Registration Cum Membership Certificate is abbreviated as RCMC (RCMC). RCMC is a certificate that verifies that an exporter is dealing with products that have been registered with an Indian government-approved agency or organisation.
Exporters must get RCMC from the concerned Export Promotion Councils/ FIEO/Commodity Boards/ Authorities in order to obtain authorisation to import/export or any other benefit or concession under the Foreign Trade Policy. The RCMC is valid for 5 years and requires an annual subscription; however, this varies from municipality to council. RCMC is also to be used according to the line of business. For example, if you sell coconut products, you must register with the Coconut Development Board. With this knowledge of what is RCMC certificate, let’s dive deeper.
The Department of Commerce now has fourteen Export Promotion Councils. The Companies Act/ Societies Registration Act classifies these councils as non-profit organizations.
In India, Who Needs RCMC?
According to the international trade policy, RCMC is applicable to two types of people. Anyone applying for a license to import or export restricted commodities, or any other license under import export, must first register with the RCMC. Anyone who wishes to claim a benefit under an export scheme must first register with the RCMC.
Any person, applying for any other benefit or concession under this policy shall be required to furnish Registration-cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) granted by the competent authority following the procedure specified in the Handbook (Vol. 1) unless specifically exempted under the Policy.
Organisation eligible to take RCMC:
- Company (Public, Private, OPC)
- Proprietorship
- Chamber of Commerce
- LLP
- Any Trust, Association, Institution
What Is the Purpose of the RCMC?
You must apply for an RCMC certificate if you are an exporter. Obtaining approval to export (or import) any products that are prohibited. Getting ready to receive various benefits under the foreign trade strategy Benefits from customs and central excise.
Even if you’re planning to export two or more things that fall into different categories and, as a result, have different EPCs, an RCMC is required. Exporting goods and products around the world is a challenging business, and the Indian government has a number of incentive programs in place to assist exporters with profitability, cash flow, and production difficulties.
What Is the Procedure for Applying for an RCMC?
To apply for an RCMC certificate, you must complete and submit an application form ANF 2C to the EPC, which is available on the official website of the Directorate of Foreign Trade.
- Exporters are divided into two groups: merchants and producers
- To register as a manufacturing exporter, you must submit proof of your current manufacturing plant.
- Your application must be addressed to the correct EPC, and you must include your company’s name, registration address, branch, and manufacturing addresses (if applicable)
- You must supply your IEC code, as well as information about your manufacturing unit, such as an industrial license, factory registration, and so on.
- You’ll also need your export status holder certificate number, as well as the certificate numbers for your export house, trading house, star trading house, and superstar trading house.
- The product(s) for which registration is required, as well as your major business line, must be specified.
Consult the amended Annexure 2T of the Directorate of Foreign Trade to determine which EPC/ Commodity Board/ Authority your product belongs to. It comprises a list of EPCs/ boards/ authorities, their contact information, and a list of products that fall within their authority.
There are now 37 export promotion councils in operation. It’s possible, though, that the product you intend to export may not yet have an EPC issued to it. In this case, you must apply directly to FIEO. If you have many goods or are unsure about your line of business, FIEO can issue the RCMC under its multi-product group category.
Documents Required for RCMC
- IEC number issued against the applying export entity.
- PAN card
- Articles and memorandum of association (for corporate/ institutional/ private limited/ limited company), partnership deed (in case of partnership firms and LLPs), or trust deed (in case of trusts)
- In the case of a company, the certificate issued by the Registrar of Companies regarding registered office change is needed
- GST Registration certificate
- Proof of payment of membership fee to the Services Export Promotion Council also has to be provided
- In the case of a service exporter already in business, three years’ services export data certified by the exporter’s chartered accountant has to be provided.
- In case the name of the signing authority does not appear in the IEC/ MOA/ partnership deed/ trust deed, etc., a self-certified copy of the board resolution or power of attorney issued in favor of the signing authority has to be provided.
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