RCMC Message Exchange with EPC

 

 

 

 

  

 

Abbreviations

 

EPC

Export Promotion Councils

RCMC

Registration Cum Membership Certificate

DGFT

Director General of Foreign Trade

FTP

Foreign Trade Policy

HBP

Hand Book of Procedure

IEC

Importer Exporter Code

DS

Digital Signature

Introduction:

 

Registration Cum Membership Certificate (RCMC) is issued by Export Promotion Councils/Commodity board/Development authority or other competent authority as prescribed in FTP or HBP Vol1.

 

Any firm applying for an Authorisation to import/export or avail any other benefits / concession under FTP is required to furnish valid RCMC.

 

The current procedure for furnishing RCMC information is manual. IEC holder submits the RCMC certificate in physical form to concerned Regional authority. RCMC details are keyed in into DGFT IEC database.

 

As a part of G2G message exchange initiative, it is now decided to exchange RCMC information electronically through EDI with Export Promotion Councils (EPC). This will provide accurate and updated information about RCMC and also reduce the hardship to trade as furnishing of physical copy of RCMC will be dispensed with.

 

 Prerequisites

·         Necessary setup for creation of RCMC data file

·         Class III digital Certificate for signing above created file.

 

 

 

 

RCMC Parameters  for Data exchange

 

  Note : The character ' is not allowed . You may use character `  instead. 

 

Parameter

Description

Type

Validation Checks

epccode

Export promotion council Code *

Character(5)

ü  Exact 5 characters.

ü  Valid EP Code

 

epcname

Name of EPC

Character(70)

ü  Max 70 characters.

ü  Minimum 5 characters

ü  Alphabets

ü  Comma (,)  and & allowed

preparedon

XML File preparation date

Date

ü  Valid Date in DDMMYYYY format

ü  Less than or equal to current date

reccount

No of RCMC records in current file

Number

ü  Numeric

ü  Valid range 1 to 9999

rcmcnumber

Unique RCMC number.

Character(35)

ü  Max 35 characters.

ü  Minimum 5 characters

ü  Alphanumeric

ü  , - _ ` / & ,9 ( ) allowed

issuedate

Date of issue of RCMC

Date

ü  Valid Date in DD.MM.YYYY format

ü  Less than current date

iec

Valid IEC issued by DGFT office.

Character(10)

ü  Valid IEC issued by DGFT.

ü  Exact 10 numeric characters

validupto

RCMC valid upto date

Date

ü  Valid Date in DD.MM.YYYY format

ü  Greater than current date

proddesc

Product Description

Character(100)

ü   Max 100 characters.

ü  Minimum 5 characters

ü  Alphanumeric

ü  & , . - _ ` ( ) allowed

exptype

Exporter type

Number(1)

ü   Numeric

ü  Valid range 1 to 5.

status

RCMC Upload Status

Character(1)

ü  Character   

ü  Allowed Values

 F for Fresh, 

A for Modified, 

C for cancelled

 

* List of EPC code as per annexure B

 

Exporter Type: Code of the Exporter type.

 

Code

Description

1

Merchant Exporter

2

Manufacturer Exporter

3

Service Provider

4

Others

5

Merchant/Manufacturer

0

None

 

RCMC File Format:

 

Name of file should be CCCCCDDMMYYYYC.XML (e.g.  EP001090920091. XML)

 

First Five characters (CCCCC): EPC Code

Next eight characters (DDMMYYYY): File generated date

Next character(C): File extension number

 

File extension should be .XML

 

 Detail procedure :

 

  • Registration of Administrator with DGFT (one time)

  • Consolidation of RCMC data from various branches/offices of EPC

  •   Creation of RCMC data  file in predefined format

  •   Digitally signing the file optional)

  • Uploading of the file

  •   RCMC transmission status updation at EPC end.

 

 

Step-I: Registration of Administrator with DGFT [One time]

Each EPC have to nominate one person who should have a valid private certificate from any certifying authority approved by CCA with a minimum or above CLASS III. The respective person has to report to  FTDO, EDI Division in person with the digital certificate for the first time registration.

For further reference:

FTDO, EDI Division,
DGFT, Udyog Bhawan,
New Delhi – 110011.

TEL: 23061562 Ext. 392


 

 

Step-II: Preparation of RCMC data file.

 

All regional /branch offices of EPC will provide details of RCMC issued/modified to EPC HQ. EPC HQ will prepare a RCMC file in the XML format as given below.

 

After preparation of XML, EPC should verify it with DTD provided on DGFT website at predefined URL. In case of any non conformity with DTD, XML is to be rectified before going to next step.

 

Maximum allowed file size is 500 kb only

 

File naming format:

Name of file should be CCCCCDDMMYYYYC.XML (e.g.  EP001090920091. XML)

 

First Five characters (CCCCC): EPCCODE

Next eight characters (DDMMYYYY): file generated date

Next character(C): file extension number

 

File extension should be .XML

 

 Schema File , Sample XML file 

  For latest schema file and sample XML Please referer RCMC Help link  on dgft.gov.in 

 

 

Step-III: Digitally signing RCMC data file.[Optional]

 

EPC will digitally sign the XML file created and verified as mentioned in step II with the Class III certificate of the user.

This step is optional. User can Digitally sign file at the time of uploading also.

