Strengthening inter-sectoral coordination to improve cross-border trade transaction index

	Global stocks plunge: Need calm to find opportunities in risks
	IIP rises 6.2% in first two months

Inter-sectoralcoordination needs strengthened

At the meeting, members of the working group said they highly appreciated the initiative of Customs in administrative reform to improve the cross-border trade transaction index.

Deputy General Secretary of the Logistics Service Business Association Nguyen Tuong said measures to improve the cross-border trade transaction index play an important role for logistics service business. According to the World Bank, customs transaction indexes are firstly implemented and play a key role in the index.

Tuong said the Customs is one of the leading sectors in technology improvement. However, the improvement of the Customs sector is not enough. If other ministries and sectors do not effectively coordinate with Customs, it will be difficult to improve the index. Because the cross-border trade transaction index includes cross-border procedures (customs procedures and, specialised inspection). The Prime Minister has also directed ministries and sectors to cutbusiness conditions. Therefore, to enhance the index, it is necessary to strengthen inter-sectoral coordination.

Theinter-sectoral working group should conduct annual surveys on specific industries for direction and reports to send to international organisations. Therefore, it is necessary to survey all industries and coordinate with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to apply technology to the surveys. Tuong also proposed Customs take advantage of cooperation programmes on trade facilitation to conduct training.

The Head of customs team of the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association Nguyen Anh Tuyet said that the Customs sector has made great efforts to improve the index. Specifically, Customs has provided information channels to exchange fordeveloping mechanisms and policies.

Tuyet said that last year, the working group and the General Department of Vietnam Customs contributed to the amendment ofDecree 116/2017/ND-CP on the requirement for manufacturing, assembly and import of motor vehicles and trade in motor vehicle warranty and maintenance services, and Circular No. 03/2018/TT-BGTVT on technical and environmental safety inspection of imported motor vehicles regulated by Decree No. 116/2017/ND-CP on reducing customs clearance time. For automakers, 90percent imported goods for productions are not subject to specialized inspection.

Survey effectively

To improve the cross-border trade transaction index, Deputy Director General Hoang Viet Cuong said it is necessary to provide specific plans and programmes. Continue to reform and improve the cross-border trade transaction index in accordance with Government Resolution 02/ NQ-CP. Crucial is identifying commodity groups, researching, evaluating and reviewing, including focusing on commodity groups surveyed by the World Bank in 190 economies.

Deputy Director General Hoang Viet Cuong also assigned members of the inter-sectoral working group to survey the cross-border trade transaction index. Accordingly, in 2020, based on the current resources, it needs to select and expand surveyed industries, about 4-5 specific industries (textile, footwear, electronic components andseafood).

Cuong also proposed that during the survey, it needs to focus on enterprises, associations; conduct direct and indirect surveys, especially indirect surveys. The General Department of Vietnam Customs will work with the VCCI to implement and develop survey software programmes.

“The survey needs to ensure efficiency. The survey results must show specific shortcomings (mechanisms, policies and implementation). The inter-sectoral working group and associations need to make specific recommendations and must be monitoring the implementation results of ministries and sectors in removing shortcomings and limitations” Cuong said.