Clearer responsibilities of port enterprises in Customs supervision of imported and exported goods

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Import and export activities at Hai Phong port. Photo: T. Binh

At present, the VNACCS/ VCIS system in the whole country has contributed to reduce cargo Customs clearance time and brought many benefits to import-export enterprises due to fast Customs clearance time (for green channel is 1-3 seconds, for yellow channel and red channel depends on dossier inspection time and actual inspection of goods). However, in order for goods to be taken in or out the Customs supervision area, enterprises must still have written confirmation (list of containers and goods eligible for passing through the supervision area) of Customs agencies to transfer to the port, depot and warehouse enterprises as a basis for the port, depot and warehouse enterprises allowing to transport goods out of the Customs supervision area in accordance with the provisions of Article 41 of the Customs Law. Manual information exchanges between Customs and port, depot and warehouse enterprises increases time of information exchange of goods which are eligible for passing the Customs supervision area. Thereby, increasing cargo clearance time of enterprises (which may raise storage costs), also creating inaccuracy of the information on actual time of the goods in and out the Customs supervision area (Customs agency confirmed the clearance through the Customs supervision area on the system, but goods are still not transported out of the warehouse and port).

In addition, due to the direct contact of enterprises with Customs officers in the confirmation of clearance of the Customs supervision area, the situation may arise where Customs officers abuse supervision regulations to bother and harass enterprises.

The source of information that Customs agencies need to collect to carry out Customs supervision for means of transport and goods transported on means of transport is currently not sufficient and throughout the transport history, and it is fragmented in many processes as well as many IT systems. For example, the manifest information is declared on the National Single Window by shipping firms, shipping firm agent delivery companies or the shipping company; Loading, unloading and storage of goods is the responsibility of the ports, warehouse and depot enterprises, but there is no exchange and management system; Declarations on the VNACCS system are declared by the Customs declarants; and actual supervision management is implemented on the e-Customs System but this information is currently not shared or shared a little between the systems.

To the current inadequacies, the General Department of Customs amended and supplemented regulations on Customs supervision of imported and exported goods in the revised draft Circular 38/2015/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance to clearly define the responsibilities of Customs agencies, port, depot and warehouse enterprises and Customs declarants.

Accordingly, the Customs agencies shall be responsible for providing information on the declarations eligible for clearance of Customs supervision area for the port, depot and warehouse enterprises.

The port, depot and warehouse enterprises shall have the responsibility to: - Only permit the transport of goods in or out of port, depot and warehouse areas on the basis of goods eligible for clearance of Customs supervision areas provided by the Customs agencies. Provide information about imported goods which were unloaded from means of transport on entry and time of goods transported out of the port, depot and warehouse; and exported goods transported into port, depot and warehouse to wait for export and time of goods loaded on the means of transport on exit for the Customs agencies; and information about change in locations of goods and original status of goods.

The Customs declarants only work with the port, depot and warehouse enterprises to take goods (except for special cases). Customs declarants do not have to print form 29 / DSCT / GSQL Annex V for containerized cargo and form 30 / DSHH / GSQL Annex V for other cargo (only printed when the exchange system with the port has incidents and locations where there are no port connections).

Solutions to improve the efficiency of supervision between Customs and port enterprises VCN - Although the responsibilities of the port, warehouse, and depot enterprises in the Customs supervisions were ...

At present, the Customs agencies have connected and exchanged information with port, depot and warehouse enterprises at 9 ports in Hai Phong, at Cat Lai - Ho Chi Minh City and Tien Sa port in Da Nang.