Customs successful in tasks for 2021

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The conference. Photo: Q.H

Import and Export Duties achieve highest revenue ever

In 2021 when the Covid-19 pandemic has been developing in the country and around the world, affecting all aspects of our country's socio-economic life, but motivated by the efforts and determination of the whole customs sector, the General Department of Customs achieved remarkable results.

The GDVC’s report highlights that Vietnam recorded US$668.5 billion in trade in 2021, up 22.6% or US$123 billion year-on-year. Imports and exports grew positively throughout the country, especially in the key economic regions of the North and the Southeast.

Typically, Bac Ninh Customs Department saw the highest trade turnover in the country with US$153.14 billion (updated from early year to the end of December 15), rising 21.5% year-on-year.

In addition, imports and exports of customs departments in 19 southern provinces and cities, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, rose by 16% year-on-year and made up about 41% of the country’s turnover.

Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department’s trade rose 7% year-on-year to US$117.76 billion; Binh Duong Customs Department rose 17% year-on-year to US$47.61 billion; Dong Nai Customs Department rose 25% year-on-year to US$35.31 billion and Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department surged 45% year-on-year to US$21.29 billion.

Hai Phong Customs Department recorded a rise of 30.8% year-on-year in trade to US$90.77 billion and Hanoi Customs Department reported an surge of 31.1% year-on-year in trade to US$50.67 billion.

From early in the year to the end of December 15, the whole customs sector processed 13.74 million declarations, up 6.5% over the same period in 2020. In which, export declarations rose 7.8% to 7.11 million and import declarations rose 5.1% to 6.63 million.

Meanwhile, the number of enterprises engaging in import and export slightly decreased by 1.2% year-on-year to 93,000 enterprises.

The customs revenue is estimated to grew 19.2% year-on-year to VND370,000 billion, exceeding 17.46% of the assigned target and 10.45% the desired target.

According to reporting period from December 16, 2020 to December 15, 2021, the customs force handled 14,568 cases, with the value of infringing goods of VND2,709 billion. Of which, administrative cases recorded 14,200 with a fine of VND291billion to the State Budget and criminal cases transferred to other agencies to the court was 176.

A driving force for new goals in 2022

Speaking at the Conference, Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai praised and congratulated the GDVC for its achievements in 2021, especially important tasks such as budget revenue; administrative reform, customs modernization; and anti-smuggling work.

Director General Nguyen Van Can said the achievements result from seriously following the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress and timely guidance and management of the Government and the Ministry of Finance, with the spirit of accepting difficulties and challenges, promoting creativity, making efforts to overcome difficulties and aiming for pandemic prevention and trade facilitation.

The GDVC General Department of Customs directed its units to proactively take effective measures to control and prevent the pandemic while ensuring customs management and facilitating the business community.

At the conference, Director of the Import-Export Duties Department Le Nhu Quynh; Director of Customs IT and Statistics Department Le Duc Thanh; Director of the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department Nguyen Hung Anh; Deputy Director of Customs Management and Supervision Department Dao Duy Tam; Director of Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department Dinh Ngoc Thang, Director of Hanoi Customs Department Duong Phu Dong, Director of Hai Phong Customs Department Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Deputy Director of Lang Son Customs Department Nguyen Huu Vuong delivered speeches to clarify the achievements of their units and the whole sector in 2021 and proposed solutions to perform tasks in 2022. They expressed their determination to successfully implement Digital Customs, Smart Customs; budget collection; anti-smuggling and trade facilitation.

Thus, the achievements in 2021 are not only the result of a year of overcoming difficulties, but also a premise and a driving force for the Customs sector to strive towards new development goals in 2022 and the following years.

Efforts to succeed in Digital Customs, Smart Customs

A key task set by the General Department of Customs in 2022 is to accelerate the implementation of the Customs development strategy for the 2021-2030 period right after it is approved by the Prime Minister; and to follow the Government's resolutions on macroeconomic management, towards the general goal of building a regular and modern Vietnam Customs, on par with the Customs administrations of developed countries in the world, leading in implementing Digital Government, with the Smart Customs model.

In addition, the customs sector will continue regular tasks such as administrative reform, simplification, automation of customs procedures, trade facilitation, policy making, and improvement; customs modernization, the National Single Window, the ASEAN Single Window, IT application and online public services; customs supervision and inspection; and budget collection.

Regarding the fight against crime, smuggling and trade fraud, customs will seriously follow directions and work plans of the Government, the Prime Minister, the 389 National Steering Committee, the Ministry of Finance on strengthening the combat against smuggling, trade fraud, counterfeit goods, poor quality goods and crimes.

The customs sector will enhance information collection, patrol, control and identification of key areas and routes; organize the seizure and handling of banned goods, goods affecting security and order, social safety, counterfeit trademarks, fraudulent Vietnamese origin and goods infringing intellectual property rights.

Regarding post-customs clearance inspection, the customs agency will continue to strictly implement GDVC’s Directive 7180 dated November 19, 2019 on rectification and strengthening of post-customs clearance inspection nationwide; complete ongoing topics such as cashew nut, export origin, construction stone and medicine.

For inspection and implementation of the specialized inspection and internal inspection plan in 2022 as approved by the Ministry of Finance, the customs will enhance internal inspection through thematic inspections and unexpected inspections according to signs of violation, online inspections to promptly identify violations of the enterprise, limitations and shortcomings of officials and civil servants in work performance.