Standard Operating Procedure — India to EU Shipments
Exporter: _____________________________________________
Product / HS Code: _____________________________________________
EU Buyer: _____________________________________________
Purchase Order Ref.: _____________________________________________
Protocol Version: _____________________________________________
Effective Date: _____________________________________________
This Protocol establishes the standard pre-inspection and shipping procedure for all commercial shipments from this exporter to EU buyers. It is to be followed by the export operations team, quality department, freight forwarder, and customs house agent for every shipment. Deviations require written approval from the Export Manager.
SECTION 1 — PRODUCTION RELEASE GATE
Purpose: To confirm production is complete and meets specification before pre-shipment activities begin.
SECTION 2 — PRE-SHIPMENT INSPECTION (PSI) BOOKING AND EXECUTION
Purpose: To conduct third-party pre-shipment inspection where required by the buyer or LC.
2.1 Booking
2.2 Inspection Day
2.3 Inspection Outcome
SECTION 3 — COMPLIANCE DOCUMENT COLLECTION
Purpose: To collect all compliance certificates and regulatory documents required for EU import before the vessel cut-off date.
SECTION 4 — SHIPPING DOCUMENT PREPARATION
Purpose: To prepare all shipping and customs documents before vessel cut-off.
SECTION 5 — CARGO STUFFING AND SEALING
Purpose: To control the stuffing process and ensure cargo integrity.
SECTION 6 — LET EXPORT ORDER AND VESSEL DEPARTURE
SECTION 7 — POST-SHIPMENT DOCUMENTATION DISPATCH
SECTION 8 — POST-RECEIPT REVIEW
Prepared by: _____________________________________________ Title: _____________ Date: _____________
Approved by: _____________________________________________ Title: _____________ Date: _____________
Doc 84 — Pre-Inspection and Shipping Protocol (SOP) — Neutral Template
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Production Completion Report signed by Production Manager — date of completion recorded. | [ ] | |
| Internal quality check passed — sample checked against approved specification or buyer-approved sample. | [ ] | |
| Any deviations from specification documented and disposition (accept/rework/reject) determined. | [ ] | |
| Rework (if required) completed and re-inspected — second pass quality check passed. | [ ] | |
| Product batch / lot number assigned and recorded — linked to the purchase order and production batch records. | [ ] | |
| Packaging and labelling applied — verified against EU buyer's labelling specification and EU regulatory requirements. | [ ] | |
| Country of origin marking verified — "Made in India" correctly applied on product and outer packaging. | [ ] | |
| Quantity count completed — matches the purchase order quantity (within agreed tolerance). | [ ] |
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Determine whether PSI is required: [ ] Mandatory (buyer/LC requirement) [ ] Optional (exporter discretion) [ ] Not required. | [ ] | |
| Inspection agency booked — minimum 5 working days before required inspection date. Agency: _____________________________________________. | [ ] | |
| Inspection scope confirmed with agency: AQL level, sampling plan, inspection criteria (quantity, quality, labelling, packaging). | [ ] | |
| Inspection location confirmed — production facility or warehouse address provided to agency. | [ ] | |
| Product made available for inspection in accessible, well-lit area — all cartons accessible for random sampling. | [ ] |
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inspector met on arrival — export manager or QC manager present throughout inspection. | [ ] | |
| Inspector provided with: Purchase Order copy, product specification, approved sample (if available), buyer's quality requirements. | [ ] | |
| Inspection conducted — quantity count, quality check against specification, labelling check, packaging check. | [ ] | |
| AQL sampling completed — critical, major, and minor defect counts recorded. | [ ] | |
| Container / cargo condition inspected (if stuffing at factory) — container cleanliness and fitness for cargo confirmed. | [ ] |
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PSI Result: [ ] PASS — proceed to shipping. [ ] CONDITIONAL PASS — proceed subject to corrective action by _____________ date. [ ] FAIL — production rework required before re-inspection. | [ ] | |
| PSI Certificate received from inspection agency — review for accuracy before accepting. | [ ] | |
| NCR (Non-Conformity Report) received (if any) — corrective actions initiated, completion date confirmed. | [ ] | |
| Re-inspection scheduled and passed (if initial result was Fail or Conditional). | [ ] | |
| PSI Certificate filed with shipment documentation. | [ ] |
| Document | Issuing Body | Required By | Obtained |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phytosanitary Certificate | Plant Quarantine Station (PQIMS) | ________ | [ ] |
| Health / Veterinary Certificate | AQCS / MPEDA / FSSAI | ________ | [ ] |
