Customs cooperation becomes reality

The delegations participated in the 13th ASEM Customs Directors General/Commissioners’ Meeting 2019 in the October 9th, 2019. Photo: H.Nụ

Empowering

Multilateral customs cooperation, the implementation of regional initiatives on customs reform and modernisation help enhance the status of Vietnam Customs.

In 2011-2020, the multilateral cooperation process of customs sector is gradually transformed from participating in the implementation of commitments and obligations of members to participating in shaping mechanisms, cooperation institutions and the rules of the game in multilateral forums with the country’s role and position increasingly confirmed. The tasks set in the plans for international cooperation and integration in this period on multilateral cooperation frameworks such as ASEAN, APEC, ASEM, GMS and WCO have been fully and effectively implemented.

Vietnam Customs has successfully hosted and organised important meetings and conferences. These include the 23rd Meeting of the ASEAN Directors General of Customs (2014), the meetings of the APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (in the year of APEC Vietnam 2017) and the 13th ASEM Customs Directors General/Commissioners’ Meeting 2019 with the participation of 53 Customs authorities of member countries from Asian and European countries (this is the largest conference ever hosted by Vietnam Customs).

In the framework of ASEAN, an outstanding real and very practical cooperation activity is the completion of the legal basis and technical infrastructure to expand exchange of electronic data and connect to the member countries. The ASEAN Single Window contributes to the completion of the National Single Window. In addition, ASEAN cooperation is also implemented through the implementation of the ASEAN Customs Transit System (ACTS) to facilitate goods in transit through ASEAN countries, within the ASEAN Framework Agreement on Facilitating to goods in transit, discussion within ASEAN on cooperation mechanism to recognise priority enterprises.

Within the framework of the World Customs Organization (WCO), Vietnam Customs also participates in the WCO's global and regional anti-smuggling campaigns to control illegal trade flows. At the same time, Vietnam Customs has received and implemented WCO's trade facilitation and security capacity building programmes in the region.

Expand cooperation

In tandem with bilateral cooperation activities that have been maintained stably with neighbouring countries and countries with traditional relationships, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has strengthened and expanded cooperation with customs authorities of other countries that are important partners, as well as strategic, economic and commercial partners.

Specifically, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has strengthened ties with customs authority of strategic partner countries like the US, UK, Italy, Russia, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea through exchange cooperation activities, information gathering, professional training and exchange of bilateral customs cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding. In 2015-2020, the General Department of Vietnam Customs advised the Ministry of Finance and the Government on the signing and implementation of cooperation agreements with more than 13 partner countries, including a number of important partners like USA, UK, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Russia.

Besides that, the General Department of Vietnam Customs also searches, encourages and implements technical assistance programmes and projects for modernisation.

Typically, a technical assistance project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on improving the efficiency of VNACCS/VCIS system was implemented from August 2015 to June 2018; received and completed installation and implementation of the radiation scanning system at Cai Mep Thi Vai port area and Cat Lai port (HCM City) under the Megaports Initiative sponsored by the US with the total value of the system is about $6 million. Along with that, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has completed procedures to receive and launch the Trade Facilitation project funded by USAID with a value of $22 million.

With the support of great value, the projects are assessed to have a very practical meaning in implementation of the goals of reform, standardisation, harmonisation and the simplification of administrative procedures in the import - export sector, in line with international standards for the implementation of the World Trade Organization's Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO/TFA) and the Government's policy on the reform of specialised inspections for import and export goods.