With the desire to improve the quality of customs activities and evaluate the satisfaction level of businesses with customs operation, the General Department of Vietnam Customs and Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) will conduct a survey to collect businesses' evaluation of customs services on a national scale. This is an opportunity for businesses to score the activity of local customs agencies.
According to Nguyen Ngoc Tuc, General Director of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, this survey will give customs officials real insight through the level of satisfaction of the businesses; accordingly, the department can make timely adjustments to better serve the business community. This is also one of the measures to increase revenues, a heavy task of the customs department because in the first 6 months, the customs department made only 40 percent of total revenue assigned by the National Assembly.
The survey is carried out from July 10 to August 25, 2013 and aimed at businesses having import and export operations from the date of January 1, 2012 to May 31, 2013. The survey focuses on six key issues: Assessment of the level of customers' perception about the quality of customs operations through propaganda, dissemination, advice, and answers to legal questions; customs clearance procedures for imports and exports; tax management; inspection after customs clearance; handling of administrative violations and resolution for complaints; degree of professionalism; integrity of public officials in the enforcement of customs duties. Through the survey, the customs would like to get businesses' recommendations for the improvement of law, customs regulations, and procedures related to the survey content.
To ensure the practical achievements of the survey, on July 10, the General Department of Vietnam Customs sent Dispatch 3807/TCHQ-VP to the provinces and cities to require the customs officials to recognise the importance of the survey. The General Department also requires individuals and units to improve accountability and communication to all businesses to help them engage in importing and exporting in the area and make a survey with high dedication and efficiency.
This is the second time the General Department of Vietnam Customs held a national scale survey. The survey was first held in 2012 with the content of businesses' evaluation on the activities of the customs. The survey group sent 5,000 surveys and collected nearly 30 percent of the evaluations, accounting for a very high percentage compared to other sociological surveys.
Through the survey, the General Department has prepared and issued a set of questions and answers that businesses suggested and the Head of the Department sent the dispatches to the provinces and cities for a requirement to improve activities, make further reform and facilitate the business community. The business survey in 2013 will be an important basis to rank the customs agencies at the provincial and municipal levels.
With 6 contents mentioned on the business survey, the General Department of Customs has proposed a set of specific evaluation criteria. The businesses can evaluate the level of professionalism, integrity through such criteria as task-solving skills, working style as well as an understanding of the law among customs officials, to end burdensome corruption and harassment.
Regarding the customs clearance of goods, the businesses will grade the customs services through criteria such as transparency of customs agencies, customs officials and processing results, convenience with qualifications of the customs officials to meet the job requirements, supporting facilities to complete the duties, accuracy of legal compliance and coordination among the authorities to carry out procedures.
Criteria for assessment of tax administration are expressed through clearly defined policies and procedures from which the customs authorities could make decisions on tax exemption, reduction and refund. This work is also assessed through criteria such as tax exemption, reduction and refund; simple process with supporting tools and applied information technology, as well as qualifications of customs officials in compliance with standardized procedures. According to the representatives of a number of the businesses, the evaluation criteria that the customs department has made are quite specific and realistic. This will help to ensure accurate and unbiased survey results.
Hien Thinh
Vietnamese
