Expanding E-customs Application

The Ministry of Finance and the General Department of Customs have recently announced that e-customs procedure application will be expanded to lay the groundwork for the pilot mechanism of single-window national administrative mechanism guided by the Prime Minister. Therefore, the General Department of Customs has stepped up information on expansion of e-customs procedures and begun with opening a series of recent workshops it coordinated with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI). Initial workshops were held in Dak Lak (September 26, 2011), Tay Ninh (September 28, 2011) Long An (September 30, 2011) and in Thua Thien Hue (October 4, 2011). These events received a lot of feedbacks and comments from the business community

 

E-customs were first launched in Hai Phong and Ho Chi Minh City in 2005 and generated positive results to date. As of August 1, 2011, e-customs procedures have been applied in 80 customs offices in 13 provinces and cities with 42,939 participating companies. E-customs procedure helps shorten the time needed for clearance. According to customs offices, the time for green-branded goods flows has been shortened to 3 - 15 minutes, electronic yellow flows to 10 - 20 minutes, and paper yellow flows to 10 - 60 minutes.

 

The series of workshops is part of a cooperation programme between the General Department of Customs and the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in the past years. This year, the two agencies focus on guiding importers and exporters to know regulations and steps to work with e-customs declaration forms on the real system, introducing e-customs procedures and processes, and noting important points in e-customs procedures. This is a chance for businesses to contact and discuss with sector leaders, competent agencies and e-customs software distributors about difficulties and obstacles in applying e-customs procedures. All questions from businesses were answered directly at workshops. Since its launch, e-customs bring practical benefits for both companies and customs authorities.

 

Mr Tran Ngoc Phuong, a representative from Dak Lak Rubber Co., Ltd (Dakruco), said: “E-customs documents are much simpler than traditional ones. In the old way, we needed to declare on two forms, fill in two delivery forms, complete one re-examination form, and one re-examination result form while we work with only one form in the electronic way. The time for customs declaration approval is also much shorter.”

 

Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, representative from Kovina Fashion Co., Ltd, Tay Ninh province added: “Compared with traditional procedures, e-customs are more simple, convenient and modern. We do not need to bring declaration forms to customs offices for clearance of our goods. We only need to show one printed declaration form undersigned for all customs procedures.”

 

She believed that more companies in Tay Ninh province will use e-customs when they see so many advantages.

 

In 2011, the customs sector continues will apply e-customs in seven provinces and cities, namely Long An, Tay Ninh, Binh Dinh, Dak Lak, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien Hue and Nghe An.