Removing difficulties for import and export activities in four key northern provinces

Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs, Hoang Viet Cuong made a speech at the Conference. Photo: T.Bình

4 key localities for import and export

Participating in the dialogue were: Vice President of VCCI, Hoang Quang Phong; Deputy Director General of Vietnam Customs, Hoang Viet Cuong; Vice Chairman of Hai Duong Provincial People's Committee, Tran Van Quan and 150 delegates which are representatives of leaders and officials from ministries, sectors, customs authorities, enterprises and business associations related to import and export activities of four provinces.

The report at the Conference stated that despite achieving many successes and recognitions by the business community over the past time, businesses still face many difficulties in implementing policies related to import and export activities.

The survey results conducted by VCCI in collaboration with competent agencies showed that about 38% of enterprises still faced difficulties finding information about administrative procedures related to import and export. Or the difficulty of performing a specialized inspection. "Regarding specialized management, currently, the Customs sector performs excellent management through risk management, but many related ministries have not performed well," the VCCI representative said.

Faced with the above fact, the Conference was held at the sub-regional level with the participation of businesses from four provinces and cities to continue organizing dialogue and removing difficulties for import-export activities. These localities have great potential for economic development and are also areas with a large concentration of industrial parks, export processing zones and import-export enterprises. According to preliminary estimates, the total import-export turnover of goods in 2022 of the four localities reached about US$46 billion, accounting for approximately 12.3% of the country's total turnover.

View of the conference. Photo: T.Bình

At the Conference, representatives of businesses and management authorities focused on removing difficulties in promoting import-export activities of the four localities.

In addition, dialogue activities helped strengthen the partnership between the government and import-export enterprises; strengthen the enterprises' voice in formulating and implementing trade facilitation policies. The event also contributed to realizing the economic linkage goal built by VCCI, the People's Committee of Hai Phong City, and the provinces of Quang Ninh, Hai Duong and Hung Yen through the Agreement on "Economic Connection of the Eastern Expressway Axis".

Always accompany and facilitate businesses

Speaking at the Conference, Deputy Director General Hoang Viet Cuong reviewed outstanding results showing the efforts of the Customs sector in administrative reform and customs modernization to facilitate the business community. For example: implementing electronic customs procedures through VNACCS/VCIS system; coordinating to collect tax via commercial banks electronically 24/7; implementing National Single Window... Furthermore, besides long-term reform programs and plans, the Customs sector has always proactively and promptly grasped and removed arising and unexpected difficulties of the business community during the global outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and challenges related to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine...

"Continuing efforts to reform, modernize and facilitate for businesses, recently, the General Department of Vietnam Customs has implemented a pilot program to support and encourage businesses to comply with customs laws voluntarily. Up to now, the Customs sector has signed with 203 enterprises. Furthermore, with the policy and viewpoint of always accompanying and facilitating businesses, the General Department of Vietnam Customs sent participants to the Conference, including many leaders of departments and functional departments, to be ready to discuss and solve problems of enterprises", Deputy General Director Hoang Viet Cuong said.

A representative of the business spoke up. Photo: T.Bình

According to Vice President of VCCI Hoang Quang Phong, for many years, the Government and ministries and sectors have tried to simplify import-export procedures, enhance transparency in trade policies, and establish policies and mechanisms to solve business problems.

Notably, regarding the Customs sector, VCCI recognized many efforts in customs reform and modernization, facilitating import and export activities. "Some outstanding activities can be mentioned, such as: implementing the National Single Window and the ASEAN Single Window; strongly applying information technology in customs clearance, post-clearance audit and goods supervision; implementing risk management principles in assessing compliance with specialized laws; and step by step transparent commercial information", Mr. Hoang Quang Phong said.

Besides the content raised by the Organizer, representatives of several enterprises reflected more specifically on difficulties and problems such as specialized inspection was still overlapping; the logistics system was still weak and fragmented; there was a shortage of cold storage systems and processing facilities serving the preservation of agricultural products.

Regarding complaints in the field of customs, Deputy Director General Hoang Viet Cuong and representatives of departments and functional departments under the General Department of Vietnam Customs answered the business community.