Problems with travel papers and export bottlenecks, a series of associations calling for help

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Suffering due to travel papers

On August 25, associations, including: Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, Vietnam Rubber and Plastics Association, Coffee and Cocoa Association, Vietnam Wood Association, Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Association, the Vietnam Cashew Association and the Vietnam Pepper Association jointly signed a document to send to the Prime Minister and a number of ministries and branches proposing to grant travel permits to member enterprises to perform urgent tasks in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to the associations, Official Letter 2796/UBND-VX and Official Letter 2800/UBND-VX dated August 21, 2021 of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on strengthening control of groups of people allowed to circulate, including those that are allowed to relation to import and export of goods with a unit code of 3D, and will operate from 6am to 6pm according to the quantity and scope of activities assigned to the Department of Industry and Trade to decide on a case-by-case basis.

On August 22, 2021, the Department of Industry and Trade issued a process to guide enterprises to carry out procedures for importing and exporting goods (providing logistics services) to register for travel permits during the period from 23 August, 2021 to September 5, 2021. Accordingly, import-export enterprises (enterprises producing export goods) and logistics service providers quickly submitted registration documents.

However, up to now, no enterprises of the industry associations have received a response from the Department of Industry and Trade.

Then, on August 24, 2021, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade issued Official Letter No. 3996/SCT-QLCN on the assignment of issuing road permits to manufacturing enterprises from August 23, 2021 to September 6, 2021 in the area of ​​Ho Chi Minh City.

Accordingly, the Department of Industry and Trade only issues travel permits to employees of enterprises specializing in providing import and export services (enterprises providing professional logistics services) and the People's Committee of Thu Duc City and districts will issue road permits to manufacturing enterprises that both supply domestic goods and directly import and export, belonging to the group of "Employees of industries serving production".

Representatives of the associations said that manufacturing and exporting enterprises according to Official Letter 2800/UBND-VX are classified as 3D, but up to now, businesses do not know where to register their travel papers because it does not specify who belongs to and who is in charge of issuing certificates to enterprises.

This has been causing great difficulties for export enterprises, directly affecting their production - export activities, which are stalled, and at the same time, they have to face huge losses such as transportation costs.

In warehouses, goods stored for a long time will be reduced in quality, liability for compensation due to breach of contract on delivery schedule for international customers is unpredictable.

Great influence on commodity exports

According to the member enterprises of the associations, exporters must make their own set of paper export documents (no online procedures) and related operations not all use services through logistics service companies.

In fact, in order to complete the export dossier, enterprises need to have: plant quarantine registration at the Plant Quarantine Department; register for certificates of origin (at the Ministry of Industry and Trade or the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry); complete the application for disinfection at the service provider; complete the inspection dossier; perform operations related to bills of lading with shipping lines; perform banking related operations (presentation of documents, LC, payment records, finance).

In addition, there are other related operations (sending international delivery of export documents at the airport, transferring test samples).

In the provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, there are many factories of production and export enterprises such as rice, timber, seafood, rubber, vegetables, cashew, coffee, pepper.

In the event that enterprises are not approved for issuance of travel permits to carry out procedures for exporting goods, it will cause great damage to enterprises in particular and the economy in general.

The region accounts for nearly half of the whole country, manufactured goods cannot be exported, it is costly to store goods, factories have to suspend production, workers lose their jobs, businesses lose credibility with manufacturers.

From the above fact, the industry associations agreed and would like to propose to the Prime Minister and relevant agencies to have specific instructions on the contact point for issuing travel papers for export manufacturing enterprises. Increase the number of people handling documents for businesses.

Issue travel permits in soft copy and send them via email to businesses for businesses to use as a basis to go through the checkpoints to the headquarters of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City to stamp them.

The industry association will be the focal point and responsible for making a list of businesses that are members of the association that need to apply for a road permit and send it directly to the Department of Industry and Trade of the city and province to reduce the load on the Department of Industry and Trade. At the same time enhance the role and responsibilities of the association in the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The heads of member enterprises are responsible for the registration list and commit to strictly manage the list of employees who are granted travel permits. For businesses that are not members of the association, the procedures for applying for a travel permit will be carried out at the Department of Industry and Trade and the locality.