Customs proactively accompany with enterprises to overcome difficulty

Mr. Kim Long Bien - Director of Legal Department, General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Facing the context of the Covid-19 pandemic directly and heavily affecting import – export activities, the customs sector has researched and improved to shorten and simplify many procedures in the State management of customs towards searching many practical solutions to facilitate maximally enterprises to overcome difficulties and stablise production. How do you evaluate these achivements?

2020 is a year that has seem many fluctuations for the economy with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic causing difficulties for the business and production activities of enterprises. To accompany with enterprises to overcome this challenge, implementing the instructions of the Government, the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance, the Customs sector has been implementing many practical solutions to facilitate trade, supporting businesses to overcome difficulties, concentrating on promoting production, business, recovery and socio-economic development.

To achieve practical results in the reform of customs administrative procedures and build a cooperative relationship with enterprises, over the years, the Customs sector in general and local customs departments in particular regularly organise dialogue with enterprises to reflect problems on import-export management mechanisms and policies, customs procedures and the service attitude of Customs officials when performing tasks.

By implementing this measure, the General Department of Vietnam Customs and local customs departments have promptly removed many problems of enterprises and gained useful information serving the administrative reform of customs and at the same time promptly rectifying and handling negative signs of officials at all levels.

After each dialogue annually held in the north and the south by the Ministry of Finance in coordination with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), several documents on customs procedures and tax management are newly issued and replaced to create more favourable conditions for businesses to operate.

With practical solutions and efforts, how are the results shown through the task of supporting, accompanying, and actively building customs policie over the past time?

- Following the directions of all levels, timely providing assistance to solve difficulties for businesses, Customs authorities took the initiative and advised many solutions to both facilitate trade and ensure the prevention of Covid-19 pandemic to enhance management efficiency of customs, preventing revenue loss for the State budget. In particular, instructed units to implement export masks and medical equipment for Covid-19 pandemic prevention, solving difficulties and problems in procedures in import and export activities; drastically implement exchange solutions, hold talks with other countries to facilitate trade activities and closely coordinate with agencies to avoid congestion at border gates.

Quickly guide implementation of procedures for people on exit and entry, direct international airport border gates to implement quick customs clearance for goods, especially aid goods for pandemic prevention and control. Submitting to the Ministry of Finance for promulgation Circular No. 47/2020/TT-BTC dated May 27, 2020, prescribing time of submitting proof of origin and forms of proof of origin for imported goods applying during the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, accepting C/O granted in an electronic version, extending deadline for late submission of C/O; solving problems in the use of foreign codes and barcodes of exported goods, and facilitating the business community.

At the same time, Customs also reviewed current regulations with actual implementation and instructed the units to consistently implement, facilitate import and export activities but still ensure management; deploy and effectively implement administrative reform, customs modernisation.

The results are shown by the fact that the General Department of Vietnam Customs has promoted the completion of customs mechanisms, policies and laws. From the beginning of the year up to now, the Customs authority has submitted to the Government and the Ministry of Finance to issue four decrees; two decisions and four circulars. Besides that, the General Department of Vietnam Customs is coordinating, implementing and speeding up the approval progress for the projects submitted to all levels.

However, reality showed that customs procedures are diversified with many types so definitely arising problems in implementation that can affect the clearance time of enterprises. But these problems are solved by complying with principles of transparency, openness and unification together with understanding.

To help information exchange between the Customs authority and business community to take place smoothly, before, during and after each dialogue, through channels, the Customs authority has always answered problems arising. This helps remove difficulties and problems in implementing customs procedures, ensuring compliance with the policies and laws of enterprises.

After each annual dialogue with enterprises, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has continued to comprehensively renovate the management method and import-export duty policy in accordance with economic integration in the direction of stability and publicity, transparency, creating a healthy economic environment; complying with international treaties and free trade agreements, the Customs Law, Law on Export Tax and Import Tax and other laws.

What plans will the customs authority have to promptly grasp and receive comments related to import and export goods management policies, specialised management policies, tax policy and customs procedures of businesses, especially in the current economic situation?

- In the context of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Customs sector has been applying maximum risk management measures in customs, reducing the burden of customs procedures in implementing import and export procedures of firms.

The General Department of Vietnam Customs has continued to direct customs departments of provinces and cities to work with competent forces at border gates to maintain solutions to ensure cargo clearance. Improve the efficiency of information technology solutions to support customs declarants and taxpayers; connect and exchange information with ministries and sectors for handling administrative procedures.

Additionally, the General Department of Vietnam Customs also continued to review and complete the legal basis and customs procedures for import and export goods, means of transport on exit and entry and in transit. Simplifying customs documents, removing unnecessary documents and simplifying operations. Continuing to direct local customs units to maintain trade facilitation solutions, to avoid cargo congestion and to ensure smooth customs clearance.

Through the dialogue, the Customs will promptly grasp and resolve difficulties and problems in the process of customs procedures at border gates. Also through dialogue conferences, the Customs authority wanted to disseminate new legal documents and regulations so enterprises can understand and properly implement import and export procedures; step by step raise awareness of law compliance in the business community and coordinate with the Customs in enforcing the law against trade fraud and smuggling, creating a healthy business environment in the business community.

Customs authorities wanted businesses to be more proactive in responding to difficulties and problems in law enforcement. At the same time, contribute and propose solutions to management authority in the development, amendment and supplementation of laws related to tax and customs to ensure feasibility, fairness, transparency, easy to understand and implementation of legal documents. Since then, promptly settle problems and propose to a higher level to handle arising problems in accordance with decentralised competence.

Thank you so much!