URGENT                     URGENT                               URGENT

No: CLE/EXH/Garda-June2018                                                March 26, 2018

To
All Members

Council for Leather Exports

Dear Member,

Sub: Inviting Participation in 90^th Expo Riva Schuh Garda Fair, Italy June 16-19, 2018 from Existing & New Participants – Deadline April 4, 2018

About the Italian Market

Italy’s import of leather & leather products has increased from US $ 9746.66 million in the year 2012 to US $ 9911.53 million in the year 2016, growing at a CAGR of 0.42%.   Out of the total import value of US$ 9911.53 million in the year 2016, import of footwear (both leather and non-leather) alone was US$ 5202.07 million, followed by finished leather (US $ 2200.67 million), leather goods (US$ 1393.94 million), footwear components (US$  866.99 million) and leather garments (US$ 210.67 million).

On the other hand, India’s export of leather and leather products to Italy has also increased from US$ 438.53 million in the year 2012-13 to US$ 375.40 million in the year 2016-17, declining at a CAGR of -3.81%.  Major item of export from India to Italy during the year 2016-17 was Finished Leather, with a value of US$ 111.56 million, followed by Footwear (US$ 127.58 million), Leather Goods (US$ 68.41 million), Leather Garments (US$ 50.69 million) and Footwear Components (US$ 11.41 million). India accounts for a share of approx 3.79% in the total import of leather and leather products by Italy.

About the Fair

As members would be kindly aware, the Expo Riva Schuh Garda Fair held bi-annually in Garda, Italy is a very popular international footwear fair in which a substantial number of Indian companies participate. Although the Fair is located in Italy, buyers from all-over the EU and from other countries across the world including Russia, USA etc visit this Fair.

The CLE has been organizing Group Participation of Members in this fair for many years, and the size of our participation has been continuously increasing. Considering our member-companies repeated requests for allotment of more space, with effect from June 2012, the entire Hall A3 in the Garda Fair has been dedicated to CLE,.

As previously, the Council is giving Existing member-participants the option to either take Bare Space or a fully built up Stand. New companies will be allotted Built Up Stands only.

The MAIS Grant-Subsidized Participation Fee as also the Participation Fee for members who are not eligible for MAIS Grant, has been given for both options i.e. Bare Space & Built-up Stand.

It may be noted that the first preference for space allotment in the CLE pavilion in Hall A3 in the June 2018 edition of the Fair will be for existing participants. A deadline of April 4, 2018 has been fixed for CLE Member companies to confirm.

This Circular is requesting confirmation of participation in the June 16-19, 2018 edition of the Garda Fair from member-companies who participated in the January 2018 edition of the Fair ( i.e. the Existing Participants),  and also inviting members who wish to enlist as ‘New Participants’ to respond.

Existing participants are requested to kindly confirm their interest in participating in the coming edition of the Expo Riva Schuh Garda Fair June 16-19, 2018 by taking Built-up Stands(provided by CLE) OR by taking Bare Space.

Existing Participants who are interested to participate in the Expo Riva Schuh Fair, Garda June 2018 are requested to send the attached filled-in Application Form along with 100% of the Participation Fee positively by April 4, 2018.

IMPORTANT- As per the new guidelines of the Organizers, VISA Invitation Letters for Participants will be issued by the Fair Organizer, only after receipt of full payment for space taken by CLE.

Also, the fair organizer has introduced from the June 2018 edition, a charge of Euro 30 per person as Visa Invitation Issue Charges. To facilitate our member companies participation, the Council has decided not to collect any additional charge for the Visa Fee for upto Two representatives Per Participating Company (i.e Two Invitation Letters per Company would be issued free of cost). If there are more than two person from the same company requiring a Visa Invitation Letter from the Fair Organizer, they have to equivalent of Euro 30 (INR 2,400/- per person) as visa invitation charges. This may be paid along with the participation charges.

Hence towards facilitating timely obtaining of Visas by All Participants, Council seeks the co-operation of members to confirm their participation by remitting the Full Participation to CLE latest by April 4, 2018

For Members Eligible to claim MAIS Grant

In order to support member manufacturers/exporters of footwear , who are predominantly from the SME sector, to take part in this specialized fair for Footwear in Europe, the Council had approached the Dept of Commerce to provide necessary funding support to organize participation in Expo Riva Schuh Garda Fair, June 2018 under the Market Access Initiative Scheme (MAIS).  The Council’s proposal for facilitation of members’ participation in Expo Riva Schuh Fair , Italy June 2018 edition with funding under MAI scheme has been approved subject to the participation of at least 40 MAI Grant-eligible Members in the CLE Pavilion in the 90^th Expo Riva Schuh Garda Fair

It may be noted that the MAI Guidelines stipulate that MAI assistance would be given for only up to 3 participations in a Fair. Hence Participating Companies which have already availed this facility 3 times in the past, will NOT be eligible to avail MAIS Grant and hence the subsidized Participation Cost. The Council is organizing participation under MAI funding since the June 2015 edition.

