From January 2, 2013, electronic customs procedures have been officially launched after 7 years of piloting. Export – import management will be conducted automatically based on information technology and risk management. The Vietnam Business Forum had an interview with Mr Vu Ngoc Anh, Deputy Director of General Department of Customs. Huong Ly reports.
What is the change when entering the implementing period, after a piloting period of 07 years?
Compared to the piloting period, when applying Decree 87/2012/ND – CP on electronic customs procedures, enterprises will enjoy many favourable conditions. First, people can declare customs at any time, instead of just at working hours like traditional procedures. Several processes of customs procedures are automatic. Compared to traditional measure, 03 more processes of electronic customs procedures will be automatic, which are checking, declaration registration and declaration bandwidth.
Automation of three more processes helps reduce the direct intervention of customs officers, improve administrative procedures, reduce time required to transfer goods, and create favourable conditions for enterprises in conducting import – export activities.
Besides, the application of electronic signatures in customs procedures will give maximum favourable conditions for enterprises, and ensure the management of customs authority, as well as take advantages of electronic trading measures.
One of the disadvantages in the current operation of the electronic customs procedures are common out-of-work transmission network, resulting particular difficulties for both Customs and enterprises, so in the near future, how can the Customs solve these problems?
Busy and out-of-work transmission network is a general problem resulting from under-developed telecommunication infrastructure of our country.
In recent years, the Customs has constructed and communicated the transmission network from Customs Branches to Local Customs Departments and to General Customs Department and belonging to general infrastructure of the Ministry of Finance (MOF). When officially launching the electronic customs procedures, the Customs has constructed the system in such a way that the operations of receiving and processing declared information are gathered in Local Customs Departments, meaning to make the conformity in the operation as well as insure the capacity of the network. Furthermore, in the branches and local levels, it maintains a hotline for questionable information of transmission network to enterprises.
Applying automatic electronic customs procedures also challenges Customs in preventing commercial cheating and tax frauds. How will the Customs deal with these challenges?
Struggling with commercial cheating and smuggling is always a challenge to Customs specifically and state management authorities generally. Officially applying electronic customs procedures, simplifying processes and offering favourable conditions for enterprises may create opportunities for those who want to commit commercial fraud.
To perform state management tasks well, the Customs has been concentrating on implementing many solutions. First, make transparent policies and simplify lists of taxed goods to prevent vagueness and promote clarity in lists of taxed goods. For example, it is easy to give false declaration code with 2 relatively similar goods, but with different tax rates.
To supervise export – import activities, the Customs will apply criteria of risk management in the customs processes before, during and after clearance, to prevent frauds through prices, or tax evasion causing capital losses to state budget.
Thank you very much!
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