After Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung issued Decision 2026/QD-TTg approving the Project on solutions improving effectiveness and efficiency of specialised inspection on exported and imported goods, the customs sector has endeavoured to clear bottlenecks within its capacity.
In December 1, 2015, the General Department of Vietnam Customs under the Ministry of Industry and Trade carried out specialised inspection points for exports and imports in Area 3 of Hai Phong Port. In addition to customs authorities, this exercise also involved the National Institute for Food Control (NIFC) and the Quality Assurance and Testing Centre 3 (QUATEST 3).
Common spaces for specialised inspection
The presence of three specialised inspection agencies at one checkpoint was publicly and strongly supported by exporters and importers. This "integration" has reportedly helped them reduce waiting time for performing procedures by 30 per cent, from 10-15 days to 7-10 days.
Thus far, the Hai Phong City Customs Department signed a regulation on coordination of four specialised inspection units under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Quarantine Authority - Zone I and Veterinary Authority - Zone 2), the Ministry of Health (National Institute for Food Control), and the Ministry of Science and Technology (Quality Assurance and Testing Centre 1). These four specialised inspection agencies will handle over 80 per cent of specialised export and import inspections in Hai Phong Area.
Mr Ngo Minh Hai, Deputy Director of Customs Supervision and Management Department under the General Department of Vietnam Customs, said the General Department has requested customs authorities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Lang Son, Lao Cai and Quang Ninh to review specialised inspection agencies at their border gates, and work with specialised inspection agencies to arrange sufficient personnel and equipment for specialised inspection at border gates.
Boosting understanding of companies to improve cooperation
At a meeting between customs authorities and specialised inspection agencies and port operators on December 10, 2015, expert participants pointed out that, in addition to outstanding issues of ministries and branches concerned, the smooth coordination of authorities in charge and the infrastructure from companies is essential to improve the quality of specialised inspection.
A representative from Quatest 3 said that inspection time is sometimes long because companies do not prepare well for his activity. For example, it even takes up to 40 days to examine a batch of electronics devices because companies do not send samples to relevant authorities when they import or export them.
A representative from Vinacontrol Ho Chi Minh City said the slowness of companies in providing samples results in long time for inspection result notification. In illustrating the opinion of this representative, Mr Ly Hoai Vu from the Sub-Department of Animal Health - Region VI, said that although companies register for early inspection, they are not ready for inspection even weeks after that. Hence, he proposed the time of counting specialised inspection should start from the moment of receiving sampling, not from the moment of approved registration.
Regarding this reality, Hoang Viet Cuong, Deputy General Director of the General Department of Vietnam Customs, said that customs authorities will meet with the business community to seek changes in implementation.
M.N
Vietnamese