Subsidized Participation Fee due to MAI Funding of Govt. of India – The Cost of fully  Built-up Stand in the June 2018 edition of the Expo Riva Schuh Garda Fair works out to Rs 23,400 per sq m or Rs 2,80,800 for a 12 sq m Built-up Booth.  However, as the June 2018 edition of the Expo Riva Schuh Garda Fair is being organized under funding support from the Market Access Initiative Scheme (MAIS) of the Govt. of India, the subsidized Participation Fee is Rs.1,20,000/ (Rupees One Lakh Twenty Thousand only)- for a 12 sq meter Fully Built Up Stand and Subsidized Participation fee Rs.96,000/- for 12 sq m of Bare Space.

MAI Subsidized Participation Fee for a Fully Built up Stand/ Bare Space for Eligible Companies is given in below Table:

Fully Built-Up Stand -Rs 10,000/- per sq.Mt upto 12 Sq.Mt and Rs.23,400 per sq.mt for additional area

Raw Space -Rs 8,000/- per sq.Mt upto 12 sq.mt and Rs.12,750 per sq.mt for additional area

Unsubsidized Participation Fee– Member-companies who have completed their participation under MAI funding more than three times (from June 2015) but   would like to participate are hereby requested to remit the Unsubsidized Participation dharges as per the details given below:

(a) Built-Up Stand -Rs.23,400/ per sq.Mt

(b) Bare Space Rs.14,650/- per sq.Mt

Regarding MAI Support, Members may also kindly note the following:

• Support under MAI scheme is admissible only for a 12 sq mtr booth to ensure equal availing of assistance under this scheme by all participants. Hence no additional booth for group companies will be allotted. For MAI-eligible participants, the Participation Charges in the Expo Riva Fair has been initially fixed at 1,20,000/- for a 12 Sq m booth subject to the final cost of participation.
• In case additional booth is required for companies in the same group, the same will be allotted at the actual cost based on various payments made towards Space cost, Registration fee, other charges payable to Fair organizer including stand construction charges and other organizing expenses. (In other words participation cost will be without funding support under MAI scheme).
• Similarly, members wanting to have more than 12 sq mtr space will be required to pay additional space and construction cost which will be without funding support of MAI scheme. This will again be based on actual payments made. .According to the estimates, the space cost and stand construction cost per sq.mtr works out to 23,400/-. Hence, those who desire to have more than 12 sq.mtr space have to remit the above mentioned Participation Charges for 12 sq m booth and Rs.23,400/- per sq.mt for additional space.
• The funding pattern under the MAI scheme is mainly to encourage the small and new company’s participation in the prestigious fair.

New Participants – Members who are interested to participate in the Expo Riva Schuh Fair, Garda June 2018 as ‘New Participants’ are requested to send the attached filled-in Application Form along with the  Participation Fee in Full, for a Fully Built-up minimum-sized Stand of 12 sq mt before April 4, 2018.  Also, New Participants may note that the allotment of Booths is subject to availability.

Reimbursement of Economy Excursion class air fare by shortest route for MAIS-Eligible Participants Only:

Members who are eligible to participate at the MAIS-Subsidized Participation Fee and whose Export Turnover during 2017-18 is more than Rs 3 lakhs and less than Rs.30 Crores, can claim  Air Fare reimbursement on economy excursion class by the shortest route subject to fulfillment of other MAI Eligibility Criteria as per the revised MAI Norms.  MAIS Intimation Application should be received by the Council by giving minimum 14 days Advance Notice excluding Date of Receipt of Application in the Council and Date of Departure from the country.

Members may also note that participants will have to arrange the Visa to Italy on their own.  However, CLE will arrange for the Invitation Letters (two Invitation Letters per Participating Company will be issued without additional charges from CLE. For more than two Letters, there will be charges of Euro 30 (INR 2400/- per person). Member-Participants, who require visa invitation letter from the fair organizer, may please send the passport details in the suggested format given in the application on or before April 4, 2018. Kindly note that non-issuance of Visa will not be considered a valid ground for withdrawal subsequent to confirmation of participation. Hence, withdrawal from participation after confirmation will not be allowed.

With Best Regards

Yours Sincerely

 

R.Ramesh Kumar, IAS

Executive Director

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