A proposal for a completely paperless customs compliance framework for special economic zones (SEZs) is being reviewed by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), said officials.

The framework will be in sync with new legislation proposed by the Centre to turn the SEZs into comprehensive economic hubs, with larger participation of states and further ease of compliance to attract investment.

A working group of officers recently submitted a detailed report identifying processes which can be migrated to the ICES (Indian Customs EDI System) or the Indian Customs Electronic Gateway (ICEGATE) system to make the customs process automated and smooth. The CBIC has identified processes, including filing bills of entry, filling shipping bills and risk-based examination of cargo which will be migrated to the ICES systems. "We did a very comprehensive review of part of the touch points between the customs and SEZ units and the processes involved and how we can automate them," a senior official told ET.