Survey on Cross-border Trade Transactions Index in August

Import – export goods are at Hai Phong port. Photo: N.Linh

The survey will be conducted in two forms – sending paper surveys and direct interviews. Accordingly, the work of sending paper surveys will be conducted by VCCI, the result of the surveys will be collected, calculated and analyzed based on the information and data collected.

While the direct interview will be conducted in two areas of Hai Phong Customs Department and HCM City Customs Department and overseen by the interdisciplinary working group.

The working group will interview enterprises directly about the time, cost of implementing procedures for exporting goods item with HS code 85 – electric machines, electrical equipment, recording and audio reproduction devices, camera; importing goods with HS code 8708 – automobile spare parts (these are two groups of products that the World Bank conducted a survey on Cross-border Trade Transactions Index in the Annual Business Environment Report) related to Customs authorities; specialized inspection agencies; port authority; enterprises operating ports, warehousing, logistics; shipping lines, international transport.

The working group will survey the enterprises' opinions about problems related to the above units in the process of implementing export and import procedure in general and areas that the units need to continue improving. At the same time, conducting actual surveys for the process of implementing import and export procedures at ports and border gates.

Earlier, in Resolution No. 02/NQ-CP dated January 1, 2019 of the Government assigning the Ministry of Finance (the General Department of Vietnam Customs) to chair and coordinate with the ministries and sectors to be responsible for the Cross-border Trade Transactions with the aim of lifting the ranking of Cross-border Trade Transactions Index to 15 levels (by 2021) and 2019 from 3-5 levels.

In order to achieve the goal as mentioned in Resolution 02/NQ-CP, it is necessary to have active participation and efforts of related parties in order to implement synchronously solutions of reducing time and costs of cross-border trade transactions. Therefore, the Ministry of Finance issued Decision No. 881/QD-BTC on May 27 about establishing an interdisciplinary working group conducting surveys on the Cross-Border Trade Transaction Index.

The goal is set to measure the time and implementation cost of cross-border trade procedures in Vietnam in accordance with the World Bank's criteria and methods as mentioned in the Business Environment Report; on that basis, proposing solutions for stakeholders in order to reduce time, cost, improve capacity and improve ranking of Cross-border Trade Transactions index.