Build a trusted Customs-Business partnership

	HCM City Customs will expand the signing of agreements to support associations and businesses
	Annual Customs-Business Forum 2024 titled “10-year development of Customs-Business Partnership” to be held on September 10

Sir, could you share the outstanding results in developing Customs-Business partnership over the past 10 years?

Up to now, the work of developing partnership relations has brought about many positive results for both the Customs agency and the business community, which have been recognized and highly appreciated by the State and the business community.

Firstly, the legal basis and system of documents guiding the work of developing partnership relations have been relatively complete. The task of developing partnership relations has been stipulated in many documents of the State and the Customs sector such as the Customs Development Strategy to 2020 and the Plan for reform, development and modernization of the Customs sector for the period 2011-2015; the period 2016-2020; the Customs Development Strategy to 2030 (issued in Decision No. 628/QD-TTg dated May 20, 2022 of the Prime Minister), the Plan for reform, development and modernization of the Customs sector to 2025.

Second, complete a step in organizing the apparatus to implement the work of developing partnership relations. The General Department has designated a focal point for developing partnership relations. Accordingly, the Modernization Reform Board is the unit assigned to preside over advising, guiding and organizing the implementation of the task of developing partnership relations; responsible for supporting units in implementing partnership activities; presiding over the implementation of a number of partnership activities as assigned by the General Department of Customs, and being the focal point in building partnership relations with business associations. The General Department of Customs also established Customs-Enterprise Advisory Groups, Problem Solving Groups, etc. at the department and sub-department levels to act as focal points for implementing partnership relations development work at each unit.

Third, the work of developing partnership relations has achieved many specific and very positive results in information, consultation, support, problem solving and cooperation activities.

For example, in terms of information, the Customs sector has deployed various forms and methods to customs declarants and enterprises, such as posting new content of legal documents on the Customs Electronic Information Portal, through newspapers and radio, or through conferences, seminars, training, instructions, direct answers or in writing, by phone; hotline; viber, zalo; face-to-face meetings, etc, to remove difficulties and obstacles for enterprises.

Through the review, 20/35 provincial and municipal customs departments have established a Customs-Enterprise partnership section on the electronic information page. Through the survey, 78.3% of enterprises are "satisfied" or "relatively satisfied" with the information provided by the General Department of Customs' Electronic Information Portal.

Regarding support and answering questions for enterprises, at provincial and municipal customs departments, support activities for enterprises are given special attention and implemented uniformly from the Department level to the Sub-department, Team/Group and civil servants. Every year, units in the Sector have organized hundreds of Customs-Enterprise dialogue conferences, handling tens of thousands of problems of the business community.

For example, in 2023: Number of times customs law problems were solved: 17,179 times requests for answers to customs law problems, of which provincial and municipal customs departments received 15,784 problems; professional departments and bureaus received 1,395 problems that were solved promptly or reported to competent authorities for solving in accordance with regulations.

In addition, provincial and municipal customs departments conduct a survey on business satisfaction once a year on the following contents: Assessment of business satisfaction with the implementation of commitments according to the Customer Service Declaration (Professionalism, transparency, efficiency and time to carry out administrative procedures); Assessment of the quality of business support services (Online public services, support activities), etc.

In order to develop the Customs-Business partnership in depth and substance, how do you think the role of business associations in cooperating with the Customs agency is demonstrated?

In today's deeply integrated economy, when state agencies increasingly limit their deep intervention in business operations, the role of business associations (BAs) is increasingly important.

In recent times, many BAs have proactively and actively cooperated with Customs agencies at all levels and have performed well as a bridge between the Customs agency and the business community. Up to now, the General Department of Customs and provincial and municipal customs departments have signed cooperation documents with about 42 BAs.

In order to develop the Customs-Business partnership in depth and substance, the role of BAs in cooperating with the Customs agency must be strengthened and focused on more. The HHDNs need to be more proactive in giving opinions and proposing the development of policies and laws on customs and import-export taxes to suit the reality.

The BAs need to improve their leadership and management capacity, promptly grasp the difficulties and problems of member enterprises to promptly reflect them to the Customs authorities at all levels for quick and effective resolution. In addition, the BAs also need to closely coordinate with the Customs authorities in organizing dialogue conferences; training courses on commodities; training conferences on customs laws, import-export taxes, customs procedures, digital transformation, etc.

In order to improve the level of partnership development in the coming time, what specific goals has the Customs authority set, sir?

In the coming time, the goal set by the Customs sector is that the development of partnership relations must be carried out in accordance with the socio-economic development of the country; ensuring that it is increasingly substantive and in-depth. At the same time, it is necessary to achieve the goals set out in the Customs Development Strategy to 2030 such as: "Improving the quality of service for people and businesses in customs procedures and customs management. Effectively managing tax collection for import and export activities. Facilitating legal cross-border trade, tourism and transportation activities, creating a transparent and fair import and export environment, contributing to improving national competitiveness" and "developing cooperation and partnership relations between Customs and relevant parties to create a foundation and contribute to improving the effectiveness of State management of Customs". Building a trustworthy partnership between the Customs authority and enterprises based on research, development and implementation of a trusted partnership program with the participation of import-export enterprises and their trading partners in the supply chain.

Encourage the business community to participate in reviewing and perfecting customs law policies; participate in monitoring the implementation of customs law; cooperate to improve the law enforcement capacity of customs and enterprises, and improve the quality of public services in the customs sector.

Customs authorities at all levels need to proactively research, innovate and propose solutions, initiatives and tools to support enterprises in carrying out customs procedures in accordance with the characteristics of the locality and the nature of the enterprise's operations. Research and establish a Customs-Enterprise consultation forum; strengthen consultation activities before and after the promulgation of customs law policies to ensure the practicality of legal documents when promulgated.

Strengthen the work of monitoring law enforcement of enterprises with Customs agencies and the business community; focus on modernizing monitoring tools. Simultaneously, it is necessary to connect business support points at all levels; ensure flexibility and efficiency in the operations of departments working on developing customs-business partnerships.

Organize training courses on developing partnerships for both Customs and BAs, business groups to share more experiences, models, and effective implementation methods so that units can raise awareness and take action. Strengthen the exchange, evaluation, and urging of the implementation of the work of developing Customs-Business partnerships and related parties in the whole industry to both overcome shortcomings and limitations, and replicate typical examples, experiences, and good initiatives in this work.

Thank you, sir!