Vietnam Customs improve capacity for implementation of TFAs

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Delegates attended the workshop. Photo: T.H

According to the Organizing Committee, after the assessment phase of needs, Vietnam Customs has asked the ITC to provide technical assistance in the form of best international experience sharing and capacity building for customs officers in two Trade facilitation measures, which are advanced ruling and AEOs in order to improve the quality of existing systems and ensure compliance with the Trade Facilitation Agreements (TFAs).

Nguyen Viet Nga, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation Department under the GDC, said that the GDC in cooperation with the ITC organized the workshop as a start-up to assist Vietnam Customs in the implementation of the TFAs which have taken effect since 2017.

In the TFA, there are commitments that member countries must comply with, including 12 articles that Vietnam Customs must implement. Advanced ruling and AEOs belong to Article 3. The implementation of this regulation requires the sharing and assistance from related parties especially the experience sharing from Customs administrations .

According to Nga, after this workshop, there will be many other activities to assist the Customs to fulfil its task of TFA implementation, which give priority to the advanced ruling and AEO management.

At the workshop, delegates exchanged experience on effective implementation of advanced ruling and AEO management to help local Customs units to understand the advanced ruling system related to classification and valuation.

Sharing the experience of world Customs, Ms. Yara Novis, Director of Tariff and Trade Affairs under the World Customs Organization (WCO), said that the advanced ruling for import and export goods was very important. At present, the WCO has introduced mechanisms for the synchronization of trade facilitation systems.

Ms. Yara Novis, Director of WCO Tariff and Trade Affairs shared her experiences at the workshop.

According to Yara Novis, 98% of the goods are involved in the tariff synchronization system; misclassification of goods shall affect not only the state revenue but also goods circulation of the world.

Ms. Yara Novis said that Vietnam had a legal framework and provisions to conduct the advanced ruling. For effective implementation, it needs necessary regulations on dossiers for requesters for advanced ruling; on competence person signing the advanced ruling results. The advanced ruling will help reducing time and costs of imports and exports for enterprises and increasing the exports globally and bringing benefits to both developing countries and undeveloped countries.

One of the important contents in the advanced ruling is to build a data system which is strong and decentralized and allows each Customs officer to access to avoid duplication.

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During the three days of the workshop, the experts will introduce to the Vietnam Customs officers the contents of the advanced ruling system in the countries; the AEO management - basic elements, efficiency of compliance with TFAs and current trends; challenges in AEO management in Vietnam