 

Step-IV: Uploading of RCMC data file

 

Click 'Login for RCMC Upload'  hyperlink on DGFT web site (www.dgft.gov.in) , a login screen as shown below appears.

key in user id ( e.g. EP001 )

 

 

 

System displays the Digital certificate for selection. select the certificate  

 

 

 

 

Certificate is  validated and user is directed to EPC home page as shown below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click  option ‘Upload File’ to upload RCMC data file.

A file selection screen as shown below appears.

 

 

 

Select the rcmc data xml file from your local file system and press Upload button .

 

 

 

 

 

If  file is not already digitally signed , digital certificate for signing will be displayed. 

 

 

 

select the certificate and the file will be signed and on successful signing following message will be displayed.

 

 

 

 

Press 'OK' button to proceed for uploading.

 

DGFT sever will verify the Digital signature. On successful verification file will be uploaded on DGFT server and acknowledgement report will be displayed on screen .

 

 

 

The acknowledgement in XML format is  also available. EPC may download it for further processing at EPC end.

 

 

Acknowledgment File:

 

This option is provided for retrieving acknowledgement details of earlier uploaded file. User can get details in HTML as well as XML format.

 

Click Acknowledgement File option. A  screen as below appears. key in EPC file number and select the type of report .and Press show button.

 

 

 

 

The detail of uploading action result are displayed as below.

 

 

 

 

 

It shows summary of uploading action  as well as each RCMC wise status and error description if any.

 

RCMC Uploaded List:

 

User can get list of  total successful RCMC data uploaded for a EPC file.

click 'RCMC Uploaded List' option and key in valid EPC file number.

the detail reports showing list RCMC uploaded through this file is displayed as below.

 

 

 

 

Information in Acknowledgement XML file

 

EPC File

EPC file level error code

RCMC number

Error code:

 “00”: accepted

All other codes indicate errors.(Details for error code are provided in annexure A.)

           

 

Sample Acknowledgement XML:

 

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<RCMC>

            <File>EP013291020091</File>

            <errcode>00</errcode>         

            <RCMCDATA>

                        <rcmcnumber>DOC/1/2009</rcmcnumber>

                        <errcode>00</errcode>

            </RCMCDATA>

            <RCMCDATA>

                        <rcmcnumber>ABC/2/2009</rcmcnumber>

                        <errcode>04,07</errcode>

            </RCMCDATA>

</RCMC>

 

 


Error codes in Acknowledgment File

 00 indicates RCMC Accepted by DGFT

 

Error code 

Error Description

01

Invalid IEC

02

Duplicate RCMC

03

RCMC Issue date Greater than todays date

04

RCMC validity date less than todays date

05

Invalid EPC Name. Exceeding 70 Characters

06

Invalid EPC Code

07

Invalid RCMC. Blank or Exceeding 35 character

08

Invalid characters in RCMC Number

09

Invalid Exporter Status code

10

Invalid Record Count

11

Invalid Staus

12

Invalid Prepared on Date

13

RCMC already deleted

14

RCMC not available with DGFT

15

Record Count Mismatch.

16

Preparation date not matching with Filename date

17

Invalid Date in filename 

18

EP Code mismatch

80

Null values not allowed

81

IEC Length not equal 10

82

RCMC Length greater than 35

83

Invalid RCMC Issue date

84

Invalid RCMC Expiry date

85

Product Description greater than 100

86

Invalid Exporter Type code

87

Invalid Exporter Status
91 Technical error . Please contact Administartor
92 File size exceeds allowed file size
93 Schema Check failed 
94 Signature verification failed 

97

Duplicate RCMC in same XML File

98

File Already Uploaded

99

Invalid XML format file

 

 

 

 

 

LIST OF EXPORT PROMOTION COUNCIL/COMMODITY BOARDS/EXPORT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES

 

 

EPC CODE

EPC NAME

EP001

Apparel Export Promotion Council

EP002

Basic Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics EPC

EP003

Carpet Export Promotion Council

EP004

Cashew Export Promotion Council of India

EP005

CAPEXIL

EP006

The Cotton Textiles Export promotion Council

EP007

Council for Leather Exports

EP008

EEPC INDIA

EP009

Electronics and Computer Software EPC

EP010

Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts

EP011

Export Promotion Council for EOUs and SEZ Units

EP012

Federation of Indian Export Organizations (FIEO)

EP013

The Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council

EP014

Handloom Export promotion Council

EP015

Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council

EP016

The Indian Silk Export Promotion Council

EP017

Jute Manufacturers Development Council

EP018

Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council

EP019

The Plastics Export Promotion Council

EP020

Powerloom Development and Export promotion Council

EP021

Project Exports Promotion Council of India

EP022

Services Export Promotion Council

EP023

The Sports Goods Export promotion Council

EP024

Shellac and Forest products Export promotion Council

EP025

Synthetic and Rayon textiles Export Promotion Council

EP026

Wool and Woollens Export promotion Council

EP027

Wool Industry Export Promotion Council

 

 

 

 

COMMODITY BOARD

 

EPC CODE

EPC NAME

EP028

Coffee Board

EP029

Coir Board

EP030

The Rubber Board

EP031

Spices Board

EP032

Tea Board, Amritsar

EP033

Tobacco Board

 

 

AUTHORITIES

 

EPC CODE

EPC NAME

EP034

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, Bangalore

EP035

Marine Products Export Development Authority, Kochi

EP036

Coconut Development Board, Kochi