Reformation and modernization of customs from an insider’s perspective

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The plan of reforming customs modernization has become more and more effective. In the photo: Officials of Hanoi Customs Department exchange with enterprises. Photo: N.Linh.

Move yourself over time step by step

As a unit actively participates in cooperation with Customs authorities, Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) offers very specific assessments on the Customs sector. According to VASEP, in the last 5 years, the business community in general and the seafood industry in particular have clearly seen the strong, professional, and intensive application of modern techniques to modernize the industry. Customs, implementing improvement plans to develop and modernize timely with regional and world level customs.

Reform and modernization expressed in many fields, including administrative procedure reform is a remarkable characteristic. Customs is the leading agency in promulgating many regulatory reforms and administrative procedures, helping businesses to shorten the time for goods clearance, improving competitiveness, ensuring inspection and controlling import and export goods according to their jurisdiction. Many customs inspection and control procedures and regimes were previously inconsistent, overlapping, cumbersome, complicated and obstructing the reception and handling of the work between the Customs authorities and each other. Customs agencies with citizens, import and export organizations have now been removed or simplified.

The transformation in reform and modernization stemmed from the change of thinking of the General Department of Customs, considering associations and businesses as partners to participate in the development of legal documents, actively inviting the association and business together with functional agencies related in the process of drafting, developing and modifying legal documents in the field of customs; At the same time, continuing to monitor and listening to problems arising from practice to build practical documents, consistent with the nature of business activities of the industry. The General Department of Customs is also proactive, making efforts to apply IT in customs operations, deploying VNACCS / VCIS Systems, National Single Window and ASEAN Single Window to facilitate maximum assistance for businesses and the people...

Of course, those changes must bring practical effectiveness to receive the satisfaction of businesses. According to VASEP, with the reform efforts of the Customs industry, there are now 65% of seafood shipments cleared through the Green channel, whereby enterprises in this category have not had to register procedures and all transactions of Information exchanged between customs authorities and customs declarants has been made through electronic system clearance.

From Mr. Dao Huy Giam’s point of view - General Secretary of Vietnam Private Economic Forum, reform and modernization is the key to impacting the most complicated and difficult stages. With the Customs industry, the modernization program is the foundation, the management tool, the customs clearance procedure has been operating on transparent standards, close to international standards; Qualifications of customs officers have been shown in many aspects of professionalism. For example, the public service of the leading Customs sector in Government agencies aims to serve businesses; at the same time, the Customs sector also has made many efforts and initiatives to create organic links with businesses, more and more businesses are entitled to the "priority partner" mechanism; trade facilitation through the National Single Window. In addition, risk management mechanism is a very right step, thereby promoting self-discipline in enterprises, "Public-Private" along with them. The process of customs modernization has helped and created a push to improve the standards in each import-export enterprise.

Continue the first road

Head of Department - Deputy Chief of Customs Modernization Reform Department, Kim Long Bien, said that the current stage of customs modernization is now indepth, and expressed in many pillars, of which the most important is institutional about organizational apparatus and especially people. The very strong reform activities of the Customs have pulled ministries and agencies to shift according to changes in customs procedures.

In context, the Government has been directing to continue to promote administrative reforms, creating favorable conditions for people and businesses, the Customs industry is an important link. According to Mr. Kim Long Bien, in the coming time, the Customs will continue to reform the internal sector, from organizational structure to resources, people and conditions to ensure that Customs staff not only keep up as currently, but also they must exceed the current customs procedures. In order to do this, an important solution is to continue developing the potential strategy for the year 2030 and the vision will be longer. This is one of the most important pillars to continue reforming and modernizing customs, which is also required by the Government and the Ministry of Finance to continue the Customs research and development strategy.

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The second solution also relating to customs reform and modernization is the development between customs and enterprises. At present, the Customs-enterprise partnership has formed an organizational apparatus from the General Department as well as the locality; however, to further strengthen and go further into reality, it is necessary to have a roadmap and new ways to make businesses go along with Customs in the process of reform and integration.