Continue reforming the Customs administrative procedure in 2018

May you assess the Customs administrative reform in 2017?

With a view to improving the business environment, enhancing national competitiveness and creating favorable conditions for import-export enterprises in line with Resolution 19 of the Government, in 2017, the Customs Department has implemented 11 task groups, 29 solutions groups and 39 product groups to further modernize, facilitate trade, monitor compliance, ensure revenue, and shorten time for cross border clearance of goods.

The General Department of Customs has formulated and submitted to the competent authorities for promulgation seven legal documents; submitted to the Government a draft decree amending and supplementing Decree 08/2015/ND-CP dated 21st January 2015 specifying and implementing measures to implement the Customs Law on customs procedures, inspection and supervision, customs control and the draft Decree amending and supplementing Decree No. 01/2015/ND-CP dated 2nd January 2015 specifying the scope of customs operation areas; to coordinate in the prevention and combat of smuggling and illegal cross-border goods transportation; submitted to the Ministry of Finance a draft Circular amending and supplementing the Ministry of Finance's Circular No. 38/2015/TT-BTC dated March 25th, 2015 stipulating the customs procedures; Customs inspection and supervision; export tax, import tax and tax administration for export goods. A draft decree on the National Single Window, ASEAN Single Window, and specialized import-export management is being prepared.

In addition, as an advisory body to assist the Minister of Finance in supervising and monitoring the implementation of the Prime Minister's Decision No. 2026/QD-TTg dated 17th November 2015 approving the scheme and improving the efficiency of the specialized inspection for export goods. The General Department of Customs together with other ministries and sectors reviewed statistics of 368 legal documents on technology in the field; amended and supplemented 66/87 inadequate documents. To propose ministries and branches to promulgate the list of goods subject to management and industrial design in the direction of shortening the goods subject to inspection, transferring them to the post-inspection, the list of goods subject to detail and the HS codes; change the inspection mode, apply risk management in the inspection; strengthen IT application in filing and return test results etc.

Currently, the Customs General Department is developing a scheme to submit to the Prime Minister on the pilot implementation of industrial technicians at Customs. To take initiative in coordinating the specialized management ministries to promulgate the list of goods subject to procedures for border-gate industrial technology and procedures for conducting border-gate technological work.

The General Department of Customs has actively pushed ministries and sectors to actively implement the master plan on the implementation of the National Single Window mechanism and the ASEAN Single Window for the period 2016-2020 approved by the Prime Minister. 41 administrative procedures have been implemented with more than 602,000 dossiers processed for over 151,000 enterprises.

On October 16th, the General Department of Customs officially operated the Automated Customs Management System at Noi Bai Airport. The implementation of automated customs management system at airports will minimize the time, costs, papers, records for processing business.

On December 11th, the General Department of Customs officially introduced the Automated Customs Control System at Sea Ports (VASSCM). The implementation of the system helps to fundamentally change the way of managing and supervising import and export goods at seaports. Helps to reform, simplify procedures, reduce clearance time, but still ensures management requirements. According to the roadmap, until the end of Q2/2018, it will be basically deployed at seaports with the highest volumes of export and import goods in the whole country.

In preparation for the official implementation of the ASEAN Single Window, the General Department of Customs is coordinating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Information and Communications to prepare the technical information infrastructure for the official implementation of the ASEAN Single Window About the e-C/O form D in January 2018. It is currently supporting new test participants such as Brunei, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Particularly, the General Department of Customs has cooperated with Japan Customs, JICA and related parties to upgrade the VNACCS/VCIS hardware equipment, adding some urgent functions and priorities to the system in the fastest time.

The General Department of Customs has signed with 36 commercial banks to collect electronic tax, which accounts for 90% of customs revenue, reducing the time from 2 days to 15 minutes. To officially implement the electronic tax payment and clearance scheme 24/7 from 23th October, 2017, with 12 commercial banks participating.

Deploying online public services at least level 3 to 126/178 of Custom administrative procedures, of which 123 Customs administrative procedures have provided online level 4.

With the above results, the targets and tasks for the implementation of the Resolution No. 19-2017/NQ-CP of the Customs sector basically met the requirements, thereby further facilitating the import-export activities in implementing the Customs procedures and reducing cost for businesses. The results of 2017 will also create a prerequisite for the Customs sector to further reform its administrative procedures in 2018.

In the implementation of the Customs administrative procedure, what should the Customs sector need to do to achieve two goals: to help businesses shorten the time for goods clearance, improve competitiveness and ensure the inspection and control of export and import goods in accordance with its roles?

"Reform of Customs administrative procedures and maximize the advantages for enterprises" and "Checking and strict control of import and export goods accurately" are two tasks that the Customs agencies have been continuing to implement.

Regularly review the proposal to improve the customs law system, import-export tax law, in which the regulation on reform and simplification of administrative procedures must be balanced with the regulations on inspection, supervision and inspection. Control customs to ensure the harmony, meet the requirements of state management of customs.

To step by step apply a wide range of modern customs management methods such as risk management, compliance management, post-customs clearance inspection, the application of preferential customs regime, origin, customs value, etc., to ensure the quick settlement of customs procedures but with the customs inspection and supervision still meeting the set requirements.

The General Department of Customs regularly organizes effective control over the implementation of customs procedures in the whole sector in three levels. To increase investment and application of modern IT in professional work and customs procedures in order to quickly and neatly handle customs dossiers while ensuring effective customs supervision of export and import goods.

In the process of internalizing the FTAs, Vietnam has signed the Customs and customs policy making process to improve the capacity of the Customs. At the same time, the customs sector will step up the inspection, examination and investigation against smuggling in order to ensure a fair and equal environment and business opportunities for the export-importing subjects.

In 2018, what measures will the Customs sector have to implement to improve the effectiveness of the administrative procedure?

In addition to the advantages of customs clearance in the customs area, there are also limitations and shortcomings such as the modification and supplementation of some provisions of the customs legislation, which is still behind schedule. The work of industrial and export goods has not really reformed, it is a barrier that makes it difficult and expensive for businesses; Acting on communication and dissemination of customs law so that enterprises can fully grasp the implementation, the implementation is not rich in method, approach and regular throughout the system, especially at the grassroots level etc. To overcoming obstacles and remaining in line with the legitimate aspirations of the business community in carrying out customs procedures, in 2018, the Customs sector will focus on the following major solutions:

Continue to reform the customs procedures through the elaboration of customs legislation, to ensure the stability and uniformity of the documents. Implementing measures to communicate and disseminate laws within and outside the sector, measures to help businesses quickly access the latest regulations and laws in the field of customs as well as customs procedures.

Organize and effectively control the implementation of the customs legislation by the customs offices and officers and the related subjects.

Upgrading, applying IT in all professional operations and handling customs clearance.

To effectively implement the Prime Minister's Decision No. 2026/QD-TTg of November 17th, 2015 approving the Scheme on enhancing the efficiency of the export and import of goods for export and Decision No. 2185/QD -TTg dated 7th October, 2017, of the Prime Minister approving the Master Plan on the implementation of the National Single Window and the ASEAN Single Window for the 2016-2020 period.

In addition, the Customs sector continues to reorganize the customs machinery at all levels to ensure streamlining, effective and efficient operation; improving the quality of cadres and civil servants; Regularly review proposals to improve the legal system in the field of management; public finance reform and administrative modernization.

Thank you Sir!