Recently, a ceremony marking the official announcement of National Single Window (NSW) and the technical connection to ASEAN Single Window (ASW) was held at the headquarters of the General Department of Vietnam Customs. Thus, Vietnam has become one of the first four countries in Southeast Asia to connect with ASW together with Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
Great political resolution
Towards the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community ( AEC) by the end of 2015, the pioneering pillar of three pillars of the ASEAN Community, ASEAN-member countries have carried out a range of specific measures, including the centralised deployment, establishment and implementation of the ASEAN Single Window and trade facilitation tools to make ASEAN a common production base and market.
In addition to regional integration commitments, starting from internal demands for developing the economy, improving the investment and business climate, ensuring Vietnam's position in international economic integration and enhancing the national competitiveness, the Government of Vietnam has defined an urgent need for administrative procedure reform in all areas, regarding this as a top task of the Government in the integration period. Particularly, the successful deployment of NSW as a key instrument of government agencies in facilitating international trade and transport connections as well as soon connection to ASW is closely monitored and steered by the Government.
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Seven ASEAN member countries - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - announced plans to deploy NSW. Five member countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - stand ready to connect with ASW from December 2015. From August 17, 2015 in the framework of pilot ASW, Vietnam technically connected with ASW and exchanged electronic certificates of origin of goods under the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) between Vietnam NSW with NSW other members - Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. According to agreements among member states, by the end of October 2015, five member countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - will complete technical connections and full connections in December 2015.
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Remarking on NSW and ASW deployment, Nguyen Ngoc Tuc, General Director of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, said the prerequisite factor that brings success and sustainability in Vietnam’s NSW deployment is the political resolution of the entire system of State agencies under the strong and drastic support from the highest level of government to executive levels. With the ultimate goal of creating favourable conditions for trade and investment in Vietnam while helping authorities to get accustomed to paperless methods, Vietnam will have more accurate and efficient policies based on existing documents.
The second important factor is the formation of a national steering committee with representatives from the Government and senior officials from ministries. This agency will have adequate authority to work out policies, decisions and strategic orientations and promptly remove obstacles to assure political willpower of ministries and branches.
Besides, the committee will need advisory agencies with sufficient resources.
Efforts of ministries and branches, sufficient financial resources and appropriate investment mechanisms; effective communication plans with extensive propaganda activities, human resources training, and business support are also important factors for the successful deployment of NSW to timely and completely serve the community.
Driving better integration
As of August 27, 2015, up to 1,936 companies declared port procedures at NSW (including 246 carriers and transport agents, 1,690 logistics and delivery companies) for a total of 9,435 records (4,989 entry documents, 4,426 exit documents and 20 transit documents). Regarding procedures for granting certificates of origin (C/O) Form D, 1,647 sets of documents were processed at NSW. From May 25, 2015 (the date the Vietnam Register under the Ministry of Transport connected) to August 27, 2015, 165 sets of documents for motorcycle, engine and electric bike quality testing were processed for 56 companies at NSW.
According to the Vietnam Register, in applying NSW, companies can reduce approximately four-fifths of time for procedures. Although there are no official statistics covering administrative procedures of ministries and branches carried out at NSW, the target is 15-30 percent or more of time for procedural handling reduced. Besides, when online public services are handled on NSW, most papers and records will be simplified and digitalised, thus helping save time and cost for companies in preparing documents to carry out administrative procedures.
For enterprises, this is a step of practising and an opportunity to transform operating modes to electronic environment and train resources for the integration process. State agencies will have a database of electronic administrative documents enabling State administrative agencies to exchange with Vietnam’s export markets, thus opening up the opportunity of simplifying records and documents applicable to Vietnam’s exports and sharpening the competitive edge for exports.
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Upcoming goals:
Late 2015:
-Strengthening administrative procedures developed and expanded across the country for all subjects.
- Carrying out Level 4 online public services for administrative procedures at officially connected NSW.
- Connecting with ASW and exchange information on certificates of origin of ASEAN goods (C/O Form D) and information on ASEAN Customs Declaration Document (ACDD) with four countries - Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
2016-2020 phase:
-Expanding NSW for all ministries regardless of the scope and subjects.
-All administrative procedures at NSW will be deployed in the form of Level 4 online public services.
-Completely connecting with ASW and readily connecting and exchanging information with non-ASEAN trading partners to facilitate Vietnam’s exports and strengthen controls over imported goods.
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Deputy PM Vu Van Ninh, Head of the National Steering Committee on NSW and ASW
I suggest that the National Steering Committee and ministries strive to officially connect with ASW by December 2015 as planned; consolidate, improve and expand NSW deployment to cover all administrative procedures related to exports, imports, transited goods and vehicle on entry, on exit and on transit from 2015 to the end of 2017; and submit to the Government a comprehensive plan for administrative procedure reform and actionable measures for the 2016-2020 period.
ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh
ASW will not only promote the harmonisation of standards and compliance processes where we can facilitate the coordination and cooperation among customs authorities, connectivity and transparency of customs procedures. ASW will not only improve the efficiency and competitiveness of trade but also facilitate ASEAN to engage in regional and global supply chains - the key to unlock the ASEAN Economic Community. When all 10 NSW are integrated with ASW, ASEAN will become an area with the easiest trade conditions in the world.
Le Hien
Vietnamese
