Thanh Hoa Customs Department: State revenue collection will be easier thanks to Prime Minister's Decision

Operational activity at Thanh Hoa Customs Department. Photo: H.N

In 2017, the Thanh Hoa Customs Department is assigned by the Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Vietnam Customs to collect 4,200 billion vnd of State revenues. Including estimated tax revenues from crude oil imports of the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Project accounts for a large proportion of total revenues (3,390 billion vnd).

However, until the end of May 2017, the State revenues of the Thanh Hoa Customs Department was only 321.8 billion vnd , reaching 7.6% of the assigned target (4,200 billion vnd). The revenues are mainly from imports of substitute equipment and supplies of some enterprises for their projects such as: Cong Thanh Cement Project, project of plant oil production manufacture; Chemical products for Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Project; Imported automobile accessories of Vietnam Engine and Agriculture Machinery Cooperation; Machine and equipment of Bim Son Cement Joint Stock Company.

According to Thanh Hoa Customs Department, from the beginning of 2017, the Department has actively implemented measures to achieve the highest results of revenue collection task in 2017. However, this is a difficult task because the main revenue sources of the above-mentioned investment projects have been basically completed and come into operation, so not much machinery and equipment will be imported, while the new projects have not been yet deployed. For Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Project in 2017, only few equipment and supplies are not subject to the list of investment incentives and some chemicals are imported.

The infeasible collection of expected tax revenues from crude oil imports of Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Project had an impact on the State revenues of Thanh Hoa Customs Department. According to the report, Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Project is expected to be operated by January 2018. Thus, the project is behind schedule. Thanh Hoa Customs Department expected to collect 2,000 billion vnd from the imports of crude oil for the pilot of the Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical Project from August to December 2017.

Before difficulties in the State revenues collection of Thanh Hoa Customs, the General Department of Vietnam Customs said that new provisions in the Decision 15/2017/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister (took effect from July 1st, 2017) on the list of imported goods subject to Customs procedures at import border gates will compensate the shortage of revenues.

Accordingly, for some cases, imported goods in the list attached to this Decision shall be implemented Customs procedures at the import border gates or Customs offices outside the border gates. For example, equipment, supplies and machinery imported for the construction of factories or works shall be carried out Customs procedures at Customs offices where factories, works or warehouses of factories or works are located.

Raw materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, components and spare parts used for processing and manufacturing shall be implemented Customs procedures at the Customs offices where the factories or manufacturers are located.

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Hence, Decision No.15/2017/QD-TTg mentioned above will expand some cases where importing and exporting enterprises are allowed to carry out Customs procedures at Thanh Hoa Customs Department, contributing to increase the State revenue of the Department and compensate the shortage of revenues.

To ensure the target of State revenue collection, the General Department of Vietnam Customs requests the Thanh Hoa Customs Department to implement measures to complete the revenue collection target. The revenues from Thanh Hoa's export-import goods are affected by objective reasons, the General Department of Vietnam Customs shall consider and report to the Ministry of Finance on the assessment of State revenue estimation in 2017.