Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh works with Ambassador of Belgium to Vietnam

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Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh had a virtual working session with Ambassador of Belgium to Vietnam, Paul Jansen, and Customs Counselor at the Embassy of Belgium in Indonesia and Vietnam, Eddy De Cuyper. Photo: H.N

At the working session, GDVC’s Deputy Director Mai Xuan Thanh congratulated Eddy De Cuyper on holding the position as the representative of Belgian Customs in Indonesia and Vietnam.

He also expressed the sincere thanks of Vietnam Customs to Paul Jansen for his support Vietnam Customs in performing the tasks of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and of the diplomatic missions of the EU countries to Hanoi to promote the customs-business partnership within the framework of Eurocham Vietnam.

According to Vietnam Customs’ trade statistics, the Belgium is an important partner of Vietnam. Between January and July, total trade of Vietnam and Belgium hit US$2.3 billion, ranking fifth among the EU countries.

Vietnam has regularly imported pharmaceuticals, plastic materials, precious stones, and metals, machinery and equipment from Belgium.

Belgium is also a large consumer market for seafood products, coffee, textiles, footwear, iron and steel, machinery and equipment, and a centre for goods transshipment between Vietnam and the EU.

“The business communities of the two countries has boosted the trade and remained the strong development. Therefore, bilateral customs cooperation between the two authorities will contribute to the growth of trade and bring benefits to people and businesses when participating in the EVFTA,” Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh said.

At the working session, the Deputy Director General said that currently, Vietnam Customs has strengthened digitalisation process to achieve the goal of the digital Government, thereby the country has developed the smart customs model to meet requirements on trade development. Vietnam Customs hopes Belgium Customs will share experiences and support it in the performance.

He also wished the Ambassador and the Customs Counselor will facilitate the two customs authorities to promote close ties. The two sides will connect investors and participate in the goods supply chain effectively.

Vietnam Customs suggested the two sides consider signing of a memorandum of understanding based on the EVFTA to implement the agreement and accelerate the bilateral customs cooperation.

“However, along with the trade development, the crime of smuggling and commercial fraud has also increased, thereby, there need coordination of the two authorities in combat smuggling and illegal transportation of goods, especially in customs offence,”” the deputy director said.

Paul Jansen and Eddy De Cuyper hoped that the working session will achieve positive results, and the bilateral cooperation between the two countries will be further developed in the near future in addition to multilateral cooperation on the WTO, WCO, ASEM and EU forums.

Belgian Customs will work and exchange experiences to support Vietnam Customs build customs models in a modern and professional manner.

Paul Jansen and Eddy De Cuyper said that, with the positive results at this meeting, they hope it will be a premise for long-term cooperation between the two agencies in the near future.