Increasing Support for Importers, Exporters

In a press briefing, Mr. Nguyen Van Tho, Deputy General Director of the General Department of Customs, emphasized that the customs sector will continue to facilitate businesses and assist budgetary collection. He suggested that press agencies help the customs sector communicate customs policies to companies in the fastest and most practical way.

Could you please tell us how the customs sector collected the State budget?

In 2023, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDC) was assigned by the National Assembly to collect VND425 trillion as per Resolution 69/2022/QH15 dated November 11, 2022. Defining State budget revenue collection as a top task of the whole sector, the GDC issued Directive 479/CT-TCHQ dated February 6, 2023 on consistent and drastic implementation of solutions to facilitate trade, enhance the effectiveness of State management and prevent revenue loss in 2023. Particularly, the GDC developed and proposed five specific solutions for each field that need to be carried out drastically.

According to preliminary data, the revenue from January 1 to June 11 was VND162,803 billion or 38.3% of the target, down 18.1% year on year. To complete the 2023 plan amid the slowing economy and shrinking import and export, we are resolved to support enterprises to a maximum in a bid to increase the budget revenue.

Customs modernization is an important task. Would you tell us more about this?

We have worked out a detailed plan for the implementation of key customs reform and modernization in 2023, established the plan for the construction of an operating measure of administrative procedures at the National Single Window, and deployed the plan for time inspection of cargo release at some customs departments of provinces and cities.

Currently, we are urging and closely coordinating with relevant bodies to carry out the National Single Window, the ASEAN Single Window and ASEAN trade facilitation. We are focusing resources on developing a master plan for information technology system construction and development for the implementation of the National Single Window and the ASEAN Single Window as well as the Action Plan for the deployment of the National Single Window, logistics development and trade facilitation in the 2022-2026 period, which will be reported to the Ministry of Finance and submitted to the Government for approval.

In addition to connecting with ASEAN partners, we consulted the National Steering Committee to launch the connection with non-ASEAN partners: With the Eurasian Economic Union to complete and exchange testing export customs declarations; with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy and the Customs Service of South Korea to sign a memorandum of understanding on Electronic Origin Data Exchange System (EODES) to facilitate enforcement of the Free Trade Agreement (the two sides are currently completing technical issues to exchange electronic C/O information); with New Zealand to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the New Zealand Embassy to exchange electronic quarantine certificates with New Zealand.

The GDC signed Decision 879/QD-TCHQ dated April 21, 2023 to establish the Project Implementation Committee for IT system construction for digital customs to meet professional requirements in customs clearance. Currently, we are building the master plan for project implementation and the detailed plan for activities of the Project Implementation Committee. In addition, we are building and deploying an IT system to perform remote customs declaration according to the VNACCS Declaration Form. We also issued Decision 1105/QD-TCHQ dated May 22, 2023 on GDC’s digital transformation plan in 2023.

How about preventing smuggling and trade fraud in the past six months?

Smuggling and trade fraud have been complicated with many sophisticated methods and tricks in many localities in recent years. Drug trafficking is complicated on land and sea routes, especially air routes. Drug trafficking and illegal transportation of drugs are popular on air routes, mainly through international airports like Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat and Da Nang.

As the standing body to the Steering Committee 389 of the Ministry of Finance, the GDC effectively advised the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with other agencies to reinforce the fight against smuggling, trade fraudulence, counterfeiting and illegal cross-border transportation of goods. At the same time, it directed local customs departments to seriously and effectively implement many important measures to ensure social safety and security and prevent crime, fight, detect and handle many serious drug smuggling cases. As a result, from December 16, 2022 to May 15, 2023, the customs sector detected, seized and handled 6,653 violation cases, an increase of 23.5% year on year. The violation value was estimated at VND2,125.6 billion, up 65.6% year on year. Customs authorities prosecuted 12 cases, down 54%, and transferred 59 cases to other agencies for further action, up 74%. The sector collected VND294.5 billion for the State Budget from these cases.

Thank you very much!

By Le Hien, Vietnam Business Forum