HCM City Customs: Many solutions suggested for revenue collection in difficult times

Customs officers of Hiep Phuoc port Customs Branch inspect imported cars. Photo: T.H

Revenue collection increases slowly

Due to the impact of the global economic situation, goods imported through seaports and airports in Ho Chi Minh City are on a downward trend compared to the first months of 2022, causing a slow increase in state revenue, and even plummeting in some places.

According to the Tan Son Nhat International Airport Border Gate Customs Branch leader, goods imported by air decreased significantly due to the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war, affecting the transportation of goods by air.

This caused an obvious decline in revenue collection at the branch. If in March 2022, Tan Son Nhat International Airport Customs Branch collected and paid over VND817 billion to the state budget, the results in April only reached nearly VND650 billion, a decrease of nearly VND650 billion, dropping by 21% from last month.

Similarly, Saigon Port Area 1 Customs Branch said that the unit was assigned the largest revenue target in the whole Department with VND47,000 billion. Although the revenue did not decrease, the speed of revenue collection tended to slow down compared to the first months of 2022.

According to Mr. Ly Seng Nguon, Head of the Duty Management Team - Saigon Port Area 1 Customs Branch, the revenue collection in April compared to March increased slowly, on average each month the unit collected VND4,000 billion.

According to HCM City Customs Department, in the first months of 2022, the total import and export turnover of goods carrying out procedures through HCM City border gates until April 30, 2022 reached over US$48 billion, increasing by 12.8% compared to the same period in 2021. Among the key products of HCM City, imported cars of all kinds reached only US$186 million, declining 15.5% over the same period in 2021.

Talking to reporters, Manager of Hiep Phuoc Port Customs Branch Doan Son Tung said that the number of vehicles imported through Saigon central container port (SPCT port) has decreased significantly. Generally, in the first four months of 2022, there were more than 15,000 imported cars to the port, while this number was nearly 20,000 cars in the same period in 2021. The decrease in the number of imported cars has significantly affected the collection results of the unit.

Many solutions to increase the source of revenue

Facing the slow growth of import and export goods, affecting state revenue collection, pursuant to Directive No. 439/CT-TCHQ dated February 11, 2022 of the General Director of Vietnam Customs, HCM City Customs Department directed affiliated units to implement several solutions to reform customs procedures, facilitate the business community to clear goods and pay taxes in a timely manner.

The Director of HCM City Customs Department requested the heads of the affiliated units to study and thoroughly understand each enforcement officer to fully implement the contents specified in the directive documents of leaders at all levels.

The Import-Export Duty Division and branches continue to coordinate to promote the management and handling of tax debt, to prevent tax debt from increasing; implement the motto "reducing one dong of tax debt is increasing one dong of revenue to the state budget for economic recovery and development".

Besides that, HCM City Customs Department also strived to complete tax debt records that are difficult to recover and over 10 years old, tax debt records from July 1, 2013, in order to fully implement coercive measures as prescribed in Law on Tax management. Regarding recoverable debts, the unit is committed to striving to process and recover enough to pay to the state budget, avoiding converting them to bad debts.

For tax calculation, goods classification, tax policy and taxes of trade remedy, the heads of units closely follow Plan No. 18/KH-HQTPHCM of the Director of HCM City Customs Department to fulfill; strengthen the inspection of origin, combat trade fraud, origin fraud, labeling of goods, infringement of intellectual property rights, and illegal transshipment.

Furthermore, advising leaders of HCM City Customs Department to strengthen customs inspection and supervision in the following activities: outsourcing, export production, export processing, bonded warehouses, imported goods sent via express delivery service, postal service; goods in transit, goods temporarily imported and re-export and goods transported that are subjected to customs supervision.

From the beginning of the year to April 30, 2022, the actual revenue collected to the State budget by the HCM City Customs Department reached VND45,230.5 billion, achieving 38.8% of the ordinance estimate; reaching 37.8% of the striving target, an increase of 13.6% (an absolute increase of VND5,400 billion) compared to the same period in 2021.

With the above situation, HCM City Customs Department forecast that the revenue collection in May 2022 would reach VND12,000 billion, a decrease of more than VND200 billion compared to the actual revenue of April. By the end of May 31, 2022, the revenue collection is estimated at about VND57,200 billion, reaching 49.1% of the ordinance estimate, achieving 47.8% of the striving target.