Customs makes great efforts to facilitate import of Covid-19 vaccines

	Codes and names of ports to standardised across country
	Customs procedures for goods transported from Cat Lai Port to other ports

A vaccine shipment is disinfected before arriving at a specialized warehouse. Photo: Internet

Transporting vaccines to Vietnam

Customs has made comments about polices to import and receive vaccine shipments.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC) has proposed to import vaccines for ASEAN member states; implemented the Government Decree 21 on the purchase and use of vaccines; suggested vaccine supply chains in APEC; developed a plan on receiving funding and using vaccines of the Ministry of Health; developed a Resolution on mechanisms and policies to socialize the import and injection of Covid-19 vaccines; implemented the agreement on importing Pfizer's vaccines; selected contractors in the purchase of vaccines; built a Resolution on importing vaccines produced by AstraZeneca.

The GDVC has regularly reported and coordinated with other agencies to provide data related to the import of vaccines, serving the direction and management of the Government, Prime Minister, ministries and branches and dissemination in pandemic prevention and control.

The general department has also directed and instructed local customs departments to facilitate and give priority in customs clearance for vaccine consignments.

For example, the GDVC has requested local customs departments to exempt physical inspection for vaccine shipments and allow importers to transport goods such as drugs, vaccines, biological products, etc., which require a storage temperature of 2°C-8°C for physical inspection at the storage sites as those proposals.

Customs branches of Noi Bai International Airport and Tan Son Nhat International Airport are required to create favorable conditions and implement quick customs clearance for this item.

As of August 10, 18,122,000 doses of vaccine arrived in Vietnam from different sources, the Steering Committee for the Nationwide COVID-19 vaccination campaign said.

Smooth import and export operation

The complicated development of the public health crisis has affected the production, import and export of goods and customs supervision and control. To overcome these difficulties, the Customs sector has provide solutions to guide and remove obstacles in the customs process.

Overcoming difficulties, the Customs branch promptly directed and guided to solve and remove problems arising in the implementation process.

To support customs declarants, the GDVC directed all units to develop plans and offer solutions to effectively perform, assign officials to process customs procedures for import and export goods, preventing disruption of customs clearance and goods supply chain, and support enterprises while ensuring customs control in accordance with the direction of the Government and the Ministry of Finance.

Local customs departments are required to approve e-documents for customs clearance; set up quick response teams to resolve problems in customs for import and export goods. Assign central and local working groups perform to receive and handle problems of customs declarants, ensuring fast customs clearance, especially for products such as medical supplies and equipment, new medicine, and vaccines, and biological tests.

To remove and solve the goods backlog at Cat Lai port, the GDVC issued Official Letter 384 dated August 2.

It has also urgently developed a circular regulating customs control for imported goods transferred from border gate in case of goods congestion at seaports which imposed social distancing measures under the Government Directive 16 to submit to the Ministry of Finance, which is a legal framework to resolve difficulties for the business community affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The GDVC has also directed local customs departments not to inspect operations of customs brokers at their office, and requires brokers to submit all original profiles related to their operation to the GDVC for inspection. It will return all original documents.

Local customs are asked to suspend inspection for goods preservation in the locked down areas until these areas are reopened; gather information and risk assessment to strictly control goods transportation for storage.