Actively conduct customs reform and support businesses in enforcing customs laws

	Seminar on "Customs reform, promoting cross-border e-commerce development"
	Businesses as reliable development partners: Deputy Director of Customs Reform and Modernization Board Luong Khanh Thiet
	The successful organization of the conference will strengthen the strategic political position of Vietnam Customs in the region and the world

Operations at Mong Cai Border Gate Customs Branch (Quang Ninh Customs Department). Photo: Thai Binh

Professional activities at Mong Cai Border Gate Customs Branch (Quang Ninh Customs Department). Photo: Thai Binh

The General Department of Customs said that administrative reform activities have further strengthened to improve efficiency in administrative processing and providing public services to serve people and businesses. From the results achieved, 2023 is the 7th consecutive year that the General Department of Customs has been ranked first among the General Department and equivalent units under the Ministry on the Public Administration Reform Index, contributing to increasing the PAR INDEX of the Ministry of Finance.

In addition, solutions to reform and modernize customs, reform human resources and reform customs operations; simplify and electronize customs procedures and facilitate trade, timely remove difficulties and obstacles in the customs clearance have contributed to creating favorable conditions for businesses in carrying out customs procedures.

Notably, currently, the total number of administrative procedures in the customs field is 225 procedures. Of these, there are 214 procedures carried out by the Customs agency, including: 133 administrative procedures are provided with full online public services; 60 administrative procedures are partially provided online public services; 21 administrative procedures are provided online.

According to Vice President of the European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) in Vietnam, Nguyen Hai Minh: "When carrying out import or export procedures, there is a problem, investors automatically think that this problem is within authority of the Customs agency. But in reality, there are many other state management agencies such as specialized management and inspection agencies. We also have to clarify the authority of the Customs agency or of other agencies." Mr. Nguyen Hai Minh added that in the flow of trade, problems are not inevitable, but the importance is how the parties coordinate and resolve them.

In fact, there has been great sympathy between Customs authorities and businesses. In particular, not working together to solve problems, Customs and businesses work together from the time of drafting legal documents. For example, the Decree on specialized inspection, this is a draft that has received consensus from many business associations. If the Decree is issued, it will greatly facilitate and remove obstacles for businesses.

Also according to the EuroCham representative, currently the issue of sustainable development and green growth is of great concern to the EU, this is also a topic that Vietnam has many strong commitments to. Therefore, Mr. Nguyen Hai Minh believes that green investment flows and two-way trade will grow very quickly. To well implement those goals requires state management agencies, including the Customs agency, to continue administrative reform.

Also, the representative of Flat World Company proposed that the Customs agency have more solutions to facilitate customs clearance agent activities. According to the representative, although there are enough conditions to operate as a customs broker, there is not much support from businesses, most businesses are afraid to let a customs broker fully implement its functions.

Therefore, to overcome this problem, according to the representative of Flat World Company, if we further specify the functions, tasks, powers, ways of organizing work, and responsibilities of customs brokers, it may create more confidence for businesses when using this service. This is an important solution to avoid the problems of many years ago, when logistics businesses were established but did not operated methodically, many staff only delivered documents, without the consulting skill. That increased the work for the Customs agency and increased risks for service users.

Hanoi Customs supports and encourages businesses to voluntarily comply with customs laws

Also according to the representative of Flat World Company, when the customs brokers have enough capacity to perform their job and have received support from the Customs, the business community will believe in them more, improving the efficiency of their operations.