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Customs sector proposes mechanisms and polices to facilitate importers and exporters. Photo: Thai Binh.

Advising the Government to revise policies amid the pandemic

Notably, the GDVC proposed the Government promulgate Resolution 106/ND-CP dated September 11, 2021 on tax policies for goods imported by Vietnamese importers or aid for Covid-19 prevention and control, which are not subject to import duty and VAT in case of humanitarian or non-refundable aid.

To support businesses, the GDVC has also advised the Ministry of Finance to issue decisions on the list of items subject to tax exemption for disease prevention such as Decision 155/QD-BTC dated February 7, 2020; Decision 436/QD-BTC dated March 31, 2020; Decision 2138/QD-BTC dated December 8, 2020, and Decision 1921/QD-BTC dated September 30, 2021.

Amid the complicated development of the pandemic, causing difficulties for operators of duty-free goods and goods deposited in bonded warehouses, entry and exit activities have been delayed. Meanwhile, the operation of duty-free shops is completely dependent on exit and entry customers, causing operations of these shops to stall. The time limit for storage in Vietnam of goods deposited in bonded warehouses has expired. Therefore, these products cannot be exported.

To resolve this issue, the GDVC has proposed the Ministry submit to the National Assembly Standing Committee for promulgation of a resolution allowing the implementation of mechanisms and policies in Covid-19 prevention and control.

Accordingly, Resolution 10/2021/UBTVQH15 dated December 8, 2021 of the National Assembly Standing Committee has allowed the extension of the deadline for storage of goods in duty-free shops and in warehouses of duty-free operators, and goods deposited in bonded warehouses.

The country’s top customs agency has submitted to the Ministry of Finance to issue Circular 82/2021/TT-BTC regulating customs supervision for imports transferred through border gates in case imports are congested or at risk of backlog at seaports currently under social distancing measures in accordance with the Prime Minister's Directive 16. The Ministry of Finance allows imports stored at the seaports to be transported to other seaports, inland ports or ICDs to avoid congestion.

To follow the Government’s Resolution 105/NQ-CP dated September 9, 2021, and to ensure a legal basis for implementation and facilitation to customs declarants in customs clearance, the GDVC advised the Ministry of Finance to issue Circular 121/2021/TT-BTC stipulating customs procedures for imports serving urgent requirements for pandemic prevention and control; submission of documents in customs dossiers and physical inspection for imports and exports amid the pandemic.

Promulgating policies on customs procedures, inspection and supervision

Many regulations on customs procedures, supervision and inspection will be completed by the GDVC in 2022 to meet requirements on customs modernization and reform and control such as the Decree amending and supplementing Decree 08/2015/ND-CP and Decree 59/2018/ND-CP, the Decree stipulating management mechanisms, methods, order and procedures for quality inspection and food safety inspection for imports, and the Decree on customs control for imports and exports transacted via e-commerce channels.

The country’s top customs regulator will also perfect and issue circulars, including the Circular amending and supplementing Circular 38/2015/TT-BTC and Circular 39/2018/TT-BTC; Circular promulgating information criteria for forms promulgated together with the Decree stipulating the management mechanisms, methods, order and procedures for quality inspection and food safety inspection for imports; Circular on information criteria for carrying out customs procedures for imports and exports in e-commerce transactions.

In addition, it will submit a Circular to implement the smart customs model, a Circular to replace Circular 62/2019/TT-BTC and Circular 47/2020/TT-BTC on goods origin, especially building operational processes in line with the Digital Customs Project and the Smart Customs model.