6 outstanding events of Vietnam Customs in 2024

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The 33rd Meeting of the ASEAN Customs Directors-General held in Phu Quoc city, Kien Giang province. Photo: General Department of Customs.

Event 1: Vietnam Customs takes on the role of Chair and successfully hosts and organizes the 33rd Meeting of the ASEAN Customs Directors-General.

2024 marks an important milestone for Vietnam Customs in hosting and assuming the role of Chair of the 33rd Meeting of the ASEAN Customs Directors-General in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. The organization of the conference aims to fulfill the obligations and responsibilities of the Customs administrations of ASEAN member countries, while enhancing the position and role of Vietnam Customs and complying with the general policy of the Party and State on enhancing Vietnam's multilateral diplomacy.

As the most important annual event in the ASEAN Customs cooperation mechanism, the ASEAN Customs Directors-General Meeting was attended by 118 delegates from the delegations of 10 customs administrations of ASEAN member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN partners including: Japan Customs, China Customs, Korea Customs, Australian Customs and Border Protection, World Customs Organization (WCO), US-ASEAN Business Council, EU-ASEAN Business Council and ASEAN Business Advisory Council.

As the host country and chair of the Conference, Vietnam Customs actively contributed to providing directions for discussion and building a new phase of customs development strategy. In which, emphasizing the goal of customs modernization, researching and applying new technology, enhancing connectivity, and sharing information to serve regional and global customs control.

Vietnam Customs also proactively volunteered to take on the role of coordinating country in the 2nd Joint Customs Control Campaign (JCC), one of the highlights of outstanding initiatives in ASEAN Customs control cooperation.

The conference was highly appreciated for its management, preparation and organization, demonstrating the thoughtfulness, impression, professionalism, respect and hospitality of Vietnam Customs for international Customs colleagues.

Imported automobiles are one of the items that contribute greatly to the budget collection. Photo: T.Binh.

Event 2: Efforts to successfully complete the task of State budget collection in 2024

The world and Vietnam's economic situation in 2024 is still assessed as challenging because the internal difficulties of the economy are forecast to remain.

Meanwhile, the world political situation remains complicated and unpredictable, military conflicts continue to drag on along with conflicts in the Red Sea region, affecting transportation activities, increasing transportation costs, affecting the global supply chain and prices of many goods.

However, the domestic economy has begun to show signs of improvement. The world economic and political situation has had many fluctuations that have strongly affected the sustainable economic development and budget revenue of our country.

In that context, identifying state budget collection as the top priority task of the entire sector, under the leadership of the Party, the drastic direction and management of the National Assembly, the Government, the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Customs has strived to overcome difficulties, proactively and flexibly implemented solutions to facilitate trade, improve the effectiveness of state management, promote 24/7 tax collection, prevent budget loss, and determined to excellently complete the task and exceed the assigned estimate.

As a result, the total state budget revenue from import-export activities reached VND427,989 billion, reaching 114.13% of the estimate assigned by the National Assembly (VND375,000 billion), up 16.1% compared to 2023.

The above positive results have significantly contributed to the country's economic development, ensuring resources to implement social security policies, promoting sustainable economic growth, contributing to the completion of the five-year socio-economic development plan for the 2021 – 2025 period, towards the 14th National Party Congress, while ensuring strict management of import-export activities.

Import-export activities at Hai Phong port area. Photo: Thai Binh

Event 3: Implementing many solutions to facilitate trade with a record turnover of over US$786 billion

One of the bright spots of the Customs sector in 2024 is that the export and import turnover of goods maintained a high growth rate, contributing to promoting the recovery of the domestic economy, meeting the needs of many export markets, with the total value of Vietnam's import-export goods reaching US$786.29 billion, an increase of 15.4% over the same period last year. The trade balance has a surplus of US$24.77 billion. This is the highest import-export turnover ever.

This result is thanks to the consistent and timely leadership of the Party, the Government, the Prime Minister and the attention and close direction of the Ministry of Finance, the coordination of the ministries, central and local authorities. In particular, the efforts of all officials, civil servants, and employees of the Customs agency in synchronously implementing many solutions to both ensure state management of customs for import and export activities and facilitate trade such as: reducing customs clearance time, simplifying administrative procedures, focusing on implementing synchronous solutions from institutions to modernization and reform, and specific solutions in organizing and implementing business processes, removing difficulties and obstacles for businesses.

Offenders and exhibits in the seizure of 100 kg of drugs conducted by Quang Tri Customs in coordination with State authorities in March 2024. Photo: Quang Tri Customs.

Event 4: The Customs sector's drug prevention and control has achieved impressive results, seizing nearly 2.3 tons of various drugs and 355 offenders

In 2024, smuggling, trade fraud, illegal transportation of goods across the border, especially drug crimes, are complicated, large-scale with many sophisticated tricks.

