10 outstanding events of Customs in 2017

	Vietnam’s top ten domestic events in 2016
	10 outstanding events of Customs in 2016

Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung and delegates pressed the button to officially launch the Vietnam Automated System for Seaport Customs Management in Hai Phong on 11 December. Photo: T.B

1. The deployment of automated Customs management system at seaports and airports

On 21st June 2017, the General Department of Vietnam Customs issued Plan 4098/KH-TCHQ to instruct local Customs Departments to prepare deployment of the scheme on goods management and supervision at seaports and airports (Hai Phong Customs Department piloted since 15th August 2017 and officially operated since 11th December 2017). This has achieved positive results such as; shortening transport time and cost for import and export businesses, enhancing reputation and efficiency of port and warehouse operators, and helping custom control time and quantity of shipments in and out, and storage at warehouses and yards.

In future, the Customs sector plans to expand in Customs Departments such as Ha Noi, Quang Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria- Vung Tau, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa and Can Tho.

2. The GDVC organized “Ceremony to mark Vietnam’s import and exports turnover hitting US $ 400 billion”

On 19th December 2017, at the GDVC headquarters, Deputy Prime Minister participated in the “Ceremony to mark Vietnam’s import and export turnover hitting US$ 400 billion,” marking the important development of Vietnam's economy. Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung, Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai and Director General of GDVC Nguyen Van Can attended this event. Since becoming an official member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and achieving a total import and export turnover of US $ 100 billion in 2007, in the first half of December 2017, the total import and export turnover hit a record of US$ 400 billion.

Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue stated at “Ceremony to mark the Vietnam’s import and exports turnover hitting US $ 400 billion”. Photo: T.B

3. Make an effort to implement the task of State revenue collection

Since the beginning of 2017, the GDVC focused on implementation of the task of State revenue collection and assigned the desired targets to each municipal and provincial Customs Department; took solutions to manage State revenue collection and to prevent smuggling and trade fraud; enhanced post clearance audit, and especially, focused on preventing frauds of value, tax rate and origin. At the same time, promoting administrative procedure reform and facilitating import and export activities; actively coordinating with ministries and sectors to deploy National Single Window, and piloting e- tax payment 24/7 to facilitate tax payers to pay tax at anytime, anywhere and by any means.

In 2017, the State revenue of the Customs sector was about VND 295, 000 billion, reaching 100% the assigned additional target.

Customs officers at Cai Lan Port Customs Branch, Quang Ninh Customs Department inspect imported cars. This is the commodity which significantly affects the State revenues in 2017 Customs.

4. The deployment of the scheme on 24/7 e-tax payment via banks and Customs clearance

This is a breakthrough in tax payment and collection for imported and exported goods, facilitating and supporting tax payers to implement tax payment anytime anywhere and by any means, minimizing cash payment; ensure tax payment information is liquidated in a timely fashion and accurately; reducing time for tax payment and goods clearance right after tax payment. Thereby, shortening time for completing Customs procedures for imported and exported goods of businesses.

Currently, the deployment of scheme on 24/7 e-tax payment via banks and Customs clearance achieved positive results. The payment and collection greatly increased and were appreciated by the business community with the pilot participation of 11 commercial banks. In the future, the GDVC will expand the number of banks participating in the scheme to further facilitate tax payers.

The Deputy Director General Nguyen Duong Thai and Mr. Yasuhiro Kageyama, Deputy General Director of Mizuho Bank, Ha Noi Branch signed the agreement on coordination e-tax collection 24/7. This is a Japanese bank and the first foreign bank signing the agreement with the GDVC.

5. Launching Vietnam Trade Information Portal (VTIP)

On 12th July 2017, in Ha Noi, the Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung, and Acting Director of the World Bank in Vietnam Sebastian Eckardt, and the Director General Nguyen Van Can, at the launching ceremony to officially operate the VTIP.

VTIP will not only meet the key commitment in the Trade Facilitation Agreement with WTO but also play the role as a useful tool to support small and medium sized enterprises which are interested in or engaged in import and export and transit activities. With over 2,000 content pages including legal documents, measures, procedures and forms related to imports and exports, VTIP set its goal to help enterprises save time and cost. The launch of VTIP demonstrates the role and efforts to simplify and modernize administrative procedures of the Customs.

The Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue, Minister of Finance Dinh Tien Dung and delegates pressed the button to officially launch the Vietnam Trade Information Portal (VTIP). Photo: H.N

6. Vietnam Customs successfully hosted the meeting of Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP) on the sidelines of the first Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1) and SOM3.

