Discuss the principal documents used in exporting.

Documents related to goods with regard to export transactions are as under :

1. Export Invoice : It is a seller's bill for merchandise and contains information about goods such as quantity/total value, number of packages, port of destination, name of ship, bill of lading etc.
2. Packing list : A packing list is a statement of the number cases or packs and the details of the goods contained in these packs. It gives details of the nature of goods which are being exported and the form in which these are being sent.

3. Certificate of origin : This is a certificate which specifies the country in which goods are being produced. This certificate entitles the importer to claim tariff concessions or other exemptions such as non-applicability of quota restrictions on goods orginating from certain pre-specified countries. This certificate is also required when these is a ban on imports of certain goods from select countries.

4. Certificate of inspection : For ensuring quality, government has made it compulsory for certain products that these be inspected by some authorised agency. Export Inspection Council of India (EICI) is one such agency which carries out such inspections and issues the certificates that the consignment has been inspected as required under the Export Quality Control and Inspection Act 1968 and satisfies the conditions relating to quality control and inspection as applicable to it.