Focusing on simplifying and automating customs procedures to facilitate trade

	Removing problems related to customs procedures for imports of medicine
	Customs Sector processes over 3.8 million dossiers in Q1
	Enhance the capacity of transporting import-export goods by rail

Operations at Cai Lan port Customs Branch (Quang Ninh Customs Department). Photo: T.Binh

NSW is more and more effective

Regarding the implementation of the NSW, the GDC developed a decree stipulating information sharing between Government agencies and stakeholders through the NSW in the import and transit of goods and a master plan for building an IT system to realize the NSW and ASW.

Besides, the GDC built an action plan to implement the NSW, boost logistic industry and facilitate trade for the 2022-2026 period to submit to the Government.

In Q1/2022, the country’s top customs agency worked with ministries and government agencies to implement new administrative procedures on the NSW. As of March 15, 2022, 244 administrative of 13 ministries and government agencies were connected to the NSW and the NSW portal received 4.9 million applications from 53,000 businesses. From January 1 until March 15, 2022, 155,589 applications of 1,319 businesses were processed on the NSW portal.

Regarding ASW implementation, Vietnam has exchanged information on certificate of origin (C/O) form D with all nine ASEAN member countries. The General Department of Customs is working with the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN member countries to connect and exchange ASEAN customs declarations according to the common plan and roadmap.

For the connection with non-ASEAN partners, Vietnam has tested the connection and exchange of export customs declarations with the Eurasian Economic Union; coordinated with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to finalize the Protocols, unify technical requirements and build a system to exchange C/O with the Eurasian Economic Union; exchange of electronic C/O information with Korea.

Moreover, Vietnam and New Zealand signed an “Agreement to use electronic certification in the clearance of agricultural products” between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and New Zealand’s ministries and industries through the NSW.

Launching many IT applications

To simplify and automate procedures and facilitate trade, IT plays a key role.

In Q1/2022, the GDC focused on implementing the contents of Notice 48 dated December 14, 2021 of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Finance on IT service outsourcing such as completing the draft to report to the Prime Minister on IT service outsourcing to perform Digital Customs; reviewing and perfecting the contents to be amended in Decision 97 dated January 26, 2021 of the Ministry of Finance after receiving comments from relevant units under the Ministry of Finance; establishing an internal appraisal team to review the estimate of IT outsourcing service to implement Digital Customs and an independent group to monitor the implementation of the IT outsourcing service plan.

In addition, the GDC sent an official dispatch to the Government Inspectorate, State Audit and the Ministry of Public Security proposing audit and supervision from the beginning of the processing of hiring IT services to carry out Digital Customs.

To meet the development needs in the new period, as well as meet the digital transformation policy and plan of the Government and the Ministry of Finance; apply technologies of the Industrial Revolution 4.0; comply with the development trend of Customs administrations of developed countries in the world and the digital customs development model launched by the World Customs Organization (WCO), the General Department of Customs has been drastically implementing the following contents related to digital transformation. In Q1/2022, the GDC developed the National Database Project on Customs to submit to the Government and developed a separate Digital Transformation plan for the Customs Sector.

Along with that, the GDC has also applied IT in customs management such as: building a management system for imported alcohol and tobacco; organizing training and guidance on the use of free customs declaration software for businesses; receiving manifests by road through the Customs Portal; sharing information on the national population database with the Ministry of Public Security; managing, supervising and ensuring the operation of the VNACCS/VCIS automated customs clearance system and the centralized IT systems of the Customs sector, ensuring security, safety, and smooth transmission for fast and convenient clearance of goods.

In particular, in order to solve the cargo congestion at the northern border gate, the GDC has officially implemented the anti-congestion warning function on the NSW Portal.

Information on vehicle traffic at the border gate is updated in real-time on the Portal at https://www.vnsw.gov.vn. State agencies, businesses, and vehicle drivers can access the portal by computers or smart devices with an internet connection.

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The above-mentioned IT application activities have contributed to facilitating trade and improving the efficiency of state management of customs and have been highly appreciated by the business community, people and state management agencies.