| FSSAI Export Certificate | FSSAI | ________ | [ ] |
| MRL / Pesticide Test Report | NABL accredited lab | ________ | [ ] |
| Aflatoxin Test Report | NABL accredited lab | ________ | [ ] |
| Certificate of Analysis (CoA) | Accredited lab | ________ | [ ] |
| CE Declaration of Conformity | Manufacturer | ________ | [ ] |
| REACH Compliance Declaration | Manufacturer | ________ | [ ] |
| RoHS Declaration | Manufacturer | ________ | [ ] |
| Certificate of Origin / REX Statement | Chamber / FIEO / EIC (or REX on invoice) | ________ | [ ] |
| Fumigation Certificate | Approved fumigation agency | ________ | [ ] |
| Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate | Inspection agency | ________ | [ ] |
| Other: _________________________ | _________________________ | ________ | [ ] |
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Invoice prepared — all fields completed. If LC: reviewed against LC field 45A (goods description) and 46A (document requirements). No discrepancy found. | [ ] | |
| Packing List prepared — package count, gross/net weight, dimensions, marks, container/seal number fields all completed. | [ ] | |
| REX Statement of Origin: Prescribed text on invoice. REX number correct and pre-validated on EU REX database. | [ ] | |
| VGM: Cargo and container weighed. VGM filed with shipping line before VGM cut-off deadline. | [ ] | |
| Shipping Bill filed on ICEGATE: HSN code, FOB value, AD Code, LUT reference, RoDTEP flag, all confirmed. CHA sign-off obtained. | [ ] | |
| Dangerous Goods Declaration / MSDS submitted to freight forwarder (if cargo is hazardous). | [ ] | |
| TRACES NT pre-notification filed (for regulated plant/animal products) — pre-notification reference number obtained and shared with EU buyer. | [ ] | |
| Booking confirmation re-verified — vessel, voyage, container type, and cut-off dates confirmed with freight forwarder. | [ ] |
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Container condition inspected before stuffing: cleanliness, no damage, no odour, no moisture. Inspection signed off by QC representative. | [ ] | |
| Reefer container set-point confirmed (cold chain) — data logger started and zeroed before first cargo enters. | [ ] | |
| Pre-cooling certificate completed (cold chain) — pulp/core temperature at time of stuffing recorded. | [ ] | |
| Cargo loaded and stowed as per stowage plan — weight distribution correct. No over-packing. | [ ] | |
| ISPM-15 pallets verified — IPPC mark visible and legible on all wooden pallets and packaging. | [ ] | |
| Marks and numbers on packages match the packing list and B/L instructions. | [ ] | |
| Container sealed immediately after last package loaded — seal number recorded. | [ ] | |
| Seal number communicated to freight forwarder for B/L instruction. | [ ] | |
| Reefer plug-in at port: Shipping line notified of set-point requirements. Reefer running confirmation obtained (cold chain). | [ ] | |
| Stuffing supervisor sign-off: Quality representative signs stuffing record. Photograph of sealed container taken. | [ ] |
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Customs examination: If RMS-ordered — goods available at port. Examination conducted and cleared without query. | [ ] | |
| Let Export Order (LEO) granted by customs — LEO number recorded. | [ ] | |
| Container moves to port — dock receipt / EIR obtained from shipping line or port. | [ ] | |
| On-board date confirmed with freight forwarder after loading — on-board date meets LC latest shipment date. | [ ] | |
| EGM confirmation: Freight forwarder confirms EGM filed after vessel departure. EGM reference number retained. | [ ] |
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bill of Lading obtained — all fields verified against LC using Doc 41 discrepancy checklist. | [ ] | |
| Full document set assembled and cross-document consistency check completed. | [ ] | |
| LC presentation: Documents submitted to bank within presentation period (if LC). Covering letter listing all documents enclosed. | [ ] | |
| Non-LC shipments: Documents couriered or emailed to EU buyer. Tracking number provided. | [ ] | |
| Shipment advice sent to EU buyer — vessel, B/L, container number, ETA, document dispatch method. | [ ] | |
| EU buyer's customs agent briefed — TRACES notification reference and any special instructions shared. | [ ] | |
| Post-shipment records filed — all documents archived in shipment file. 5-year retention confirmed. | [ ] |
| Item | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EU clearance confirmation received — no border inspection hold reported by EU buyer. | [ ] | |
| EU buyer delivery and quality acceptance confirmed — any NCRs reported by EU buyer documented. | [ ] | |
| Export proceeds received within FEMA period — FIRC and eBRC obtained. | [ ] | |
| RoDTEP credit confirmed on ICEGATE — e-Scrip credited. | [ ] | |
| GST refund filed — submission reference recorded. | [ ] | |
| Lessons learned: Any deviation from this protocol documented. Protocol updated if required. | [ ] |