Customs: take the initiative in accompanying with the business community

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The Customs has recently deployed many programs to exchange, answer questions as well as remove obstacles for the business community engaging in import and export activities, What do you think about the achieved results, Sir?

With the objective of further improving capacity and efficiency of state management in Customs, facilitating and serving people and enterprises better, the Customs has always identified the administrative reform as a key political task which is carried out regularly from the development to the implementation. In which, the Customs operation is becoming associated with the enterprise’s operation and the image of Customs officers are improved. These Customs changes have been appreciated by the business community and people.

Under the Government’s directions in Resolution 19 on policy to accelerate the administrative reform, shorten the Customs clearance time at border gate, reduce costs and raise the competitiveness for Vietnamese enterprises, the Customs authorities have advised the Ministry of Finance and Government to amend and supplement regulations on Customs procedures, inspection and supervision for import and export goods, means of transport on exit and entry, with the aim of further facilitating the import and export activities and contributing to fulfilling the objective of minimizing the Customs clearance time at borders.

Especially, in order for the Customs administrative reform to gain practical results and to develop the partnership with the business community, the Customs in general and local Customs department in particular have regularly held dialogue conferences for the enterprises to have a chance to raise problems on policies of import and export management, Customs procedures and service attitude of Customs officers in the duty performance.

By this measure, the General Department of Customs and local Customs departments remove many problems for enterprises in a timely fashion and grasp useful information for customs administrative reform, and promptly rectify and deal with negative behaviours of Customs officers at all levels.

After each conference annually held by the business community and the Ministry in the cooperation with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in the north and south, the comments of enterprises are studied and included in new documents on Customs procedures and tax management to further facilitate the business community in the production and business.

Through dialogue conferences, how are the suggestions of the business community received, solved, sir?

The Customs is always aiming at building Vietnam Customs Professionalism - Transparency - Efficiency and encouraging the business community to cooperate in building the customs to be increasingly cleaner and stronger. In order to achieve these objectives, the Customs will always build a good relationship with the business community towards connecting - sharing – accompanying. The organization of annual dialogues with the business community has proved that determination.

With the spirit of learning, building and aiming to maximize the advantages for the business community, the General Department of Customs always take the initiative in receiving comments, recommendations from the business community before the conference, thereby, it proactively studies and responds to enterprises. During the conference, the Customs tries to solve all problems. After the conference, continuing to answer with announcements on the website and Customs Newspaper. The reception and handling of problems shall be determined as a regular task.

What is the Customs going to do to catch and realize the opinions from the business community on policies of management of import and export goods, specialized management and tax policy and Customs procedures in the coming time, Sir?

Through dialogue conferences, the Customs has promptly realized and resolved difficulties and problems related to Customs process at border gates. In addition, the Customs wants to disseminate new legal documents and regulations for the business community to understand and comply with; step by step improve the sense of law compliance in the business community and coordinate well with the Customs units in enforcing the law against smuggling and trade fraud, creating a healthy business environment in the business community.

However, enterprises should be more active in showing difficulties and obstacles in law enforcement. At the same time, taking the initiative to contribute and propose solutions to management agencies in the formulation, amendment and supplementation of laws related to tax and customs in order to ensure the feasibility, fairness, and transparency, with easy to understand and easy implementation of legal documents. Then solve problems and propose superior levels to solve problems arising under decentralized competence in a timely manner,

Besides, enterprises should pay attention to staff in charge of Customs procedures, they are trained professionally. If enterprises do not understand the import and export procedures clearly, they should hire an authorized Customs broker to implement the procedures.

Customs revenues reached VND 68,027 billion in the first quarter of 2018 VCN- These are the statistics published at the online conference in the first quarter of 2018 held ...

In order to further promote the efficiency of information exchange between the Customs and the business community, the Ministry of Finance (the General Department of Customs) shall continue to actively apply information technology in Customs management to restrict the direct contact between Customs officers and enterprises. Also, building an internal control system and strictly handling Customs officers who are committing violations.

Should there be any problems, enterprises should contact the customs authorities for answers or through the channels such as: Legal Consultancy Team on the Customs newspaper, the General Office’s hotline, HelpDesk's under the Customs IT and Statistics Department and Vietnam Customs website for timely and effective support.

Thank you, Sir !