As the standing agency of the Ministry of Finance's Steering Committee 389, the General Department of Customs has done a good job of advising the Ministry of Finance to coordinate with ministries, State authorities in handling many cases of violations of customs laws, many major drug cases, especially cases following international crime lines, contributing to ensuring security and social safety.

Under the attention, leadership, and close and drastic direction of leaders at all levels, along with the determination and efforts of the collective of cadres and civil servants in the sector, in 2024, the entire Customs sector presided over and coordinated with the Police and Border Guard forces to handle 293 cases, 355 arrests, of which the Customs agency presided over 110 cases. The total amount of seized evidence was nearly 2.3 tons of drugs of all kinds.

To achieve the above outstanding results, leaders at all levels of the Customs sector have paid special attention, thoroughly grasped and directed units and individuals in the whole sector to raise awareness, consciousness and sense of responsibility in drug prevention and control; proactively and effectively ensure drug control work in the customs operation area; promote coordination among units in the sector and between the Customs agency and management agencies.

Internationally, the Customs force has also contributed to affirming the role, position and efforts of the Vietnam Customs agency, contributing to the common efforts of the region and the world in the battle to repel drugs and the unpredictable harms related to drug crimes.

Event 5: The outstanding role of Vietnam Customs in coordinating and implementing the Mekong Dragon VI Campaign against illegal trafficking of drugs, wild animals and plants

The Mekong Dragon VI Campaign is part of a series of campaigns of the same name of the Joint Action Program against the illegal trade of drugs, wild animals and plants, and products from the species in the list of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) co-initiated by Vietnam Customs and China Customs.

Since the implementation of the Campaign, Vietnam Customs has always been an active member, demonstrating the proactive role of the co-initiator and operator of the Campaign, accompanying and working side by side with members of the coordination group to monitor, discuss, and propose directions and methods of operation that are effective, flexible and suitable for each stage of the Campaign.

As a member of the Campaign, the General Department of Customs has advised the Ministry of Finance to submit to the Government the Campaign Implementation Plan based on the joint statement between the leaders of Vietnam and China.

Accordingly, the Mekong Dragon Campaign in Vietnam has officially been implemented from April 15, 2024 to November 16, 2024.

The General Department of Customs has directed the implementation of the Campaign throughout the sector with the motto of expanding the scope of operations and connecting inter-regional members to participate in the Campaign.

In which, over 40 level 2 national focal points have been established to connect and exchange information in a timely manner.

As a result, Vietnam Customs has updated a total of 77 cases of drug and wildlife seizures to the CENCOmm system, including 59 drug seizures with 395 kg (including nearly 104,410 synthetic drug pills); 18 cases of wild animals and plants with 269kg and 353 products from wild animals and plants.

The success of the Mekong Dragon campaign demonstrates the proactive role of Vietnam Customs in regional control issues and has been highly appreciated by the international Customs community and law enforcement organizations for the quality of cooperation, serious and responsible working attitude, contributing to enhancing the image of Vietnam Customs in the international community.

At the same time, the success of the Campaign is a testament to the great efforts of the members, the active coordination of the coordination group, the effective support of the UNODC Regional Office and RILO AP.

Customs - Business Forum 2024 with the theme: "10 years of developing Customs - Business partnership". Photo: General Department of Customs.

Event 6: Imprint of "10 years of developing Customs - Business partnership"

Facing many difficulties in the country and the world today, the development of Customs - Business partnership continues to receive attention from the Customs sector with new orientations and solutions that are increasingly more substantial and in-depth.

In particular, strengthening Customs - Business cooperation, creating favorable conditions for businesses and related parties to participate in perfecting legal policies, improving the management and law enforcement capacity of each party, contributing to promptly resolving difficulties and obstacles, supporting and creating favorable conditions for the business community.

After 10 years of promoting implementation, the development of Customs - Business partnership has brought many positive results for both the Customs agency and the business community. This is the journey of a management agency changing its thinking and actions. Many valuable experiences have been gained, many difficulties have been solved, contributing to improving the quality of the investment and business environment for enterprises, while contributing to improving the effectiveness of implementing customs laws and policies and performing public duties in the Customs sector.

The forum is to evaluate the 10-year journey, recognize and commend collectives, individuals, organizations and enterprises with outstanding achievements, actively contributing to the development of the Customs - Business partnership and related parties; at the same time, orient solutions to continue to develop the Customs - Business partnership and related parties in the new period; enhance the legal compliance capacity of the business community, promote trade facilitation and develop the country's economy.

The conference “10 years of developing Customs-Business partnership” recognized, commended and honored 41 collectives, 79 individuals of Customs agencies and 14 domestic and foreign business associations, 14 individuals and 94 businesses.