EPCES Registration - How to get RCMC for EOU & SEZ units

The Export Promotion Council for EOUs & SEZs (EPCES) was established by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in the Indian government to support the export needs of EOUs & SEZs in the country. Over time, EPCES has worked to bring together various stakeholders, including the industry, policymakers, banks, financial institutions, and multilateral agencies, to increase competitiveness in the Indian EOUs & SEZ sector.

The objective behind issuing registration cum membership certificate is as:-

• To promote exports from India and to earn more foreign exchange for the country.
• To facilitate interaction between the EOUs/SEZs community and Government.

The EPCES registration is a way forward for manufacturers and exporters of various goods and services in India. As it helps small businesses to set up their units and take various benefits & advantages of the government. Schemes and policies.

The EPCES RCMC application needs two sets of documents: a common DGFT set that applies to every exporter and an EPCES-specific set based on whether the applicant is an EOU, SEZ unit, SEZ developer, or SEZ co-developer.

1. Common Documents

These are the standard documents required for any RCMC application on the DGFT portal:

• Import Export Code (IEC) issued by DGFT
• Permanent Account Number (PAN) of the firm
• GST Registration Certificate of the registered office and branches
• Certificate of Incorporation, Partnership Deed, or LLP Agreement depending on entity type
• Memorandum and Articles of Association (MoA and AoA) for companies
• Board Resolution or Authorisation Letter for the authorised signatory
• Aadhaar of the authorised signatory
• Cancelled cheque or Bank Performance Letter for bank verification
• Proof of office address, such as a recent electricity bill or rental agreement
• Self-Declaration / Undertaking in the prescribed format
• Last RCMC Certificate (only for renewal applications)
• Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) or Aadhaar e-Sign linked to your DGFT account for final submission

2. EPCES-Specific Documents

In addition to the common set, EPCES requires unit-specific documents tied to the applicant's EOU or SEZ status, since EPCES membership is mandatory under Notification G.S.R. No. 771(E) dated 5 August 2016 for SEZ units, developers, and co-developers and under DGFT Public Notice No. 27/2015-2020 dated 26 August 2019 for EOUs.

• Letter of Approval (LOA) issued by the office of the concerned Development Commissioner or Board of Approval (BOA) to set up the EOU, SEZ Unit, or SEZ Developer (this is the eligibility trigger)
• Letter of Permission (LOP) for EOUs, issued by the Development Commissioner
• Lease Agreement or SEZ Authority Agreement for SEZ-based units, confirming your operational location inside the notified zone
• Annual Performance Report (APR) showing your previous year's export performance, used by EPCES to determine your fee slab based on net export turnover
• Format-A Statement (foreign exchange earnings statement), where applicable for renewal applications
• Net Foreign Exchange Earnings (NFE) Statement to confirm compliance with EOU / SEZ scheme obligations

Note: All documents must be uploaded in PDF format during the Attachments stage of the application. Each document should be clear, legible, and self-attested. The final submission requires authentication using the applicant's DSC or Aadhaar e-Sign.

The classification of membership registration fee is subjected to the kind of business the applicant is operating such as:

For EOU units

1. The subscription fee for exporters with turnover upto Rs. 5 Cr the is INR 5,000 +18% GST on it.
2. The fee for exporters with turnover up to Rs. 5cr-25cr is ₹10,000 +18% GST
3. And for the exporters with annual turnover of more than 25cr and above is rupees ₹15,000 + 18% GST on it.

For SEZ units

1. The membership subscription fee for the SEZ units having turnover not more than ₹5 cr rupee is 5,000 INR.
2. The cost for exporters having turnover between 5cr-25cr rupees is 10,000 INR.
3. And for the exporters having turnover more than 25cr rupees the fee would be ₹ 15,000

Note: The annual renewal fees for SEZs and EOU units is the same as the membership registration fee.

For SEZ developer/Co-Developer

1. The EPCES membership registration fee for the big SEZ Developers above 1000 hectares land is ₹50,000 INR and the annual renewal fee would be ₹ 20,000.
2. The membership registration fee for the small SEZ Developers below 1000 hectares land is ₹20,000 INR and the annual renewal fee would be ₹ 15,000.

The Export Promotion Council for EOUs & SEZs (EPCES) offers membership under three distinct categories:

1. Export Oriented Units (EOUs): EOUs (Export-oriented units) are businesses that commit to exporting all of their produced goods. These units can range from manufacturing, services, software development, repairs, remakes, reconditioning, re-engineering, and even the creation of gold, silver, or platinum jewelry. Additionally, agriculture-based businesses.
2. Special Economic Zone Units (SEZ units): SEZ (Special Economic Zone) units are businesses operating within designated geographic areas in a country that have different economic and trade laws than the rest of the country. These zones are established to encourage economic growth and attract foreign investment through various incentives and tax benefits. SEZ units can engage in various industries such as manufacturing, services, and export-oriented businesses.
3. Special Economic Zone Developers (SEZ) & Co-Developer: SEZ Developers are the primary developers who are responsible for setting up infrastructure and facilities within the SEZs to attract businesses to set up operations there. Co-Developers, on the other hand, work in partnership with SEZ Developers to jointly develop and manage the SEZs. The role of a Co-Developer may vary, but typically they provide additional resources, support, or expertise to the SEZ development project.

Eligibility of EPCES membership

• For SEZ Developers & Co-Developers: As per notification G.S.R. No. 771(E) dated August 5, 2016, all Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Co-Developers must obtain a Registration cum Membership Certificate (RCMC) to conduct operations within their zones.
• For Export Oriented Units (EOUs): According to DGFT Public Notice No. 27/2015-2020, all Export Oriented Units (EOUs) are eligible and required to secure EPCES Membership or DGFT Registration cum Membership to operate effectively under the stipulated guidelines.

The export promotion council for EOU & SEZs (EPCES) plays a vital role by bringing government and all pvt manufacturing sectors on a single table to promote EOU & SEZs in India in the export market.

These are the some benefits of membership:

1. Organize events: The EPCES is responsible for organizing events among EOUs and SEZ developers with respected ministry to resolve any kind of issues of the EOU/SEZ sector
2. Organizing trade fairs: The export promotion council of EOUs & SEZ is also responsible for holding various trade fairs and providing financial help through various market access initiatives to its members and participants in the fair.
3. Publishing & Notifications: The EPCES council is also responsible for issuing publications every year regarding rules, taxes and any change in the code of conduct of the regulatory body. A complementary copy of the publications and notifications is sent to all the registered members of the body.
4. Market research: The Export Promotion Council of EOU & SEZs also carries out extensive market research and looks for new opportunities in foreign markets to the development of Indian export sectors in those markets. The members of council can take benefits of their market research data to boost their businesses and brand.