All temporarily imported goods for re-export to be supervised by Customs

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Customs officers at Mong Cai Customs Branch implement physical inspections of goods. Photo: Thai Binh.

Many forms of surveillance

In a recent document sent to the Government Office on the management of temporary import for re-export business operations, the Ministry of Finance said: “According to current regulations, all temporarily imported goods for re-export must be supervised by Customs officers from the time of temporary import to the time of re-export out of Vietnam's territory.

The supervision of Customs authorities shall comply with the provisions specified in legal documents, including Decree 154/2005 / ND-CP and Decree 08/2015 / ND-CP and Circular 194/2010 / TT- and Circular 128/2013 / TT-BTC and processes of monitoring imported goods trans-shipped under the management of the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Accordingly, Customs authorities are also responsible for performing direct supervision of Customs officers, monitoring and inspection of Customs seals, and other technical tasks (detailed description of goods, photographic records of goods and vehicles or checking the weight of goods and vehicles, etc).

Recently, Customs has supervised Customs seals when goods are stored and transported within the territory of Vietnam.

Customs has also applied direct supervision of Customs officers when unloading shipments or splitting containers for the purpose of import or export.

In the case of bulky, super-sized or super-weighted goods which are unable to apply Customs supervision by Customs sealing method, Customs shall carry out other techniques.

According to the Ministry of Finance, in the near future, when applying Customs seals in surveillance, Customs authorities can take advantage to track the location of super-sized or super-weighted goods, apart from the application of technical methods such as detailed description of goods, photographic records of goods and vehicles, or checking the weight of goods and vehicles.

Recommendations on reduction of Customs storage of goods

Regarding the management of temporary import for re-export business operations, apart from the accomplishment of assigned responsibilities, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has actively proposed to amend many shortcomings related to these operations, especially in light of the congestion of temporarily imported goods for re-export in Hai Phong from 2010.

According to the Ministry of Finance, in order to promptly overcome shortcomings in the management of import for re-export business operations, the General Department of Vietnam Customs issued Plan 46 / KH-TCHQ on July 30, 2010 and Plan 98 / KH-TCHQ on June 22, 2012 to control and prevent the violation of temporary import for re-export business operations in a timely fashion.

However, under the provisions of Clause 2, Article 12 of Government Decree 12/2006/ ND-CP of January 23, 2006 regulating the implementation of Commercial Law on international trading activities and international transit of goods with foreign countries, specifically: "Temporarily imported goods for re-export stored in Vietnam shall not exceed 120 days from the date of completion of temporary import Customs procedures. In case of prolonging the time of temporary import for re-export, enterprises need to send documents to Customs Departments of the provinces or cities; the extended deadline shall not exceed 30 days and no more than two extensions are allowed per shipment of temporarily imported goods for re-export".

Consequently, the maximum time for temporarily imported goods for re-export to be stored in Vietnam is 180 days. During that time, enterprises are allowed to take the goods out of Customs control areas and are responsible for preserving goods, which has sometimes led to violations.

Regarding the shortcomings mentioned above, the General Department of Vietnam Customs and the relevant authorities proposed to the Government to amend Decree 187/2013 / ND-CP to replace Decree 12/2006 / ND-CP.

Specifically, Decree 187 stipulates: "Temporarily imported goods for re-export stored in Vietnam shall not exceed 60 days from the date of completion of temporary import Customs procedures. In the case of prolonging the time of temporary import for re-export, enterprises need to send documents to Customs Departments of the provinces or cities; the extended deadline shall not exceed 30 days, and no more than two extensions are allowed per shipment of temporarily imported goods for re-export. After that time, enterprises must re-export goods out of Vietnam or destroy them. In the case of importing goods into Vietnam, enterprises must comply with the regulations on the Law on import tax".

Indentifying owner of the consignment 26 automobiles temporary imported for re-exported. VCN- On 26 May, The Ministry of Finance submitted a report to the Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa ...

With the new regulations, Customs storage time in Vietnam for temporarily imported goods for re-export shall decrease by 60 days, which also helps the management of Customs authorities become much more favourable.