Backlogged scraps have been reduced 17,500 containers compared with the year of 2019

Paper scraps were imported. Photo:N.Linh

The General Department of Vietnam Customs has continued to direct the whole sector to prevent lifting on and lifting off scrap shipment and unqualified scrap; strengthening sample collection for analysis; strengthening coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to closely manage and coordinate with investigation authorities to strictly handle violations; as well as faciliatate to conduct quick clearance for eligible shipments.

Based on Decree No. 40/2019/ND-CP of the Government dated May 13, 2019, amending and supplementing articles of decrees stipulating and guiding the implementation of Environment Protection Law, the General Department of Vietnam Customs issued Official Letter No. 7402/TCHQ-GSQL dated November 27, 2019, guiding provincial Customs Departments carrying out customs procedures for imported scrap in accordance with regulations, and basically no new arising problems.

Besides that, the Ministry of Finance has established an inter-branch working group to handle backlogged goods as scrap in Vietnamese seaports. Additionally, the General Department of Vietnam Customs issued Document No. 6632/TCHQ-GSQL guiding provincial Customs Departments to handle backlogged goods which are scrap for reviewing, inspecting and classifying goods to send an announcement of finding goods owners, as well as set up board of handling backlogged goods.

Guiding the handling mechanism for shipments eligible for import and resolutely request shipping lines take unqualified shipments out of Vietnamese territory.

With strict control, the situation of backlogged scrap stored in the port has significantly decreased. Specifically, the number of backlogged containers has decreased by 17,567 containers compared to 2018 and did not increase after the General Department of Vietnam Customs strengthened strict management and urged the provincial Customs Departments to notify enterprises to implement import procedures as prescribed. If no enterprise comes to receive goods, the shipping line should propose to re-export for the foreign cargo owner to receive back their goods.

The Customs Management Supervision Department said that in the future, when Decision No. 35/2019/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister dated December 19, 2019 promulgated the regulation on inter-sectoral coordination to manage operations of importing scrap took effect, the unit would implement assigned tasks to achieve the State management goal of this activity.