet is mandatory before issuance/extension of any SRO/notification related to exemption of duties and taxes on import of goods, and therefore, advised the MNHS&C to seek approval of the Federal Cabinet.
Following the approval of the federal cabinet, the FBR has notified the exemption on the list of 61 items under SRO.1251(I)/2020 up to June 30, 2021.
