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Customs officials of Mong Cai Customs Branch at work (Quang Ninh Customs Department).

Continued improvement from both government and business

Ms. Pham Thi Ngoc Thuy, Director of the Office of the Private Economic Development Research Board (Board IV), said that the positive recovery of import-export activities cannot fail to mention the contribution of the Customs sector. These efforts include reducing the financial burden on businesses, quickly responding to fluctuations in the international market, supporting businesses to take advantage of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), promoting agricultural exports through border gates and applying new technology in customs management.

However, according to Ms. Thuy, trade activities globally and in Vietnam still face many risks and difficulties. The trend of trade protectionism is increasing, many countries are implementing measures to protect domestic production, imposing trade barriers. At the same time, new technical requirements, such as "greening" in international trade, also create many challenges. In this context, continued improvement from both the

Government and businesses is an urgent requirement in the new situation, including the role of the Customs agency.

The representative of Board IV raised some expectations of the business community to the Customs agency such as: improving consistency and transparency in implementation. Currently, the application of goods inspection regulations may vary among border gates. To improve this problem, the Customs authority can deploy a nationwide performance management and evaluation system, ensuring that the same type of goods will go through procedures in the same way at all border gates. Inspection results can also be publicly updated on an online platform, where businesses can look up and compare among different border gates.

In addition, much customs data is still managed in a fragmented and difficult-to-control manner. To optimize, the Customs authority can deploy a blockchain system to track the entire supply chain of shipments from start to finish. This will help prevent falsification of documents or changes in data and ensure that information about goods is transparent and consistent throughout the whole transportation process.

According to Ms. Thuy, small businesses often have difficulty in understanding and complying with complicated customs regulations. Therefore, the Customs authority can establish online support centers, where businesses can contact experts for specific advice on issues such as tax rates, customs procedures and inspection requirements.

In addition, businesses also proposed simplifying and digitizing the post-clearance inspection process. For example, the Customs authority can deploy an AI-based automated inspection system that will automatically assess the risk of a shipment based on existing data and only require expanded inspections for shipments that show abnormal signs. Businesses will receive notification of inspection results within hours instead of days.

In addition, the representative of Board IV also mentioned proposals of businesses such as improving feedback and complaint handling mechanisms; developing logistics infrastructure and international connections; human training.

Strengthening cooperation and dialogue

From the perspective of logistics service businesses, the representative of the Vietnam Logistics Service Business Association (VLA) proposed that the two sides strengthen cooperation and dialogue through the establishment of contact points to receive and resolve problems of businesses and associations; establish a contact point to update new documents in customs procedure management so that through VLA, there will be another channel for quick and accurate dissemination to the import-export business community. At the same time, continuing to coordinate together to organize the introduction, dissemination and guidance of legal regulations on customs related to logistics service business activities; coordinate together in giving opinions to draft legal documents, policies and other regulations of the Customs sector related to logistics service business activities.

VLA also recommends that Customs authorities at all levels promote support for businesses in doing customs procedures according to the type of import and export goods, legal regulations on on-site import and export goods, classification, determination of value and origin, etc; support businesses in promptly accessing information on new legal regulations, import and export situation, trade trends; answer questions arising from businesses when carrying out customs procedures; focus on supporting small and medium-sized businesses, start-ups, and compliant businesses.

In addition, for consulting activities with businesses and related parties, Customs authorities consult businesses and related parties in developing legal documents, customs procedures, forms of documents, electronic documents and information indicators to serve the requirements of digitization and digital transformation in the Customs sector; regulations on management mechanisms, methods, procedures of quality inspection and food safety for imported goods; regulations on customs management of exported and imported goods traded via e-commerce; regulations on customs procedures, inspection, supervision and control; regulations on information connection and sharing in the fields of export, import, exit, entry and transit of goods, people and means of transport under the National Single Window Mechanism....