Customs accompanies businesses to overcome Covid-19 pandemic

	Customs accompanies businesses to overcome Covid-19 pandemic
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	A virtual seminar "Customs accompanies businesses amid the Covid-19 pandemic" to be held

The leaders of Binh Duong Customs Department and advisory units answer questions on procedures for Medochemie Co., Ltd via internet. Photo: Phi Vu

Solutions to support businesses

Facing the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the General Department of Customs has requested customs units to implement solutions to support and create maximum convenience for businesses and individuals in customs procedures and strengthen the application of information technology, modern equipment and methods of customs management in administrative procedures and ensure inspection and supervision of import and export goods, contributing to repelling and minimizing the risk of the disease spreading.

The General Department has introduced a series of solutions to facilitate enterprises in import-export activities, especially for areas where social distancing or isolation is implemented under the regulations on pandemic prevention and control. The Customs authorities have supported enterprises in various ways.

Customs authorities have arranged separate desks to receive the enterprise's records, and arranged ​​officers to guide and receive the originals, monitor and make application receipts to manage the original documents presented by the enterprise to prevent mislaying of documents.

At the desks, the customs authority has arranged a screen for enterprises to look up the officers in charge of receiving dossiers; publicized phone numbers to answer enterprises and phone numbers of officers who receive dossiers.

Customs officers in charge of clearance inspection shall return documents at the scene, restricting movement from the physical inspection site to the branch and shortening the time for customs clearance of goods.

In addition, the customs authorities arranged Customs officers to support and guide enterprises to carry out customs procedures; receive feedback on errors of the declaration which are ineligible to pass the supervision area, provided by the port operator to determine the cause and give guidance.

Customs authorities have also arranged separate working rooms (fully equipped with prevention conditions) for customs officers to work with enterprises; prepare the working place and connect the system to deploy the backup plan, separate the working area of ​​the import-export procedure team to ensure a distance under the request of the superior.

Along with that, the customs branches worked with port operators to scan, monitor and update screened/unscreened containers, as well as update the screening results to boost customs clearance.

Enterprises appreciate customs support

To continue listening and sharing difficulties with businesses, recently, the General Department of Customs held an online conference to accompany businesses to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. Domestic business associations appreciated the efforts and support of Customs authorities at all levels.

Member of the Executive Committee, Head of the Customs and Trade Facilitation Department of the Vietnam Logistics Association, Mr. Tran Viet Huy said that this is an opportunity for businesses to update new policies on import and export tax and supporting activities from Customs, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. Through the conference, the General Department of Customs clearly demonstrated its policy of accompanying businesses, creating a channel for Customs to understand the situation of businesses.

Mr. Tran Viet Huy said the Covid-19 pandemic has spread to provinces such as Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, and Dong Nai, causing great damage to businesses. The business associations recognized the efforts of the General Department of Customs in making appropriate changes, establishing quick response teams to support businesses, especially developing a circular to support businesses to minimize damages caused by Covid-19 and support of the HCM City Customs Department for timely guidance and training.

Similarly, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Business Association, Mr. Truong Van Cam highly appreciated the customs authorities at all levels for listening to businesses to amend inappropriate policies to create favorable conditions for enterprises.

The "health" of enterprises is very fragile, especially those in the southern provinces such as Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, etc., where there are about 1.2 million employees in textiles, accounting for about 65% of the total number of employees in the textile industry.

Many businesses have to suspend production, implement the "three on-the spot", "one road, two destinations" models and spend a lot of money to maintain production.

Mr. Cam said an enterprise has about 25,000 employees, to maintain operation, it has to spend about VND600 billion to pay workers for three months, not to mention the money to maintain production due to the implementation of "three on-the spot" model, "one road, two destinations” models.

In the past nine months of 2021, the textile and garment industry exported US$29 billion. It is expected that the export turnover will reach US$38 billion in 2021 or 14-15% of the country’s total export turnover, US$3 billion higher than 2020.

The textile and garment industry also wants to be able to produce raw materials in the country to meet the demand for origin, as well as to enjoy the tariff preferences that FTAs ​​bring, in order to promoting domestic production, said Mr. Truong Van Cam

Given specific solutions of the Customs in supporting and accompanying businesses, the customs authority’s commitment to the business community is once again affirmed, contributing to the development of the Customs-Enterprise partnership.

However, in addition to the efforts of the General Department of Customs, business associations also expect ministries and other agencies to clear bottlenecks in mechanisms, policies and supply chains to promote production and business activities of enterprises.