Binh Duong Customs: Facilitating eligible importers of scrap materials

	Scrap importers exempted from submission of the notification issued by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
	An interdisciplinary working group is needed to handle scrap inventory
	Binh Duong Customs is equipped more mobile container scanner

Imported scrap as production materials of Posco SS Vina company in Ba Ria-Vung Tau. Photo: Nguyen Hue.

Proactively deal with backlogged scrap

In the past, due to obstacles in Circular 08/2018 / TT-BTNMT and Circular 09/2018 / TT-BTNMT of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the customs clearance of goods were delayed; enterprises lacked raw materials and must pay high storage costs, having a significant impact on enterprises. In particular, enterprises are facing difficulties in working capital by high storage costs, such as Vina Kraft Paper Co., Ltd., (Binh Duong) said the cost was up to VND 36 billion, since Circular No. 08 and Circular 09 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment were issued.

Following the Government's guidance in Official Dispatch 1036 / VPCP-TH, from January 1, 2019 to March 6, 2019, Binh Duong Customs Department carried out customs clearance procedures for 3,284 containers of imported scrap as production materials at Binh Duong port. All of the above containers are paper scraps of enterprises having manufacturing plants in Binh Duong province. In particular, many enterprises imported paper scraps for production in large quantities such as Cheng Yang Paper Mill Co., Ltd., Vina Kraft Paper Co., Ltd., etc.

On the other hand, when the Prime Minister’s directions were not issued, to remove difficulties and problems in inspection and clearance of imported paper scraps according to Circular 08 and 09 for enterprises in the province, Binh Duong Customs Department coordinated with Binh Duong Department of Natural Resources and Environment to guide paper manufacturing enterprises in the province the implementation; at the same time, enhancing inspection and supervision of imports and use of scraps for enterprises.

Accordingly, Binh Duong Department of Natural Resources and Environment will not need to carry out the physical inspection for containers of scraps by the naked eye according to regulations, but base on the inspection results and inspection certificates of an independent unit designated by the Ministry of TN- MT.

Based on the inspection results, Binh Duong Customs Department has made customs clearance for scrap satisfying requirements of Law on environmental protection without Notification of state inspection result on quality of imported scrap shipments as before.

Facilitate enterprises

Talking to reporters, the leader of Import-Export Division of Kraft Paper Vina Co., Ltd.. said that from the end of January to the beginning of March 2019, the company has received support from Binh Duong port Customs Branch for customs clearance of more than 1,500 containers of backlogged scrap. Currently, the company imports about 70 containers of scraps at Binh Duong port per day, with such fast speed of goods release the company has saved a lot of costs as well as has got sufficient materials for production, ensuring the progress of contracts with domestic and foreign partners.

Ms. Duong Thi Sua, the representative of Import-Export Division of Cheng Yang Paper Mill Co., Ltd., said that recently, the company has also encountered many difficulties with backlogs of imported paper materials. However, all difficulties have been removed. More than 3,000 containers of backlogged paper scraps of the company at Binh Duong Port have been released for export production. Currently, the company has about 80-100 paper scrap containers arriving at Binh Duong and waiting for customs clearance every day. In general, the goods release by competent forces, including Binh Duong Port Customs has been implemented in accordance with the regulations and in a quick manner.

According to Cai Mep Border Gate Customs Branch under Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department, so far, the Branch has handled nearly 100% of backlogged scrap at Cai Mep port of enterprises within the time limit of customs clearance.

The Cai Mep port border Customs Branch said that as soon as the policy on changing the state inspection method on the quality of imported scrap was issued, under the direction of the Department’s leaders, the Branch had urgently cooperated with Inspection Branch 3 to arrange officials and civil servants to handle procedures 24/7 for enterprises for fast clearance of backlogged shipments of scrap as production materials for the enterprises within the time limit of customs clearance.

Due to the clearance procedures for these scrap shipments no longer needing to wait for a confirmation from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, it will shorten a lot of time. If enterprises had to wait for a week since registering declaration for customs clearance, now, the customs clearance for scrap shipments can be settled in just one day. This has greatly facilitated enterprises as well as accelerated the release of scrap shipments backlogged at the port. Only in February 2019, the Branch released almost all of the backlogged scrap within the time limit of customs clearance at the port.

Binh Duong Customs Department: Promoting the efficiency of experts VCN- Expert team of the Binh Duong Customs Department was established in April 2013 with 43 members, ...

Also according to Cai Mep port border gate Customs Brancht, before the policy on changing the state inspection method on the quality of imported scrap was issued, the quantity of scrap backlogged at Cai Mep port was extremely significant, always fluctuated at about 10,000 containers, of which most of scraps belonged to enterprises in Long An, Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces ...