PHARMEXCIL – Application Fees, Membership, Documents

Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (PHARMEXCIL) is the statutory body for the promotion of pharmaceutical exports from India. PHARMEXCIL was formed under the banner of Foreign Trade Policy by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This council is governed by the aim to promote a high-quality manufacturing and export of pharmaceutical products of India.

A wide range of products and services that are catered by PHARMEXCIL include:

• Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API)
• Herbal/ Ayurveda
• Finished Dosage Forms (FDF)
• Diagnostics
• Homeopathy
• Surgical Equipment
• Nutraceuticals
• Biologics
• Unani
• Siddha

It primarily undertakes promotional activities through trade fairs, international expositions, buyer-seller meets, journals, furnishing trade statistics and other such activities. Lot of young pharmaceutical companies get help from PHARMEXCIL in strengthening their base. Services like seminars on export-related issues and assistance in getting certificates and government benefits are of immense help to such young companies. A member of the export council has an added advantage of credibility while applying for business loans, working capital loans, export bill credit, trade finance, etc.

Application form and fees & charges

Pharmaceutical exporters are required to obtain a Registration-cum-Membership-Certificate (RCMC) issued by PHARMEXCIL. The registration entails numerous benefits which also make the registration a required norm. A pharmaceutical manufacturer-exporter or trader-exporter can apply for the certificate from the council.

Obtain a Registration application form from the official website of the council or Click here to download the application form

The following schedule explains the membership fees for different categories of exporters:

Category	Annual Subscription p.a.	Entrance Fee (One time)
Large Scale Manufacturer	Rs. 36,000	Rs. 18,000
Small Scale Manufacturer	Rs. 10,000	Rs. 5,000
Merchant Exporter	Rs. 12,000	Rs. 6,000

Note: 18% GST will be additionally added to the fees & charges

Note that the fees are to be paid while submitting the application form along with other necessary documents. It can be a Demand Draft drawn in favour of “Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India” payable at Hyderabad or Mumbai, or it can be sent via NEFT/RTGS, information of which is mentioned in the application form.

Documents Required

Large Scale Manufacturer:

Along with the application form, large scale manufacturer is required to submit the following documents:

• PAN Card of the person or the company on whose name the certificate is requested
• Import Export Code (IEC) as per the guidelines of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade in the name of the business entity
• A certificate issued by the Secretariat for Industrial Assistance as a part of the requirement for an Industrial Licence
• A copy of the Drug Licence of the company
• A duly signed document containing a brief of the company along with a company brochure

Small Scale Manufacturer:

An SSM needs to submit the following documents along with the application form:

• PAN Card of the person or the company on whose name the certificate is requested
• Import Export Code (IEC) as per the guidelines of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade in the name of the business entity
• A Small Scale Industries (SSI) certificate issued by the Director of Industries as a fulfilment towards the Industrial Licence
• A copy of the Drug Licence of the company
• A duly signed document containing a brief of the company along with a company brochure

Merchant Exporter:

A merchant exporter would only require:

• Import Export Code (IEC)
• PAN Card of the person or the company on whose name the certificate is requested.
• A copy of the Drug Licence of the company
• A duly signed document containing a brief of the company along with a company brochure and the registration application form

Benefits of becoming a member

The Council, primarily set up to promote exports under the corpus of Export Promotions Councils, assists its members in a number of avenues. It not only furnishes necessary trade information and statistics but also helps companies grow technologically and financially. Some of its key benefits include:

• Members of the Council can avail the benefits of the buyer-seller meets arranged in India or abroad
• Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) and Market Access Initiative (MAI) schemes run by the government of India act as a catalyst for promoting exports of pharmaceutical companies in new markets. A Member partner can avail benefits of marketing initiatives, market research, assistance in finding buyer/sellers in a new market
• International Trading partners who have a Certificate of Origin, which is proof of meeting certain quality standards and origination from a certain country, is deemed considered credible. An RCMC for pharmaceutical companies means that the registered company can get a Certificate of Origin, if it meets certain quality criteria
• Trade Enquiries from abroad are circulated to the members
• A member can also benefit from the Interactive Sessions organized or supported by the Council on export-related issues
• Like other Export Promotion Councils, PHARMEXCIL also works with the Government in evaluating and framing policies for Pharmaceutical Exports
• Members have inherited credibility while they are applying for loans, working capital loans, trade finance, or export credit billing

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Is it compulsory to become a member of PHARMEXCIL?

Ans. It is mandatory for all exporters of Pharmaceutical Products to have a valid Registration-cum-Membership-Certificate (RCMC), which is issued by PHARMEXCIL under the guidelines of Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Also, a membership is required to avail the benefits offered by the Council.

Q2. What is the procedure to become a Council Member?

Ans. An applicant will have to fill the application form online. Afterwards, a copy of the same form and three duly signed copies of RCMC embedded with the company’s seal are to be sent to the Council along with all the mandated documents.

Q3. Does the Council help the companies financially?

Ans. The Council does not directly help the members financially but the Council supports by providing information on finance in consultation with Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM) bank. The registration with the Council is an indirect benefit of trustworthiness for companies when applying for loans or other trade finance with banks.