Comprehensive digital transformation in State management of Customs

Professional activities of customs officers performed at Da Nang International Airport Customs Branch. Photo: Thùy Linh

Three objectives in 2021 – 2025

In recent years, the Customs sector has focused on promoting reform and modernization and has always been the leading unit in the development and application of information technology (IT).

As a result, administrative procedure reform and customs modernization have made remarkable progress, creating a favorable environment for import and export activities, immigration, and implementation of commitments of international integration. IT application has made important contributions to customs management and effectively served the reform, development and modernization process of Vietnam Customs.

Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs Luu Manh Tuong said that in the face of international trends, the necessity of the modernization cycle and the implementation of policies and guidelines of the Party, Government and leaders at all levels on promoting digitization, digital transformation and technology application of the Industrial Revolution 4.0, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has developed and issued the Digital Transformation Plan of the Customs sector up to 2025, with the orientation to 2030 in Decision No. 707/QD-TCHQ dated May 4, 2022.

Accordingly, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has set a goal to strive to complete digital customs by 2025 and set out three tasks in the 2021 – 2025 period, including promoting digital transformation in customs operations; promoting digital transformation in the implementation of National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window; and implementing the National Database Project on Customs.

Six key solutions

In order to fulfill the plan's objectives and successfully implement the key tasks mentioned above, the leaders of the General Department of Vietnam Customs said that they will synchronously launch six key solutions.

The first solution is to build a smart Customs model, meeting the requirements of smart administration, business management, import and export goods, goods in transit, means of transport on exit, entry and transit comprehensively from beginning to end; has the ability to integrate, connect and share information with ministries, sectors and businesses through the National Single Window and is ready to exchange customs data with countries in the region and the world.

The model must have a high degree of automation, apply new and modern scientific and technological achievements on a digital platform and toward paperless, ensure transparency, fairness, effectiveness, and efficiency, and be able to forecast, adapt to fluctuations in international trade and management requirements of customs authorities, in line with international standards, serving people and businesses.

Based on the Smart Customs model, the General Department of Vietnam Customs will gather resources to carry out the overall redesign of the professional operation process. For example, conducting an overall review of current professional processes and developing a process to ensure connectivity, continuously meeting the requirements of customs management from the beginning to the end, in line with international standards and practices. At the same time, creating conditions for the strong IT application and technologies of the Industrial Revolution 4.0.

Based on the results of the overall redesign of the professional operation process, the General Department of Vietnam Customs applied IT, digitized operation processes, implemented a new IT system, and actively researched key technologies of Industrial Revolution 4.0 in each specific Customs operation problem such as Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, Business Intelligence (BI), Mobility, Blockchain, Cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Deputy Director General Luu Manh Tuong said that on the basis of redesigning professional operation processes and applying IT, Vietnam Customs has arranged and mobilized resources in the whole sector to organize and implement the plan of digital transformation.

At the same time, the sector promotes training and improves the quality of human resources in IT to effectively serve the implementation of digital transformation.

In addition, to ensure the implementation of digital transformation in a synchronous manner, in the future, the General Department of Vietnam Customs will promote the formulation and submission of competent authorities to promulgate legal documents, improve the legal environment, the processes and procedures to meet the requirements of digital transformation of Customs sector.

For example, promulgating documents on standardization and electronicization of professional processes, dossiers and processing of dossiers on the internet; submitting to competent authorities for promulgation documents, regulations and guidelines to meet the requirements of digital transformation.

According to the leader of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, the process of implementing state management of customs involves many parties such as import-export enterprises; warehouse and port enterprises, transportation and logistics enterprises, customs brokers agents; commercial banks and ministries and sectors. Therefore, to ensure the successful implementation of digital transformation of the Customs sector, it needs to have close and synchronous coordination of all stakeholders.