Binh Duong Customs helps businesses restore and develop

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Officers of My Phuoc Industrial Park Customs, Binh Duong Customs Department at work. Photo: T.D

Facilitating trade and attracting new investment sources

In Binh Duong, enterprises have faced the same difficulties as the country; many businesses have suffered from the decrease in export orders, narrowed production and suspended their operation.

In response, the Binh Duong Customs Department has implemented many solutions to support enterprises that facilitate trade and logistics development in the area.

At the recent Customs-Business Forum, the Director of Binh Duong Customs Department said that in 2023, enterprises in the province have suffered from more difficulty than the whole country because major export products such as wood, textiles, leather and footwear to markets such as the U.S., the E.U., Japan, China … have plunged.

To support businesses in resolving difficulties, in addition to implementing the solutions of the Government, the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Vietnam Customs, and the People's Committee of Binh Duong Province, the Binh Duong Customs Department closely follows the local status, implemented solutions, and removed difficulties for enterprises while facilitating to new investment enterprises in Vietnam.

"Binh Duong Customs Department divides into two business groups. The first group, the Customs, supports enterprises that have operated to access new regulations; the second group, the Customs, disseminates preferential policies and solutions to facilitate enterprises to attract investment in Vietnam. Currently, the Customs remove problems for enterprises and access new investment. Notably, Lego Group has invested in Binh Duong; the department has assigned a working group to assist enterprises right from the first stages. Although enterprises have not yet been put into operation, all steps of building a factory have operated smoothly, without any difficulties," said Hieu.

Director of Binh Duong Customs Department Nguyen Tran Hieu said that the Customs remove problems for enterprises and access new investment.

In addition, the department has quarterly held Customs –Business dialogue conferences, thereby training businesses on new policies and regulations related to Customs, import and export and answering existing problems of businesses, as well as grasping proposals of enterprises to report to the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

Binh Duong Customs Department regularly signed Customs- Business partnership agreements at the department and branch levels. Currently, the department has signed cooperation and partnership agreements with more than 100 businesses and customs brokers that comply with the law well. Notably, in March, the department signed a partnership agreement with a major partner, Lego Manufacturing Vietnam, under the Lego group with an investment of US$1 billion in Binh Duong.

Supporting Customs complaints

Through the partnership agreement, the Binh Duong Customs Department also creates favourable conditions for businesses to reflect problems in the import and export process, as well as supports enterprises in making legal documents and supervising the performance of the customs to improve the public service quality and limit negative acts of officers.

The department requests officers to raise the public service quality and facilitate import and export activities of enterprises, strengthen inspection and supervision for officers in performing public tasks to prevent and handle negative acts causing difficulties for businesses.

The department has implemented the Pilot program to support and encourage enterprises to comply with customs laws voluntarily, selected 18 enterprises and customs brokers eligible for participating and signing the Memorandum of Understanding.

After the implementation, the department has achieved positive results in upgrading the compliance level of businesses. Among 18 enterprises participating in the program, 15 have complied at level 3, and three are at level 4.

Five firms have increased their compliance level (two enterprises increased from level 4 to level 2, one from level 4 to level 3, and two from level 3 to level 2), accounting for 27.7% of participated enterprises. Notably, the rate of goods classified into the Red channel of enterprises participating in the program has dropped by 4% compared to before participating in the program.

According to the Binh Duong Customs Department, to support businesses regularly, the department periodically sends information so businesses can grasp information about frequently occurring violations (if any), providing warnings and recommendations.

Based on the information provided by the Binh Duong Customs Department, businesses review the company's operations and customs declaration services and offer solutions to limit violations and improve law compliance.