The APEC 2017, with the theme “Creating new dynamism, fostering a shared future” guided Committees, groups, and subcommittees to actively develop agenda and content focusing on the priorities and targets for the APEC 2017 on regional connectivity, economic integration and trade development in the digital age. The SCCP is one of the key committees under the Committee of Trade and Investment (CTI) which is expected to make many initiatives to contribute to achieving the Bogor 2020 target of trade and investment liberalization.

The meeting of APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures 2017 was successfully held with main events: the first meeting of the Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP1) took place on the sidelines of the SOM1 in Nha Trang from 21st February to 1st March 2017, the second meeting of the Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures (SCCP2) and the three other events of the Customs took place on the sidelines of the SOM3 in Ho Chi Minh City from 16th to 30th August 2017.

The meeting of APEC Sub-Committee on Customs Procedures 2017, with good preparation on contents and reception, was highly appreciated by SCCP delegates because it provided a working program and collective action plan for SCCP with actual and highly feasible activities, promoted the close coordination between Customs authorities in the region, contributed to enhancing the role of Customs on the APEC forum and strengthened connection between security forces and promoted trade in the region. These results contributed to the good success of the APEC Year 2017.

The Director General of the GDVC Nguyen Van Can and the organizing committee of SCCP1 took photos with Customs delegates from APEC member economies in Nha Trang City in February 2017. Photo:H.A

7. The e-Customs declaration portal was officially operated in March 2017, providing e-Customs declaration information to relevant agencies to handle administrative procedures.

Implementing the Government’s Decision No. 33/2016/QD-TTg dated 19th August 2016, promulgating regulations on the supply and use of e-Customs declaration information, the GDVC developed and officially put into operation the e-Customs declaration portal on March 2017.

As of 30th November 2017, 10.08 million declarations by 77,350 businesses were implemented via VNACCS/VCIS, and 69,200 access times and information search were implemented via the e-Customs declaration portal. The Customs granted access rights for over 1,200 accounts and received requests on granting account and connecting with the system.

8. The GDVC chaired, collaborated, detected and seized many violation cases

In the first 11 months of 2017, the entire Customs detected and seized 13,813 cases of infringing goods, valued at over VND 722 billion, prosecuted 41 criminal cases, transferred 46 cases to another agency to prosecute, and collected VND 362 billion for the State revenue.

Typically, two containers containing 13 drums of 449 pieces of ivory mixed with sawdust, covered with wax and asphalt, with a total weight of 1,346 kg and a bag of 130 bracelets made from ivory, with a total weight of 10 kg, were seized by Sai Gon Customs Branch Zone 1 in Cat Lai Port, Ho Chi Minh city on 6th September 2017.

Previously, on 20th March 2017, the Customs Control Team under Hai Phong Customs Department collaborated with Anti Smuggling and Investigation Department (under the GDVC) and Police Department for Investigation of drug-related crimes of Hai Phong City Police successfully destroyed a case and seized 351 boxes of Khat leaves, with a total weight of 2.8 tons.

Customs force coordinated to inspect the shipment containing 1.3 tons of ivory in asphalt drum. Photo: T.H

9. On 15th November 2017, the GDVC deployed Aviation National Single Window at all international airports nationwide

After a period of positive preparation on legal frame work, IT system, training, propaganda and pilot implementation at Noi Bai International Airport, on 15th November 2017, the Ministry of Finance (the GDVC) coordinated with relevant ministries, sectors and units to officially deploy Aviation National Single Window at all international airports nationwide under the Prime Minster’s Decision 43/2017/QD-TTg dated 26th September 2017. Currently, almost all airlines have participated in the implementation of the Aviation National Single Window.

The implementation model of Aviation National Single Window.

10. The GDVC officially operated online public service and expanded supply of online public service at minimum level 3 for 46 Customs administrative procedures

Implementing Resolution 36a /NQ-CP on e-Government, since 1st March 2017, the Customs continued to deploy the online public service on e-Customs Portal. Thereby, it provides online public service for 46 administrative procedures. Since the deployment to 24th December 2017, the online public service system received and handled nearly 64,000 dossiers with participation from nearly 11, 000 organizations and individuals.

Currently, the Customs provided 123 online public services at level 4, and 3 online public service at level 3 (out of 178 administrative procedures), reaching 71%. In 2017, 10.142 million dossiers of businesses were processed via online public service at level 4 by the Customs.

The system of public services is provided on e-Customs Portal of the GDVC www.customs.gov.vn