The list of the ASEAN Harmonised Tariff Nomenclature (AHTN) 2017 will be issued soon

The list of AHTN 2017 after being approved by the Government will act as the base to build the catalogue of Vietnam export and import goods and conducting the conversion of the preferential Import and Export Tariff, and special preferential tariffs.

According to ASEAN regulations, AHTN 2017 list will be passed by the Director General of the General Department of Customs of all ASEAN countries, the process then will be reported to the AFTA Council. After the AFTA Council acknowledges the work of the Director Generalof the General Department of Customs in all ASEAN countries, those countries will continue procedures for approval/ratification domestically and send a notification to the ASEAN Secretariat. When all 10 countries have announced that theAHTN 2017 catalogue will take effect, the countries will then organize implementation.

Additionally, ASEAN recommended those countries practice HS 2017 from January 1, 2017 but countries still can be flexible on the application timing, based on the actual conditions of each country.

Until now, the AHTN 2017 catalogue has been through 9 negotiation sessions, which lasted 2 years from 2013 to 2015. During the negotiation process the Ministry of Finance has collected many opinions of ministries, agencies and associations, Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as working directly about each line of commodity by the progress of each session. At present, the AHTN 2017 catalogue has been completed by all ASEAN countries, unified to make domestic approval procedures.

As represented by the Import-Export Duty Department (General Department of Customs), the catalogue of AHTN 2017 was set up by Vietnam and ASEAN countries with the target to build a unified catalogue and Tariff among ASEAN countries, synchronizing explanatory notes, codes and descriptions of goods to promote the free flow of commodities in the region, promote economic integration in the region and, in particular, to contribute to the formation of the ASEAN free trade area (AFTA) and the ASEAN Economic Community.

Currently, the catalogue of export and import goods in Vietnam and other ASEAN countries is being implemented following the AHTN 2012 catalogue. The completed AHTN 2017 catalogue was built on the AHTN 2012 catalogue after being amended and supplemented by a number of changes in technology, technique and trade under HS 2017 by the World Customs Organization (WCO). This list has been reviewed by all ASEAN member countries, to set up the details based on 8-digit level to facilitate trade in the region. The detail of commodities based on 8-digit level fits with the classified demand of ASEAN member countries, and fits with the classified regulation of WCO and based on the agreed negotiation result.

The AHTN 2017 list, after being adopted by the Government, will be the basis for the list of Vietnam Export and Import goods and transform the preferential Import and Export Tariff, the special preferential tariffs and the list of specialized management from AHTN 2012 catalogue to the 2017 catalogue. Therefore, Vietnam must develop and promulgate legal documents on the list of Vietnam Export and Import goods by the AHTN 2017, MFN Tariff and other FTA Tariffs, the other lists of specialized management according to AHTN 2017 to ensure uniformity and consolidation.