Collaborate to control the import-export of ozone-depleting substances

Deputy Director of the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department Vu Quang Toan make a speech at the conference. Photo: Thái Bình

Nearly 600 customs officers are trained

On the morning of April 26, the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department (General Department of Vietnam Customs) in coordination with (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) organized a conference about law dissemination and law enforcement on mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and protection of the ozone layer.

Participants at the conference included customs officers of departments and functional departments under the General Department of Vietnam Customs and representatives of a number of units under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Director of the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department Vu Quang Toan stressed that the Customs authority is an important link in the control of import-export of ozone-depleting substances at the border gate and contributes to implementing Vietnam’s commitments to eliminating the consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

Performing the assigned task, the Department of Climate Changes has closely coordinated with the General Department of Vietnam Customs, specifically with the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department on the basis of a cooperation agreement signed in 2013 in the management of HCFCs (Hydro Chlorine Fluoro Carbons Refrigerant Gas), especially the control of import and export, and the prevention of illegal trade of HCFCs, meeting the obligations of member countries to implement the Montreal Protocol.

Within the framework of the management and elimination plan for HCFCs in Vietnam, in phase one, nearly 600 customs officers have been trained on import and export control of HCFCs, raising awareness about the illegal trade of HCFCs substances and protecting the ozone layer.

In order to further concretize the implementation of the commitments of the Government of Vietnam, on February 20, 2020, the Department of Climate Change and Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department continued to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on information exchange, strengthen the capacity of customs officials in the implementation of the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer in Vietnam.

“Today's seminar on law dissemination and law enforcement on greenhouse gas emission reduction and ozone protection is the starting event for a new phase of cooperation activities," Deputy Director Vu Quang Toan said.

Scene of the conference. Photo: Thái Bình

Vietnam actively implements commitments to protect the ozone layer

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Climate Change Mai Kim Lien, Vietnam is one of the first countries to accede to the Vienna Convention on the protection of the ozone layer and the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer in January 1994.

As a party to the Montreal Protocol, Vietnam is obliged to control and eliminate substances that deplete the ozone layer according to the implementation roadmap of the Protocol. The substances that are controlled or excluded under the Montreal Protocol include: CFCs, Halon, CTCs, HCFCs, HFCs and Methyl Bromide; these substances are used in the production of air conditioners, refrigeration equipment, foam production, fire extinguishing and quarantine for export goods.

To implement the Law on Environmental Protection in 2020, the Government issued Decree No. 06/2022/ND-CP stipulating mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and protection of the ozone layer, effective from January 7, 2022. The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment issued Circular No. 01/2022/TT-BTNMT dated January 7, 2022 detailing the implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection.

“As a focal point for the implementation of the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer in Vietnam, the Department of Climate Change (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment) is responsible for providing information and guidance on management regulations applied to substances that deplete the ozone layer and cause greenhouse effects are controlled," Deputy Director General Mai Kim Lien said.

At the workshop, the representative of the Department of Climate Change introduced the newly promulgated legal regulations on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and protecting the ozone layer; the representative of the Department of Customs Control and Supervision (General Department of Vietnam Customs) about customs procedures and policies on the management of import and export goods in general and controlled substances as prescribed in Decree No. 06/ 2022/ND-CP; representative of the United Nations Environment Program introduced the application and implementation of HS codes and implementation experiences of ASEAN countries.